<<Back to Article National Association of Government Contractors www.governmentcontractors.org Obama plans to boost stimulus contracting with small business Aug 18, 2009 The Small Business Administration and Commerce Department plan a two-front strategy to increase Recovery Act contracting with small businesses. The agencies will reach out to small businesses at more than 200 events over the next three months. They will also reach out to federal contracting officials to share best practices and help them meet the goal of awarding 23 percent of contracts to small businesses. “Small businesses employ half of the nation’s private-sector workforce, create a large share of the nation’s new jobs, and introduce many groundbreaking ideas into the marketplace,” President Barack Obama said in an Aug. 18 statement. “It is essential that we provide our nation’s small businesses with maximum practicable opportunity to participate in federal government contracting.” In fiscal 2007, agencies missed the 23 percent governmentwide small-business contracting goal by one percentage point. Small-business spending accounted for 22 percent of the nearly $400 billion awarded in contracts that year, according to the latest SBA report. SBA is expected to release the report for fiscal 2008 spending next month. ”Government contracts can play a key role in helping small businesses turn the corner in terms of expansion and job creation,” SBA Administrator Karen Mills said in a statement. “But make no mistake, the benefits the government receives are equally as impressive. Working with small businesses allows the federal government to work with some of the most innovative companies in America — with direct line to [the] CEO.” Article URL: http://www.governmentcontractors.org/articles/a.888.asp © Copyright 2005-2008 The National Association of Government Contractors