NGA warning: Share past performance data or else

You don’t have to listen to Sandra Broadnax for very long to realize that the director of small business for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is a straight talker. She doesn’t pull punches.

So when she says she’s going to the Justice Department to complain about large prime contractors getting in the way of a new small business contracts at NGA, you know she’s not kidding.

Broadnax issued the warning when she was speaking Thursday at the Washington Technology Defense Department Industry Day.

What triggered her ire is that NGA, like a lot of agencies, has been moving what work it can from large business contracts to small-business set-asides. And what she sees happening is that some large businesses are refusing the share past performance information on their small business subcontractors who are trying to pursue the set-aside work.

Not sharing that information hurts the small businesses chances of competing, and it’s prohibited under Federal Acquisition Regulations.

Large businesses may point to the terms of exclusivity agreements they sign with the subcontractors, but it doesn’t matter what the agreement says if it is in violation of the FAR, she said.

“You can’t tamper with the process,” Broadnax said.

So be warned. If a small business needs past performance data from its prime better share it.

For more coverage of our industry day, click here.

Our next industry day is Sept. 2 and will feature the Health and Human Services Department.