By Rieva Lesonsky
Changes to a women-owned businesses’ federal procurement program that have been delayed for 10 years are finally on the horizon, according to GovExec.com.
I blogged on Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends about the Women-Owned Small Business {WOSB) rule and how it would affect women-owned businesses’ access to federal contracts.
Plans to increase women’s access to federal contracts have been a bone of contention for years. During former President George W. Bush’s administration, plans that identified only four industries where women were at a disadvantage in contracting drew outrage.
The current proposed rule, released in March, increases this to 83 industries and authorizes set-aside contracts for WOSBs within those industries. The SBA then sought comments and more than 1,000 individuals, businesses and trade associations submitted their input. Since the public comment period ended in early May, SBA head Karen Mills said, “We have dealt with every one of [these comments]. Some were extremely helpful and valuable to rewrite the rule.”
With all input accounted for, Mills recently announced to the House Small Business Committee that the women’s small business contracting program will start before the end of the year.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0710/073010rb1.htm
By Rieva Lesonsky
Changes to a women-owned businesses’ federal procurement program that have been delayed for 10 years are finally on the horizon, according to GovExec.com.
I blogged on Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends about the Women-Owned Small Business {WOSB) rule and how it would affect women-owned businesses’ access to federal contracts.
Plans to increase women’s access to federal contracts have been a bone of contention for years. During former President George W. Bush’s administration, plans that identified only four industries where women were at a disadvantage in contracting drew outrage.
The current proposed rule, released in March, increases this to 83 industries and authorizes set-aside contracts for WOSBs within those industries. The SBA then sought comments and more than 1,000 individuals, businesses and trade associations submitted their input. Since the public comment period ended in early May, SBA head Karen Mills said, “We have dealt with every one of [these comments]. Some were extremely helpful and valuable to rewrite the rule.”
With all input accounted for, Mills recently announced to the House Small Business Committee that the women’s small business contracting program will start before the end of the year.
