Small Businesses Prosper on GWACs Set-aside governmentwide acquisition contracts have been a boon to small IT companies, according to a report commissioned by SBA’s Office of Advocacy. Nine percent of the money spent through GWACs in recent years was awarded through the three set-aside vehicles: the Commerce Department’s COMMITS, for small businesses; GSA’s 8(a) FAST and GSA’s new HUBZone GWAC. Two new set-asides will soon be added to the mix: GSA’s Alliant Small Business and its VETS GWAC for service-disabled veterans. The study found that GWACs are among the fastest-growing contract vehicles, accounting for $1.4 billion, or 12% of the government’s spending on IT hardware and services in 2004. Almost one-third of the dollars went to small firms. Small businesses were most successful in selling computer hardware and professional services, but lagged in ADP services and maintenance/repair, according to the report. The study was conducted by Eagle Eye Publishers and Jack Faucett Associates. It is available at www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs279tot.pdf.