Small Federal Contractors Say Procurement Rules Shut Them Out

Small business contractors may get better opportunities to bid on federal contracts if a Democratic lawmaker succeeds at overhauling federal contracting initiatives designed to streamline procurement.

Witnesses told the House Small Business Committee on Tuesday that the subjectivity of contract officers, changing contract requirements, and lack of clear definitions are all contributing to the headaches of small businesses that want to compete for federal work.

The number of small businesses with federal contract work shrank by 38% between 2010 and 2019, Committee Chair Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) said in her opening remarks.

Velázquez said that the implementation of the federal government’s ...