Small Business: In Brief

DHS said that a document answering questions posed by potential vendors would be available the week of Jan. 22. Proposals for FirstSource, a five-year, $3 billion vehicle, initially were due by Jan. 10.

FirstSource is intended to provide the Homeland Security Department with interoperable IT equipment and software. Companies with a maximum of 150 employees may bid as primes on the contract.

SBA loans top $3 billion

In the months since Aug. 29 when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, the Small Business Administration has doled out more than $3 billion in loans to small businesses and Gulf Coast residents. Of the $3 billion, about $600 million in disaster loans went to businesses.

The only other disaster in history to generate more loans was the 1994 Northridge Earthquake in California.

SBA handed out about $4 billion in loans over a year to aid in that recovery effort.

DLA seeks small biz for help

Small businesses will have a chance to bid on a contract with the Defense Logistics Agency to implement passive radio frequency identification software at 26 or more distribution centers around the world.

The Defense Distribution Center, New Cumberland, Pa., on or about April 17 will issue a solicitation for small businesses that have 100 or fewer employees. The contract likely will be for one year with up to two option years.
No value has been given for the project, but the agency dubbed the order a "large purchase."

The project, which calls for installation, configuration and testing of passive RFID integration software, will support implementation of multiprotocol, passive RFID portals and associated hardware.