The Department of Homeland Security is friendly to small businesses.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has awarded the department an A+ grade for meeting its FY ’14 contracting goals with small businesses, particularly in the area of prime contracts.
SBA gave DHS a 120.1 percent score, eking into A+ territory by a tenth of a percent.
“For the sixth year in a row, the Department of Homeland Security has earned top scores on the Small Business Administration’s Annual Small Business Procurement Scorecard,” says DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson. “The DHS Small Business Program continues to be one of the department’s flagship procurement initiatives.”
DHS has received an A grade six consecutive years.
In the area of prime contracts, DHS exceeded all the thresholds set for FY ’14, spending $4.7 billion or nearly 35.1 percent of its procurement dollars with small companies versus the 31.8 percent target. In FY ’13 spent 30.9 percent of its prime contract awards with small businesses, SBA says.
By small business segment, DHS also topped its prime contract goals for 2014. The department spent almost $980 million, 7.4 percent, of prime contracts on woman-owned small businesses, topping its 5 percent goal. Small disadvantaged businesses received $1.9 billion, 15 percent, of prime contract awards versus the 5 percent goal.
Serviced disabled veteran-owned small businesses received $823.7 million, 6.2 percent, in prime contract spending, more than doubling the 3 percent goal. HUBZone businesses won $513.2 million, 3.9 percent, of prime contract awards, beating the 3 percent target.
“This recognition is a reflection of the department’s strong commitment to providing opportunities for all types of small businesses to compete and win contracts in support of our vital missions,” Johnson says.
In the area of subcontracting work, DHS met all of its 2014 targets with the exception of one. The SBA says small businesses received 46.4 percent of business versus the 43 percent goal.
Woman-owned small businesses received 10.3 percent of subcontract work and small disadvantaged businesses 9 percent versus the 5 percent target for both categories. Service disabled veteran-owned small firms nabbed 3.1 percent of subcontracts while HUBZone-based small businesses just 1.5 percent versus the 3 percent goal for each.