## PART 19--SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS

Sec.

19.000 Scope of part.

19.001 Definitions.

Subpart 19.1--Size Standards

19.101 Explanation of terms.

19.102 Size standards.

Subpart 19.2--Policies

19.201 General policy.

19.202 Specific policies.

19.202-1 Encouraging small business participation in acquisitions.

19.202-2 Locating small business sources.

19.202-3 Equal low bids.

19.202-4 Solicitation.

19.202-5 Data collection and reporting requirements.

19.202-6 Determination of fair market price.

Subpart 19.3--Determination of Small Business Status for Small Business Programs

19.301 Representation by the offeror.

19.302 Protesting a small business representation.

19.303 Determining North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes and size standards.

19.304 Disadvantaged business status.

19.305 Protesting a representation of disadvantaged business status.

19.306 Protesting a firm's status as a HUBZone small business concern.

19.307 Solicitation provisions.

Subpart 19.4--Cooperation with the Small Business Administration

19.401 General.

19.402 Small Business Administration procurement center representatives.

19.403 Small Business Administration breakout procurement center representative.

Subpart 19.5--Set-Asides for Small Business

19.501 General.

19.502 Setting aside acquisitions.

19.502-1 Requirements for setting aside acquisitions.

19.502-2 Total small business set-asides.

19.502-3 Partial set-asides.

19.502-4 Methods of conducting set-asides.

19.502-5 Insufficient causes for not setting aside an acquisition.

19.503 Setting aside a class of acquisitions for small business.

19.504 [Reserved]

19.505 Rejecting Small Business Administration recommendations.

19.506 Withdrawing or modifying small business set-asides.

19.507 Automatic dissolution of a small business set-aside.

19.508 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.

Subpart 19.6--Certificates of Competency and Determinations of Responsibility

19.601 General.

19.602 Procedures.

19.602-1 Referral.

19.602-2 Issuing or denying a Certificate of Competency (COC).

19.602-3 Resolving differences between the agency and the Small Business Administration.

19.602-4 Awarding the contract.

Subpart 19.7--The Small Business Subcontracting Program

19.701 Definitions.

19.702 Statutory requirements.

19.703 Eligibility requirements for participating in the program.

19.704 Subcontracting plan requirements.

19.705 Responsibilities of the contracting officer under the subcontracting assistance program.

19.705-1 General support of the program.

19.705-2 Determining the need for a subcontracting plan.

19.705-3 Preparing the solicitation.

19.705-4 Reviewing the subcontracting plan.

19.705-5 Awards involving subcontracting plans.

19.705-6 Postaward responsibilities of the contracting officer.

19.705-7 Liquidated damages.

19.706 Responsibilities of the cognizant administrative contracting officer.

19.707 The Small Business Administration's role in carrying out the program.

19.708 Contract clauses.

Subpart 19.8--Contracting with the Small Business Administration (The 8(a) Program)

19.800 General.

19.801 [Reserved]

19.802 Selecting concerns for the 8(a) program.

19.803 Selecting acquisitions for the 8(a) program.

19.804 Evaluation, offering, and acceptance.

19.804-1 Agency evaluation.

19.804-2 Agency offering.

19.804-3 SBA acceptance.

19.804-4 Repetitive acquisitions.

19.804-5 Basic ordering agreements.

19.804-6 Multiple award and Federal Supply Schedule contracts.

19.805 Competitive 8(a).

19.805-1 General.

19.805-2 Procedures.

19.806 Pricing the 8(a) contract.

19.807 Estimating the fair market price.

19.808 Contract negotiation.

19.808-1 Sole source.

19.808-2 Competitive.

19.809 Preaward considerations.

19.810 SBA appeals.

19.811 Preparing the contracts.

19.811-1 Sole source.

19.811-2 Competitive.

19.811-3 Contract clauses.

