{ "id": "R42390", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R42390", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 417100, "date": "2013-01-24", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T23:38:43.416964", "title": "Federal Contracting and Subcontracting with Small Businesses: Issues in the 112th Congress", "summary": "Congress has generally broad authority to impose requirements upon the federal procurement process, or the process whereby agencies obtain goods and services from the private sector. One of the many ways in which Congress has exercised this authority is by enacting measures intended to promote contracting and subcontracting with \u201csmall businesses\u201d by federal agencies. Among other things, these measures (1) declare a congressional policy of ensuring that a \u201cfair proportion\u201d of federal contract and subcontract dollars are awarded to small businesses; (2) establish government-wide and agency-specific goals for the percentage of contract and/or subcontract dollars awarded to small businesses; (3) require or authorize agencies to conduct competitions in which only small businesses may compete (i.e., set-asides), or make noncompetitive awards to them in circumstances when such awards could not be made to other businesses; and (4) task the Small Business Administration (SBA) and officers of the procuring agencies with reviewing and helping to restructure proposed procurements so as to maximize opportunities for small business participation. A companion report, CRS Report R42391, Legal Authorities Governing Federal Contracting and Subcontracting with Small Businesses, by Kate M. Manuel and Erika K. Lunder, provides an overview of these statutes, the regulations implementing them, and the various judicial and other tribunals that construe them. \nThis report describes and analyzes measures that Members of the 112th Congress enacted or proposed in response to particular issues pertaining to small business contracting and subcontracting. The majority of such measures addressed (1) the standards under which firms\u2019 size is measured, including the establishment of size standards for \u201cearly stage\u201d small businesses and \u201cmid-sized\u201d firms; (2) government-wide or agency-specific goals for contracting and subcontracting with small businesses; and (3) eligibility for the set-aside programs for particular types of small businesses (e.g., HUBZone small businesses). Other measures addressed federal contractors\u2019 obligations vis-\u00e0-vis small business subcontractors; limitations on the amount of work that may be subcontracted by small businesses to other firms; expedited payment of small business contractors; increases to the maximum surety bond amount that SBA may guarantee; bundling and consolidation of requirements into contracts unsuitable for award to small businesses; and agency \u201cinsourcing\u201d of functions performed by small businesses. Yet other measures addressed the responsibilities of SBA Procurement Center Representatives and agency Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization; the circumstances in which agencies may set aside contracts for small businesses or make non-competitive awards to them; the use of small businesses when making \u201csmall purchases;\u201d mentor-prot\u00e9g\u00e9 programs wherein large businesses provide financial and other assistance to small businesses; the deterrence and punishment of fraud in small business contracting programs; and contracting or subcontracting with small businesses by particular agencies.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R42390", "sha1": "9e1c4d3c5f115f7f029287bace1b4d8ff0e3e9f7", "filename": "files/20130124_R42390_9e1c4d3c5f115f7f029287bace1b4d8ff0e3e9f7.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R42390", "sha1": "ee03dd063cee1ed4be5d94a3a358e7dc8b068a0c", "filename": "files/20130124_R42390_ee03dd063cee1ed4be5d94a3a358e7dc8b068a0c.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc809064/", "id": "R42390_2012Sep11", "date": "2012-09-11", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Federal Contracting and Subcontracting with Small Businesses: Issues in the 112th Congress", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120911_R42390_fffcd5cf2e8af246de98db2110b430950591c679.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120911_R42390_fffcd5cf2e8af246de98db2110b430950591c679.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc811781/", "id": "R42390_2012May07", "date": "2012-05-07", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Federal Contracting and Subcontracting with Small Businesses: Issues in the 112th Congress", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120507_R42390_bf5a48a5a5343f3ea5eb733c4f2f9c9694ccfa47.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120507_R42390_bf5a48a5a5343f3ea5eb733c4f2f9c9694ccfa47.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc86599/", "id": "R42390_2012Mar07", "date": "2012-03-07", "retrieved": "2012-06-15T10:07:48", "title": "Federal Contracting and Subcontracting with Small Businesses: Issues in the 112th Congress", "summary": "Congress has generally broad authority to impose requirements upon the federal procurement process, or the process whereby agencies obtain goods and services from the private sector. One of the many ways in which Congress has exercised this authority is by enacting measures intended to promote contracting and subcontracting with \"small businesses\" by federal agencies. This report describes and analyzes measures that Members of the 112th Congress have enacted or proposed in response to particular issues pertaining to small business contracting and subcontracting.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120307_R42390_0b09c442cf1839b61c82b914ab807ae50a639091.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120307_R42390_0b09c442cf1839b61c82b914ab807ae50a639091.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress", "name": "Congress" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Public contracts", "name": "Public contracts" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Small business", "name": "Small business" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Business", "name": "Business" } ] } ], "topics": [ "National Defense" ] }