Archives

May 18, 2009 - SBA launches new Web site where small firms can find Recovery Act subcontracting opportunities.

April 30, 2009 The Mid-Year update to the USDA Forecast of Contracting Opportunities has been published.

March 16, 2009 - White House Fact Sheet: President Obama and Secretary Geithner Announce Plans to Unlock Credit for Small Businesses

March 16, 2009 - Press Release: Statement from SBA Acting Administrator on Recovery Efforts Announced by President Obama

Feb 27, 2009 - USDA Commitment to BioPreferred Program - USDA must lead by example in implementing a provision of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill) requiring Federal agencies to give procurement preference to designated biobased products.

February 18, 2009 - SBA Warns of Fraudulent Attempts to Obtain Bank Account Information from Small Businesses (PDF;27Kb)

December 3, 2008 - Small Business Administration Scorecard Recognizes USDA FY 2009 Small Business Plan for Outstanding Achievement and Best Practices | USDA FY 2009 SB Plan

November 19, 2008 - Connecting VETS to USDA Training Conference

November 14, 2008, SBA News Release - Small Businesses Are America's Innovators Small businesses develop more patents per employee than larger businesses, with the smallest firms, those with fewer than 25 employees, producing the greatest number of patents per employee. Read more ...

October 22, 2008 - 17 of 24 Federal Agencies Met 2007 Small Business Goal In SBA's Annual Contracting Scorecard (PDF;411Kb)

October 7, 2008 - SDBs Allowed to Self-Certify Status

October 3, 2008 - Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 193 / Friday - SBA Interim final Rule Lets Companies Self-Certify Socio-Economic Status as a SDB

October 1, 2008- Federal Register - Small Business Administration - Final Rule: The Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Assistance Procedures

September 29, 2008 - SBA Submits Final Women's Contracting Rule

September 23, 2008 - Federal Register: SBA Suspending Receipt of SDB Applications

August 18, 2008 - SBA Further Increases Small Business Size Standards Due to Inflation - The U.S. Small Business Administration has issued a final rule that adjusts monetary-based small business size standards for inflation. The rule finalizes the Agency's December 6, 2005 interim final rule that also amended monetary-based small business size standards for inflation. However, this rule adds an additional 8.7 percent to the inflation-adjusted size standards of the December 2005 interim final rule. This additional 8.7 percent accounts for inflation that has occurred since then. This rule also adopts the interim final rule's two-step process for determining eligibility for SBA's Business Loan and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Programs. Furthermore, the rule adopts the revised date that SBA uses to determine size status for purposes of EIDL applications for businesses located in declared disaster areas as a result of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.

On June 12, 2008 - USDA Agencies to Receive Awards from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

April 18, 2008 - Proclamation 8241--Small Business Week, 2008

April 7, 2008 - President Bush Meets with Small and Mid-Size Business Owners to Discuss Economic Stimulus Package

April 1, 2008 - FedBizOpps Simplified - The web-based portal allowing vendors and purchases to review Federal Business Opportunities has been reformatted to make it more user-friendly. From the site’s main navigation page, any user (not password protected) can utilize navigation tools to review: General Information, News and Opportunities. Vendors and Purchasers with password protected accounts can take advantage of the new functionality features. Please visit the newly designed page.

On March 13, 2008 - OSDBU Director Honored by the National Association For the Employment of People Who Are Blind

March 11, 2008 - Task Force for Veterans’ Entrepreneurship (VET-Force) Praises USDA for its Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program. Read letter ...

March 10, 2008 - SCORE Adds New Online Resources for Manufacturers - SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business” announces a new section specifically for manufacturers at the SCORE Web site. Manufacturers can include businesses that specialize in transportation equipment, computers and electronics, chemicals, machinery and more. The new content area offers valuable information, statistics and mentoring to help these small business owners succeed.

February 15, 2008 -Veteran, Reservist Small Business Bill Signed into Law ... click link below to read full text of H.R. 4253

• Full Text of H.R. 4253 - Military Reservist and Veteran Small Business Reauthorization and Opportunity Act of 2007

February11, 2008 - President Signs Memorandum Urging Federal Agencies to Support AbilityOne Program

February 11, 2008 - Ms. Lisa Brown, USDA AbilityOne Liaison, Joins Mrs. Laura Bush at White House Celebration for AbilityOne 2007-2008 Workforce Employees of the Year (Lisa is second from the left)

November 7, 2007 - USDA Leads Efforts to Streamline Procurement of Biobased Products

September 27, 2007 - New SBA E-application Process Helps Small And Emerging Businesses Gain Quick Access to Bonds (PDF;30.8Kb)

August 17, 2007 - The Department of Agriculture is One of the Seven Federal Agencies Meeting Small Business Contracting Goals According to U.S. Small Business Administration’s First Small Business Procurement Scorecard (PDF,42Kb)

July/August, 2007 - "Cultivating a Marketplace for Veteran Contractors - Department of Agriculture builds upon initial progress to reach for the 3 percent mandate" - Veterans Business Journal article (PDF; 228Kb)

July 10, 2007 - Memo from Paul A. Denett , Administrator, Office of Management and Budget on Veterans Technology Services Government-wide Acquisition Contract (VETS GWAC) (PDF; 618KB)

July 3, 2007 - New SBA Recertification Regulations to Help Small Businesses Obtain Government Contracts (PDF; 33Kb)

May 14, 2007 - The revised U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Strategy to Implement the Service Disabled Veterans Executive Order (13360), Providing Opportunities for Service Disabled Veteran Businesses to Increase their Contracting and Subcontracting, was signed by Boyd K. Rutherford, Assistant Secretary for Administration on May 14, 2007. This issuance replaces USDA's original Strategy dated February 10, 2005 and reflects Mr. Rutherford's role as the Designated Senior-Level Official. This issue documents USDA's progress to implement the initiative as well as addresses additional actions being taken by USDA to achieve the Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Goal.

