Small Business Program and Source Selection Plans, Research Paper Example

Brief History

The United States Small Business Administration was officially founded in 1953 after the Great Depression and World War II ends. To this response, the U.S. Small Business Administration granted a variety of tangible and intangible services including loans, loan guarantees, contracts, counseling sessions and other related- small business functions to the public. They recognize the need of founding the small business as a global marketplace gateway for innovation and modernization as a purpose to build the future for America, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Guam. A free competitive enterprise is a mission to preserve, maintain, and strengthen the nation’s economy (Small Business Administration, 2014).Under the Small Business Act, a specified type of procurement transaction is a reserved participation as a small business set-aside federal agency. An independent agency of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is a private or public firm that contracts with the Federal government. There is more than one independent agency of the federal government to name to which these are: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVO)program, Small disadvantaged program, Women-Owned program, and HUBZone firms, respectively. According to SBA, all procurements are expected to exceed the $150,000 budget threshold if an opportunity for business under the contract exists. That is, a contract that consists of a written plan with established subcontracting goals and with scheduled payments being provided for the tasks done.

HUBZone Program

In this case, the cost of the project is one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) of a contracting proposal forthe installation of security fencing around the base of towers along the Arizona-Mexico border that are used for long-range cameras. In the plan, HUBZone program is the right program to apply for a contract. HUBZone program has a several criterions to assess the qualifications of the costs, materials, and location to operate business. Because, under the HUBZone program, Public Law 105-135 was amended by the Small Business Reauthorization Act of 1997, supports the economic development and creates jobs in urban and rural communities by providing preferences for small business owners and their candidates for employment extended from the Subcontracting Assistance Program (SBA, 2006). The proposal has indicated that there are less than 15,000 people in the Indian reservation of Tohono O’odham Nation; 10,201 to be exact total population.  First concern is the location between Arizona and Mexico is an Indian reservation of Tohono O’odham Nation, 58 miles west of Tucson, Arizona. The land area is 4,453.31 square miles based on the 2000 Census data. Nearby locations are Sahuraita, Arizona and Why, Arizona where gaming Casino take place. This proposal within a contract for security fencing operations has the goals to implement based on the North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) —A free NAICS look up tool is available for this proposal.  We found that, the NAICS title is under Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring installation Contractors and the NAICS code is 238210;of these illustrated examples for code 238210 are:“the environmental control system installation,” or “traffic signal installation,”“Cable splicing, electrical” or “fiber optic lighting system installation.” Another NAICS title and code may be useful in implementing security fencing plan which is titled as “Other fabricated Wire Product Manufacturing,” and NAICS code is 332618; of theseillustrated examples for code 332618 are: “Chain link fencing” and “fence gates made from purchased wire” and or “Noninsulated wire cable made from purchased wire” and or “Woven wire cloth made from purchased wire”. This NAICS lookup tool helps contractors to make decision on which supplier, manufacturer, or an industry to obtain the proper raw materials for the business(North American Industry Classification Systems,2014). Homeland security shares the efforts in the war on terrorism with the private sector, which controls more than a quarter percent of America’s infrastructure and effectively establish secure communication mechanisms as appropriate (General Accounting Office, 2001.) However, the Criminal Division department watches aviation security activities on Immigration and Naturalization of aliens in the United States in which they have had violated their visa status, broken U.S. laws including terrorism (General Accounting office, 1997;General Accounting Office, 2002). In addition, another area of importance in compliance with the regulations referenced in the contract have set forth for the parties who are responsible in handling the business are also looking into the most common problems that have imposed against the provisions of the contract of which these problems are: (1) terminating contracts (2) Making payments (3) changing the scope of work (4) conducting the functions of delivered goods and services.It is important to understand FAR and its provisions in the contract under which they are often referenced in the areas of the FAR. Other legal aspects of business in the Subcontracting Assistance program that requires of specific information stating the specific goals and dollars planned to be subcontracted to the HUBZone small businesses. Specifically, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 19.704 and in the FAR clause at 52.21-9 of identified 11 elements in the Subcontracting plan must be stated in terms of sources for solicitation purposes.

Contract Formats

Commercial format is a catalyst for small and large business concerns on marketing, advertising, promotions, resources and tools. In the commercial format, the U.S. Small Business Administration delegates the responsibility to the Commercial Marketing Representative (CMR) who handles such business, and not only that, they also provideCMR portfolio of LPC with Federal contracts or subcontracts over $550,000 (over $1 million for construction) include subcontracting plan; and, they provide CMR portfolio reviews in accordance with Chapter four and five. To take note, CMR will investigate the purchases ordered that exceeds to $100,000 dollars and make sure that these purchases were made for small business sources. Under the blanket purchasing agreement, the contractor may file the agreement with a written justification that meets the requirements of FAR 52.219-9(d) (I I) (iii). If the justification is not document in the blanket purchase order file, specifically, the SBA Form 1908, then, each order must contain its own justification. Because, CMR wants to know whether small business concerns were solicited and, if not, why not, that goes for HUBZone as well, whether HUBZone were solicited and, if not, why not. The reason for the spending over $100,000 as an award that is not made of a business concern, must document a reason for this order, state otherwise (Small Business Administration, 2006).  In contrast, the universal format is a system of resources that can be obtained around the globe. This is where Procurement Center Representatives comes in to assist small businesses in initiating small business set-asides; and, to develop competitive procurements; and, to provide Federal buying activitiesand small business sources; and, counseling to small businesses. Each PCR duties include reviewing agencies’ large prime contractors’ proposed subcontracting plans and may contact the CMR for his/her assistance. As explained above on the roles of CMR and PCR and their responsibilities. In part,both of CMR and PCR conducted reviews not in necessary order, but they depend on other departments and offices for on-site evaluation for Small Business Program Compliance Review (SBPCR) then a a Follow-up review on subcontracting plan then CMR will draw up a Performance review whether the results reportedly poor will warrant as the highest priority (Small Business Administration Subcontracting Assistance Program, 2006; Small Business Administration 2014).

References

Arizona’s American Indian Tribes (2012) Retrieved November 18, 2014 from http://www.azcentral.com/news/native-americans/?content=arizona-tribal-map

General Accountability Office (2001) Homeland Security: A Risk Management Approach Can Guide Preparedness Efforts. GAO-02-208T. Washington, D.C.

General Accountability Office (2002)Homeland Security: Information Sharing Activities Face Continued Management Challenges: GAO-02-1122T. GAO Reports, 1. Washington, D.C.

General Accountability Office (1997) Managing for Results: Using the Results Act to Address Mission Fragmentation and Program Overlap. GAO/AIMD-97-156. Washington, D.C.

General Accounting Office (2001) Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: A

Government wide Perspective. GAO-01-241.Washington, D.C.

North American Industry Classification Systems (2014) Retrieved November 18, 2014 from: www.naics.com

Small Business Administration (2006) Subcontracting Assistance Program. Retrieved November 18, 2014 from:  https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/files/Subcontracting%20Assistance%20Program.pdf