New Women-Owned Small Business Program Rules

May 11, 2011

On April 1, the DoD, GSA, and NASA issued an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement the Small Business Administration’s regulations establishing the Women-Owned Small Business Program.  The amendments are designed to enable small business concerns, including women-owned small business (WOSB) concerns and economically disadvantaged women-owned small business (EDWOSB) concerns, to compete for Federal contracting opportunities.  The rules, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-04-01/pdf/2011-7368.pdf, define which companies will qualify as WOSBs and EDWOSB, when contracting officers may restrict competition in those industries where SBA has determined that WOSB concerns or EDWOSB concerns are underrepresented and also provides a protest process and procedures for interested parties to challenge the size and status of a WOSB or EDWOSB concern.

Comments to the rule are invited from small business concerns and other interested parties on the expected impact of this rule on small entities by May 31. Offit Kurman’s Government Contracting Group has been requested by the community it serves to provide comments and follow the process.  If you would like to have us incorporate your comments into our submission, please contact us.