Click image to enlarge	April 23, 2007 - Boyd K. Rutherford, Assistant Secretary for Administration, US Department of Agriculture, receives Small Business Administration Gold Star Award (PDF; 43Kb)
Click image to enlarge	Each year since 1963, the President has issued a proclamation calling for the celebration of Small Business Week. National Small Business Week recognizes outstanding small business owners for their personal successes and contributions to our Nation’s economy. President George W. Bush proclaimed the week of April 22-28, 2007, as Small Business Week.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) presents awards to those businesses and federal agencies that have excelled in various aspects of federal procurement. This year, SBA presented the 2007 prestigious Gold Star Award for Excellence to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its exemplary performance. Assistant Secretary for Administration Boyd Rutherford accepted the award on behalf of USDA. USDA’s aggressive goals for small business contracting resulted in USDA awarding 50 percent of its $4 billion annual procurements to small businesses. USDA also exceeded its contracting goals for small, small disadvantaged, HUBZone, and women-owned businesses.

This award is a tribute to the USDA procurement community working in concert with program offices to expand USDA’s ability to achieve and/or exceed small business goals. USDA’s continued commitment to broadening small business access to contract opportunities stimulates small business ownership and economic growth, creates jobs, and results in improving the quality of life across America.

February 26, 2007- Boyd K. Rutherford, Assistant Secretary for Administration, Signs Partnership Agreement with Small Business Administration (SBA)

The purpose of the Agreement is to delegate SBA's contract execution functions to USDA per the requirements of 13 C.F.R.§ 124.501. USDA will determine which requirements are suitable for offering to the 8(a) program and determine with the appropriate SBA servicing office 8(a) participants capable of performing these requirements. Contracting Officers and other warranted officials who award 8(a) contracts will be informed of these new responsibilities that shall include monitoring contract awards to ensure they comply with all requirements. USDA contracting personnel may view the full text of this Agreement on the OSDBU intranet site.

February 11, 2007 - Central Contractor Registration, (CCR) Home Page has New Look and Feel - CCR Inquiry, CCR Tools, and the ccr.gov home page will be adding new elements and will delete two Business Types in response to changes requested by federal government agencies. Please see the SBA NAICS Size Standards Release Notes for further detail.

January 31, 2007 - SBA Administrator Proposes More Support for Veterans (PDF; 110 Kb)

January 31, 2007 - VETS GWAC Post-Award Web Conference PPT Presentation

January 24, 2007 - Steven C. Preston SBA Administrator, Memorandum to Heads of Departments and Agencies, Contracting with Service-Disabled Veterans (PDF; 39Kb)

Federal Buyers Who Wish to Use the Vets GWAC Must Receive Training and Be Granted a Delegation of Ordering Authority Prior to Issuing Task Orders (same process as Stars GWAC)

December 18, 2006 - GSA Veterans Technology Services (VETS) Contracts Go To 44 Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Firms

December 1, 2006 - Federal Register Notice (Volume 71, Number 231) - Clarification of Scope of JWOD Procurement List Additions; 2007

November 27, 2006 - The Federal Register announces "The Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (the Committee) has deliberated and voted to change the name of the JWOD Program to the AbilityOne Program."

November 15, 2006 - Rules Published in the November 15, 2006 Federal Register that take effect on June 30, 2007 will require companies considered small for purposes of federal contracts to recertify their size status after five years and when a contract option is exercised after that. It also will require recertification in the event of mergers and acquisitions.

November 13, 2006 - SBA Grants Will Fund 19 New Women's Business Centers, Continue Funding for 80 Existing Centers (PDF;65Kb)

October 27, 2006 - Reminder from Secretary Mike Johanns that this month is National Disability Employment Awareness Month—the perfect time to celebrate the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program (PDF; 67Kb)

October 26, 2006 - Celebrating Employment for
People who are Blind and have other Severe Disabilities (PDF;293Kb)- The Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program provides employment opportunities for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities in the manufacture and delivery of products and services to the Federal Government. USDA is a Federal leader in setting and exceeding JWOD goals.

The 2008 - 2009 Small Business Subcontracting Opportunities (PDF;832Kb) is now available.

September 26, 2006 - Departmental Regulation (DR) 5090-005 USDA Small Business Programs – Contracting with Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses , was signed on September 26, 2006, codifying the policy and roles and responsibilities set forth in Secretary’s Memorandum 5090-001, USDA Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Strategic Initiative.

September, 2006 - USDA's Office of the Chief Financial Officer Receives Veteran's Administration Small Business Award for Contracting Achievements with Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. (PDF;170Kb)

James E. House Appointed by President Bush to Federal Committee that Creates Employment for Americans with Disabilities.

Women-owned Firms Increase Nearly 20 Percent (PDF;31kb) - Women-owned firms increased nearly 20 percent over the latest period studied, according to a report released by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

September is National Preparedness Month. Small Businesses should plan in advance to manage any emergency situation

The Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS) is now THE OFFICIAL site for government contractors to submit all of their subcontracting reports for all civilian federal government contracts.

USDA News, Volume 64 No. 6 November - December 2005 - How We're Reaching Out To Service-Disabled Veterans Who Own Small Businesses

Secretary Johanns signs SECRETARY'S MEMORANDUM 5090-001 implementing USDA Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Strategic Initiative.