Since its inception, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been committed to providing business opportunities to women-owned small firms by promoting a team approach involving senior management, contracting, program, and small business personnel with a shared sense of responsibility.
- In Fiscal Year 2013, DHS awarded more than $879 million in contracts to women-owned small businesses, placing DHS first among the top six Federal contracting agencies.
- In 2013 the Small Business Administration (SBA) awarded DHS – for the fourth time – the Francis Perkins Vanguard award, named after the first female Cabinet Secretary, for the Department’s continued support and the utilization of women-owned small businesses in federal contracting.
- The SBA has recognized DHS’s overall commitment to small businesses in its annual Small Business Fiscal Year Procurement Scorecard, which rates the success of 24 Federal agencies in meeting their overall small business contracting goals.
- Of the seven Federal agencies that spend the most in contracting dollars, DHS is the only agency to receive a grade of “A” for four consecutive years.
What is the role of the OSDBU at DHS?
The priority of DHS’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization is to promote and develop strategies for small business participation in the contracts awarded by the Department. We work closely with the DHS Chief Procurement Officer and the nine Heads of Contracting for the major DHS buying activities.
How is the small business office instrumental in making the agency meet its 5% WOSB goal?
With ongoing support from DHS senior management, the OSDBU’s activities include managing a small business website, working closely with Small Business Specialists in each buying activity, preparing an annual forecast of contract opportunities, hosting or participating in outreach activities, maintaining a listing of large business prime contractors with subcontracting opportunities, managing the DHS Mentor-Protégé program, hosting an annual small business awards ceremony, and facilitating the Small Business Review Form process for each contracting action expected to exceed $150,000. Further, we make efforts to use the WOSB/EDWOSB set aside programs and last December, in partnership with WIPP and SBA, hosted a forum with specific information on about a dozen current and upcoming WOSB/EDWOSB opportunities. As a result of these collective efforts, DHS has consistently exceeded the 5% WOSB goal.
www.wipp.org
this month's OSDBU to know:
Kevin Boshears
Director, OSDBU
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Agency focus