SBA: Small businesses set record for prime awards in 2008

Small businesses racked up a record $93.3 billion in federal prime contracts in fiscal 2008, an increase of almost $10 billion from 2007, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s third annual small-business procurement score card, released today.

In addition, small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned businesses and service-disabled, veteran-owned businesses increased their share of federal contracting dollars by at least $1 billion to $3 billion, SBA said.

“This record $93.3 billion in contracts to small businesses is significant, however, across the federal government [because] we are committed to ensuring that the 23 percent goal is met and even exceeded going forward,” SBA Administrator Karen Mills said in the news release.

Earlier this week, Mills and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke jointly announced a governmentwide plan that includes federal procurement officials holding or participating in more than 200 events over the next 90 days to share information on government contracting opportunities, including those available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The following 13 agencies met small business contracting goals: the Agriculture, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Interior, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs departments; the Environmental Protection Agency, General Services Administration,  NASA, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and SBA.

Small Business Procurement Scorecards provide an assessment of federal achievement in prime contracting to small businesses by the 24 Chief Financial Officers Act agencies.