<<Back to Article National Association of Government Contractors www.governmentcontractors.org Survey of Involvement in Government Contracting Nov 22, 2006 Survey of National Association of Government Contractors members regarding issues which effect them. Many of the membership agreed on issues concerning the need for more accurate government data collection and a greater accountability for small business receiving their share of government contracts. 1. OMB will conduct a pilot program to track subcontracts and Sub-grants starting in July, as part of the 2006 Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act and in response to the inaccuracy of data in the FPDS. The site also addresses concerns about "ease of use." Do you think that this is a good step toward greater transparency of government spending on contracts? Yes 63% No 10% Unsure 27% 2. Congress has passed legislation increasing the minimum wage. As part of the negotiation to move the legislation forward, a small business tax incentives package was included in the legislation. Will your business benefit from the tax incentive? Yes 18% No 40% Unsure 42% 3. Last year, Congress passed legislation that included a provision imposing a 3 percent withholding tax on ALL non-wage payments made by federal, state and local governmental agencies to contractors (and anyone providing goods or services to the paying agency). The law will take effect in 2011. Do you think that similar legislation should be re-introduced and passed during this session? Yes 10% No 65% Unsure 25% 4. Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor (HELP) Committee has introduced the Healthy Families Act, which would require employers with 15 or more employees to provide seven paid sick days to care for their own and their families' medical needs. Do you support the proposed Healthy Families Act? Yes 44% No 48% Unsure 8% 5. "The withholding burden on businesses adds a layer of accounting and administration that is unnecessary and punitive." Says Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Health. In the midst of increased spending on government contracts, Democrats have repeatedly cited concerns that the federal government has not made sufficient progress in meeting the statutory requirements for small and disadvantaged businesses. Do you think the President's budget adequately funds programs that will support small and disadvantaged businesses? Yes 17% No 56% Unsure 27% 6. Contract bundling occurs when federal agencies combine contracts so they become too large for small businesses to bid on or participate in as prime contractors. These mega-contracts result in billions of dollars of lost revenue for small businesses. Have you ever lost a contract due to contract bundling? Yes 45% No 37% Unsure 18% 7. "Small businesses are the victim of contract bundling more frequently than they know. These massive contracts limit competition and, in the end, cost the taxpayer more money," says NAGC President J.R. Claeys. On January 31, 2007, Congress passed legislation temporarily reauthorizing the Small Business Act through July 31, 2007. Do you think that the Democrat controlled Congress will have more success in fully reauthorizing the program than the Republican controlled Congress? Yes 34% No 33% Unsure 33% 8. Many government agencies have failed to meet the 3 percent small business contracting goal for service-disabled veterans. Do you support legislative efforts to coordinate veteran outreach programs to the meet contracting goal for service-disabled veteran owned businesses? Yes 77% No 23% 9. "Federal agencies frequently miss contracting goals. Until there is a disincentive for the agency, this pattern will continue." says NAGC President J.R. Claeys. The last three budgets the President sent to Congress sought to eliminate the micro-loan program. While the FY 2008 budget proposal does not eliminate the program, it provides no funding for it. Do you think that Congress should fund the micro-loan programs? Yes 45% No 20% Unsure 35% 10. Do you support President Bush's expansion of U.S. funded microloans overseas? Yes 11% No 65% Unsure 24% Issues of greater regulation of contractors were not popular, the results overall showed that while some contractors are uneasy about the possibility of their effectiveness that government agencies could do more themselves to improve the current state of procurement. Article URL: http://www.governmentcontractors.org/articles/a.297.asp © Copyright 2005-2008 The National Association of Government Contractors