19.812 Contract administration.

Subpart 19.9--Very Small Business Pilot Program

19.901 General.

19.902 Definition.

19.903 Applicability.

19.904 Procedures.

19.905 Solicitation provision and contract clause.

Subpart 19.10--Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program

19.1001 General.

19.1002 Definitions.

19.1003 Purpose.

19.1004 Participating agencies.

19.1005 Applicability.

19.1006 Exclusions.

19.1007 Procedures.

19.1008 Solicitation provisions.

Subpart 19.11--Price Evaluation Adjustment for Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns

19.1101 General.

19.1102 Applicability.

19.1103 Procedures.

19.1104 Contract clause.

Subpart 19.12--Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program

19.1201 General.

19.1202 Evaluation factor or subfactor.

19.1202-1 General.

19.1202-2 Applicability.

19.1202-3 Considerations in developing an evaluation factor or subfactor.

19.1202-4 Procedures.

19.1203 Incentive subcontracting with small disadvantaged business concerns.

19.1204 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.

Subpart 19.13--Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Program

19.1301 General.

19.1302 Applicability.

19.1303 Status as a qualified HUBZone small business concern.

19.1304 Exclusions.

19.1305 HUBZone set-aside procedures.

19.1306 HUBZone sole source awards.

19.1307 Price evaluation preference for HUBZone small business concerns.

19.1308 Contract clauses.

19.000 Scope of part.

(a) This part implements the acquisition-related sections of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631, et seq.), applicable sections of the Armed Services Procurement Act (10 U.S.C. 2302, et seq.), the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act (41 U.S.C. 252), section 7102 of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-355), 10 U.S.C. 2323, and Executive Order 12138, May 18, 1979. It covers--

(1) The determination that a concern is eligible for participation in the programs identified in this part;

(2) The respective roles of executive agencies and the Small Business Administration (SBA) in implementing the programs;

(3) Setting acquisitions aside for exclusive competitive participation by small business concerns and HUBZone small business concerns, and sole source awards to HUBZone small business concerns;

(4) The certificate of competency program;

(5) The subcontracting assistance program;

(6) The "8(a)" program, under which agencies contract with the SBA for goods or services to be furnished under a subcontract by a small disadvantaged business concern;

(7) The use of women-owned small business concerns;

(8) The use of a price evaluation adjustment for small disadvantaged business concerns, and the use of a price evaluation preference for HUBZone small business concerns;

(9) The Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program;

(10) The Very Small Business Pilot Program; and

(11) The use of veteran-owned small business concerns and service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns.

(b) This part, except for Subpart 19.6, applies only inside the United States, its territories and possessions, Puerto Rico, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the District of Columbia. Subpart 19.6 applies worldwide.

19.001 Definitions.

"Concern," as used in this part, means any business entity organized for profit (even if its ownership is in the hands of a nonprofit entity) with a place of business located in the United States and which makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy through payment of taxes and/or use of American products, material and/or labor, etc. "Concern" includes but is not limited to an individual, partnership, corporation, joint venture, association, or cooperative. For the purpose of making affiliation findings (see 19.101) any business entity, whether organized for profit or not, and any foreign business entity, i.e., any entity located outside the United States, shall be included.

"Fair market price," as used in this part, means a price based on reasonable costs under normal competitive conditions and not on lowest possible cost (see 19.202-6).

"HUBZone" means a historically underutilized business zone, which is an area located within one or more qualified census tracts, qualified nonmetropolitan counties, or lands within the external boundaries of an Indian reservation.

"HUBZone small business concern" means a small business concern that appears on the List of Qualified HUBZone Small Business Concerns maintained by the SBA.

"Industry," as used in this part, means all concerns primarily engaged in similar lines of activity, as listed and described in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) manual (available via the Internet at http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html).

"Labor surplus area" means a geographical area identified by the Department of Labor in accordance with 20 CFR Part 654, Subpart A, as an area of concentrated unemployment or underemployment or an area of labor surplus.

"Labor surplus area concern" means a concern that together with its first-tier subcontractors will perform substantially in labor surplus areas. Performance is substantially in labor surplus areas if the costs incurred under the contract on account of manufacturing, production, or performance of appropriate services in labor surplus areas exceed 50 percent of the contract price.

"Nonmanufacturer rule" means that a contractor under a small business set-aside or 8(a) contract shall be a small business under the applicable size standard and shall provide either its own product or that of another domestic small business manufacturing or processing concern (see 13 CFR 121.406).

