Specific policies
Contracting officers must consider small business advocacy recommendations and document any decision not to follow them when determining acquisition strategies.
Overview
FAR 19.202 outlines specific policies to promote small business participation in federal contracting. Contracting officers are required to follow these policies and consider input from the agency Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) or, for DoD, the Director of the Office of Small Business Programs. The section mandates that agencies set procedures and dollar thresholds for reviewing acquisitions to determine if they should be set aside for small businesses or handled under specific FAR subparts (19.5, 19.8, 19.13, 19.14, or 19.15). If a contracting officer does not follow the Director's recommendation, they must document the rationale in the contract file per FAR 19.506. This section also references related policies on encouraging small business participation, locating sources, handling equal low bids, solicitation requirements, data collection, and fair market price determinations.
Key Rules
- Consideration of Director Recommendations
- Contracting officers must consider recommendations from the agency's small business director regarding the appropriate acquisition strategy for small business participation.
- Agency Procedures and Thresholds
- Agencies must establish procedures and dollar thresholds for review of acquisitions by the Director or designee.
- Documentation Requirement
- If a contracting officer does not accept the Director's recommendation, the decision must be documented in the contract file as per FAR 19.506.
Responsibilities
- Contracting Officers: Must comply with small business policies, consider Director recommendations, and document any deviations.
- Contractors: Should be aware of the processes that may affect set-aside decisions and small business participation.
- Agencies: Must set up review procedures and thresholds, and ensure oversight of small business participation.
Practical Implications
- This section ensures small businesses are given fair consideration in federal contracting.
- It formalizes the role of small business advocacy offices in acquisition planning.
- Failure to document deviations from recommendations can result in compliance issues during audits or reviews.