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Resources and Tools

SAM.GOV Opportunities

Sam.gov is the primary location to identify active federal contract opportunities over $25,000 allowing small business concerns to search for federal procurement opportunities. Visitors are encouraged to register with FedBizOpps to receive automatic email announcements on upcoming procurement opportunities, sources sought, etc. 

Essential Links for Small Business

Opportunity Zones Program: Despite the growing national economy, economically distressed communities are located in every corner of the United States and its territories. These communities have high levels of poverty, failing schools, job scarcity, and a lack of investment.  A new tax incentive—Opportunity Zones—was created to spur economic development and job creation by encouraging long-term investment in low-income communities nationwide.

Small Business Transportation Resource Centers (SBTRCs): The Small Business Transportation Resource Centers are established under the US Department of Transportation. SBTRCs work closely with the transportation contracting community and other technical assistance providers to serve small disadvantaged transportation businesses.

Minority Business Development Centers: The Minority Business Development Centers are established under the US Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency. The Centers are located in areas with the largest concentration of minority populations and the largest number of minority businesses. These centers help Minority-owned gain access to new new markets — domestic & global — and help them grow in size and scale, by providing them business experts.

  • POC: Minority Business Development Agency, (202) 482-2332

Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs): The U.S Small Business Administration (SBA) administers the Small Business Development Centers Program to provide management assistance to current and prospective small business owners. SBDCs offer one-stop assistance to individuals and small businesses by providing a wide variety of information and guidance in central and easily accessible branch locations.

  • POC: Office of Small Business Development Centers, 202-205-6766

Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs): Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) provide local, in-person counseling and training services for you, the small business owner. They are designed to provide technical assistance to businesses that want to sell products and services to federal, state, and/or local governments.

  •  POC:  Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Center, (615) 268-6644

Small Business District Offices: SBA District Offices offer counseling, training and business development to help you start and grow your business.

Veteran’s Business Outreach Centers: Designed to provide entrepreneurial development services and referrals for eligible veterans owning or considering starting a small business. Learn more information on the Veteran Business Center Outreach Program. 

Women’s Business Centers: WBCs provide free to low cost counseling and training and focus on women who want to start, grow and expand their small business.

To watch the latest webinars hosted by OSDBU, please follow the links below:

For optimal viewing, please open the link in Google Chrome, or Adobe_Connect.

VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS OUTREACH (VOSB) & MATCHMAKING EVENT: This event was targeted towards VOSB firms and had experts within the DOT, and other Federal agencies, engaged in discussions that focused on challenges being faced by the Federal government, and ways small businesses can help solve those problems. This event was held on November 7, 2019.

Small Business Administration (SBA) Certifications – Programs designed to help small and disadvantaged firms to compete effectively for procurements where, to receive these benefits, the firm has to first receive formal certification from the SBA.

Veterans Business Development Programs (VBDP) – Programs designed to help veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned firms compete through business development.

System for Award Management (SAM) – Primary vendor database for the federal government that collects, validates, stores and disseminates data in support of agency acquisition missions.

Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) – Offers public users unprecedented access to the spending patterns of the Federal government - at no cost. 

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) – Federal regulation that codifies uniform policies for acquisition of supplies and services by all federal executive agencies.

GSA Schedule Overview – Available to all government agencies to use as a procurement vehicle, the GSA Schedule can streamline the procurement process for both vendors and government agencies.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) – A series of number codes that attempts to classify all business establishments by the types of products or services they make available.

USASpending.gov – Managed by GSA, this system provides citizens with access to Government contract, grant and other award data in a searchable format.

Small Business Size Standards - Size standards define the largest size a business can be to participate in government contracting programs and compete for contracts reserved for small businesses. Size standards vary by industry, and are generally based on the number of employees or the amount of annual receipts the business has.

10 NAICS Code by Obligations - The Top 10 NAICS list is a resource that businesses can use to quickly determine if the U.S. Department of Transportation is spending a considerable amount of its resources within their NAICS code(s). This list can assist businesses in determining marketing strategies. Businesses that provide products and/or services within these industry codes are encouraged to market their business capabilities to the Department.

DOT IT Small Business (video)- On August 8, 2019, The Department of Transportation held an Information Technology (IT) industry day for Small Businesses. We hosted a plenary session with DOT and other federal agencies IT leaders and a workshop on federal subcontracting programs. You can watch the video to learn more about how SBs can engage in the IT sector.

The Dos and Don'ts: A Guide to Working with DOT: As a small business owner, there is plenty to learn when it comes to market your business in the federal marketplace. This link provides some practical Do's and Don’ts to get you and your small business on track.

Relevant Reports for Small Businesses and other material documents

  • HubZone Program Evaluation - The purpose of this evaluation was to examine factors that contributed to federal agencies reaching the HUBZone Program socioeconomic goal using a mixed-methods analytic approach. This report provides some of the key challenges faced by government agencies in reach the social economic goals along with some suggestions. HUBZone small businesses would benefit from reading the report, and maybe find opportunities how they can better assist the Federal Government to reach them. Read the full report. Disclaimer: The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations found in this study are those of the contractor and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office of Government Contracting and Business Development, the United States Small Business Administration, or the United States Government.
  • Myth-Busting - "Strengthening Engagement with Industry : ADDRESSING MISCONCEPTIONS TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION WITH INDUSTRY DURING THE ACQUISITION PROCESS." View the top myths and misconceptions during the acquisition process.

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Last updated: Wednesday, August 10, 2022