GSA Blog

GSA resources can boost your small business potential

GSA is not your typical business partner. 

During fiscal year 2023, GSA awarded more than $3.3 billion in contracts to small businesses and more than $1.3 billion to small disadvantaged businesses. That’s more than 50% of GSA’s eligible spending in the small business category.

Getting a federal contract might seem like a daunting process, but GSA has dedicated the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization to provide resources and tools to help vendors secure and manage federal contracts.

“A robust economy is built on expanding opportunities for small and socioeconomic small businesses,” said Exodie C. Roe III, associate administrator of OSDBU. “More than 50% of the country’s economic activity comes from small businesses. They create a lot of the local jobs in this country, driving innovation and supporting communities.” 

GSA contracts with more than 2,600 small business and small disadvantaged business vendors each year and works hard to make it a real partnership. OSDBU representatives provide contractors with counseling, information, resources and training to help them succeed long-term. These efforts helped GSA earn an A+ rating on the Small Business Administration’s Procurement Scorecard, our 14th consecutive year earning an “A” grade or higher.

OSDBU offers training for businesses considering federal contracting. A recent webinar, held on July 11, taught successful proposal writing techniques for small businesses.

To take a closer look, GSA’s Office of Customer and Stakeholder Engagement (CASE) is hosting a free virtual event that will examine the business-government partnership. The final event in a series of four this year, the Federal Acquisition Service Training (FAST24) Industry Symposium will be held Wednesday, August 7, 2024.

Through this annual symposium, GSA grows its supplier base and serves as a support system for prospective and existing contractors. This one-day, virtual event invites suppliers without a government contract to learn more, newer contractors to engage with resources and strengthen their business foundation, and longer-term contractors to network and share knowledge. 

Roe explains that GSA’s role is to advocate for small businesses, with a focus on four socio-economic categories: 

• Women-owned small businesses.
• Socially or economically disadvantaged individuals.
• Service-disabled veteran-owned small business (either a veteran or caregiver).
• Historically underutilized business zones, such as a community development corporation or agricultural cooperative.

OSDBU’s contracting assistance programs help small businesses qualify for these set-aside or sole-source contracts (when only one business can fulfill contract requirements, so there is no competitive bidding process). New partners receive business mentoring and education to learn how federal contracting works.

“We want people to know the federal government is open for business and we’re a great partner,” said Roe. “One small business was so successful that now, 30 years later, the owners’ children are involved in the business. It’s created a generational impact on a community.”

From the small business side, the vendor must assess if their company is right for a government contract. OSDBU recommends considering the following elements:

• Know your product.
• Are you selling things the government is looking to buy?
• Have you been in business for at least two years (is the company established)?
• Is there evidence of successful past performance (have you worked with the government previously)?
• Understand that GSA does not market a company; a vendor must self-market.
• There are post-contract administration requirements (compliance clauses, maintaining the contract, etc.).

To start, small business professionals may contact their local APEX Accelerator, a representative that will provide technical assistance and information for those interested in selling products or services to federal, state and local governments. These agents assist with determining if your business is ready for federal contracting, help you register, check if your organization is eligible for small business certifications and guide you in researching contract opportunities.

Staying up-to-date about upcoming OSDBU webinars and events is easy, with information about available resources and more accessible by following us on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn @GSAOSDBU. Government contracting fact sheets also provide insight for small and small disadvantaged businesses seeking to partner with GSA. Visit acquisitiongateway.gov/forecast for a list of opportunities.

GSA is firmly committed to growing a diverse small business base which means we’re actively looking for small business partners to help provide our nation with innovative products and services. This means one of our top priorities is making it easier for small businesses to do business with the federal government and helping them succeed in the process.