Women-Owned Small Businesses Struggle to Get Contracts, Capital

Pervasive problems with accessing capital, having affordable childcare, and finding mentors limit success for women-owned small businesses, according to a Senate committee report released Wednesday.

The executive and legislative branches have outlined policies to improve small business participation in the federal marketplace. In that vein, a Senate Small Business Committee report emphasized the importance of government contracting dollars for small firms.

Catherine Koch, president and CEO of K-Tec Systems, Inc., told lawmakers Wednesday that the Air Force buys her company’s advanced control and automation technology. However, the military purchases the goods via a larger, male-owned business “who quite literally is ...