BGOV Bill Analysis: H.R. 1816, Certify Women-Owned Contractors

Women-owned small businesses that self-certify their contractor designation would be excluded from federal agencies’ contracting goals under H.R. 1816.

Congress set governmentwide and individual agency goals for awarding contracts to small businesses. For women-owned small businesses, that goal is 5% of all federal contracts each year, but the government has only reached that threshold twice.

Agencies can use streamlined contracting authorities to help meet those goals, including through set-aside contracts and sole-source contract.

WOSBs must be certified by the SBA to receive a set-aside or sole-source contract, but self-certified WOSBs can be awarded contracts through other means and still ...