SBA negotiates with each agency mutually acceptable prime and subcontract goals for each small business category. SBA must ensure that the mutually established cumulative goals for all agencies meet or exceed the government-wide 23 percent small business goal. SBA can not accept an individual agency’s goal until in the aggregate, the government-wide goal is established. Subsequently, SBA compiles and analyzes agencies’ achievements against their individual goals and reports the results to the President.

SBA’s responsibility under the Small Business Act 15(g)(1) is to ensure that the Government-wide goal for participation of small business concerns be established at not less than 23 percent of the total value of all prime contract awards for each fiscal year. The Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) and Women-owned Small Business (WOSB) goal are also required to be established at not less than 5 percent.

SBA has the responsibility to ensure that agencies’ goals, in the aggregate, meet the Government-wide goals established at 15(g)(1) of the Act. This can only be done if SBA has received all the proposed goals to statistically calculate that we can achieve the Government-wide statutory goals.

The goaling "Calendar of Events" established the dates actions are due on the part of each agency. It is updated for each fiscal year and listed in the Goaling Guidance.

Yes, the Office of Government Contracting annually accepts nominations, including self-nominations, for the Gold Star Awards that are presented at the Annual Joint Industry/SBA Procurement Conference, Business Opportunity Expo and Awards Celebration, in Washington, D.C.

The Gold Star Awards were established to recognize the Federal personnel within the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) who have the primary responsibility for the aggressive goals and strategic initiatives that ensure small business a role in the Federal marketplace. The Gold Star Awards were established to recognize those Federal personnel for their exemplary performance. In addition, any Federal department or agency that has a winner of a Gold Star Award will receive a special agency award.

No. Prime contractors shall propose a subcontract percentage (or goal) on each contract that represents the maximum practicable opportunity for small businesses. This means that the prime contractors have to do market research to determine how many small businesses may be able to perform the subcontract requirements. Prime contractors shall propose as subcontractors, if available, small business concerns; small business concerns owned and controlled by service disabled veterans; qualified HUBZone small business concerns; small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals; and small business concerns owned and controlled by women.

Yes. On the SF279, block 30 under "type of contractor." the agency would check "A" which is SDB. However, on block 33B, the agency would check "F" which is that the SDB preference was "not applicable."

Yes. The Small Business (SB) Category shows the total procurement dollars to small businesses. All other categories are sub-sets of the SB Category. A procurement can be additionally counted in more than one sub-set category, as applicable, except 8(a) and small disadvantage business (SDB) that are reported separately, but together form the SDB Government-wide achievement.

In fact, all prime contract awards to small businesses, women-owned small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, 8(a) firms, HUBZone small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses all count toward the government-wide small business goal.

For example, if a business is awarded a contract and they are 8(a), small disadvantaged business, and a woman-owned small business, the agency counts the contract award in all categories that apply.

Yes, if the company has elected for its orders to be counted toward its 8(a) competitive mix and to allow for its orders to be counted as sales under the 8(a) program. If a company does not elect for them to be counted as 8(a) orders, then the agency will get credit for the order under the small disadvantage business (SDB) category. The agency will get credit toward its SDB goals, even if the FSS order was awarded under full-and-open-competition.

Starting in FY 1998, each individual agency included Federal Supply Service (FSS) Schedule buys as part of their estimate of all of their prime contracts and resultant goals. In addition, each individual agency’s goal achievements included all of their FSS Schedule buys.

Yes. The total dollars awarded to small business concerns are derived from the "type of contractor" they are not based on the solicitation procedures. As stated in the Goaling Guidance, the dollars awarded to Small Business Concerns will be derived from the SF-279 which the type of contractor should be a Small Business or Small Disadvantaged Business or from the SF-281 for a Small Business.

Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDB), HUBZone small business concerns, and 8(a) firms must be certified by SBA. PRO-Net is the official SBA database for verifying their certification. Other categories, including small businesses, women-owned small businesses, veteran-owned small businesses, and service-disabled veteran small businesses may self-certify as to their status. PRO-Net may be used to verify their "self-certification" but they are not required to be listed in PRO-Net.

When prime contractors submit their SF-294 and SF-295 reports to the Government, they are allowed to take credit for only those SDBs that are listed in PRO-Net. (For the SDB certification requirement, this applies only to solicitations issued by the Government on or after October 1, 1999, the effective date of the regulation.) SBA also recommends that you use PRO-Net to also confirm the firms that "self-certify" they are HUBZone certified as stated in the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 52.219-8(c)(2). Companies may accept self-certification for all the other categories.