Role Of Contracting Officer And The Small Business...

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the small business set-aside program and its intent. We will look at the role the contracting officer and the Small Business Association (SBA) play in the making the determination to set-aside acquisitions specifically for small business set-asides and the factors they consider when making those decisions/determinations. There are certain criteria that must be met and we will discuss those criteria in relation to the type of set-aside and the amount of work being performed. We will discuss the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes and look at how they affect set-aside decisions. The paper will review the small business certification process and re-certification†¦show more content†¦FAR part 19 breaks down the different types of set-asides. There are three types, total set-asides, partial set-asides, and multiple award contracts when using full and open competition (FAR 2014). The goal of the federal Government is to make certain provisions for small businesses to assist them in competing for federal contracts. Small businesses play an important role in our economy as acknowledged by President Obama when he met with small business leaders in Seattle. He referred to small businesses as â€Å"the backbone of our economy and the cornerstones of our communities (Obama, 2010). Most of our job opportunities are generated from small businesses. The intent of the small business set-aside program is to reserve certain contracts for small businesses. This influences the small business ability to win federal contracts. The contract could be of any of the above-mentioned types. The contracting officer can determine if to set-aside an acquisition for a small business. The Small Business Administration (SBA) procurement representative could make recommendations to the contracting officer on when to set-aside. Conversely, the FAR states that unilateral determinations are preferred â€Å"t o the extent practicable† (FAR, 2014). Before making the decision to set-aside, market research should first be conducted to determine whether it is appropriate. Small Business Goals The federal goals for small