"Small business concern" means a concern, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR Part 121 (see 19.102). Such a concern is "not dominant in its field of operation" when it does not exercise a controlling or major influence on a national basis in a kind of business activity in which a number of business concerns are primarily engaged. In determining whether dominance exists, consid-eration shall be given to all appropriate factors, including volume of business, number of employees, financial resources, competitive status or position, ownership or control of materials, processes, patents, license agreements, facilities, sales territory, and nature of business activity.

"Small disadvantaged business concern," as used in this part (except for 52.212-3(c)(4) and 52.219-1(b)(2) for general statistical purposes and 52.212-3(c)(9)(ii), 52.21922(b)(2), and 52.219-23(a) for joint ventures under the price evaluation adjustment for small disadvantaged business concerns), means an offeror that represents, as part of its offer, that it is a small business under the size standard applicable to the acquisition; and either--

(1) It has received certification as a small disadvantaged business concern consistent with 13 CFR part 124, subpart B; and

(i) No material change in disadvantaged ownership and control has occurred since its certification;

(ii) Where the concern is owned by one or more disadvantaged individuals, the net worth of each individual upon whom the certification is based does not exceed $750,000 after taking into account the applicable exclusions set forth at 13 CFR 124.104(c)(2); and

(iii) It is identified, on the date of its representation, as a certified small disadvantaged business (SDB) concern in the database maintained by the Small Business Administration (PRO-Net); or

(2) For a prime contractor, it has submitted a completed application to the Small Business Administration or a private certifier to be certified as a small disadvantaged business concern in accordance with 13 CFR part 124, subpart B, and a decision on that application is pending, and that no material change in disadvantaged ownership and control has occurred since it submitted its application. In this case, a contractor must receive certification as an SDB by the SBA prior to contract award.

"Very small business concern" means a small business concern--

(1) Whose headquarters is located within the geographic area served by a designated SBA district; and

(2) Which, together with its affiliates, has no more than 15 employees and has average annual receipts that do not exceed $1 million.

"Women-owned small business concern" means a small business concern--

(a) Which is at least 51 percent owned by one or more women; or, in the case of any publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one or more women; and

(b) Whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more women.

Subpart 19.1--Size Standards

19.101 Explanation of terms.

"Affiliates." As used in this subpart, business concerns are affiliates of each other if, directly or indirectly, either one controls or has the power to control the other, or another concern controls or has the power to control both. In determining whether affiliation exists, consideration is given to all appropriate factors including common ownership, common management, and contractual relationships; provided, that restraints imposed by a franchise agreement are not considered in determining whether the franchisor controls or has the power to control the franchisee, if the franchisee has the right to profit from its effort, commensurate with ownership, and bears the risk of loss or failure. Any business entity may be found to be an affiliate, whether or not it is organized for profit or located inside the United States.

(a) Nature of control. Every business concern is considered as having one or more parties who directly or indirectly control or have the power to control it. Control may be affirmative or negative and it is immaterial whether it is exercised so long as the power to control exists.

(b) Meaning of "party or parties." The term "party" or "parties" includes, but is not limited to, two or more persons with an identity of interest such as members of the same family or persons with common investments in more than one concern. In determining who controls or has the power to control a concern, persons with an identity of interest may be treated as though they were one person.

(c) Control through stock ownership. (1) A party is considered to control or have the power to control a concern, if the party controls or has the power to control 50 percent or more of the concern's voting stock.

(2) A party is considered to control or have the power to control a concern, even though the party owns, controls, or has the power to control less than 50 percent of the concern's voting stock, if the block of stock the party owns, controls, or has the power to control is large, as compared with any other outstanding block of stock. If two or more parties each owns, controls, or has the power to control, less than 50 percent of the voting stock of a concern, and such minority block is equal or substantially equal in size, and large as compared with any other block outstanding, there is a presumption that each such party controls or has the power to control such concern; however, such presumption may be rebutted by a showing that such control or power to control, in fact, does not exist.

(3) If a concern's voting stock is distributed other than as described above, its management (officers and directors) is deemed to be in control of such concern.

(d) Stock options and convertible debentures. Stock options and convertible debentures exercisable at the time or within a relatively short time after a size determination and agreements to merge in the future, are considered as having a present effect on the power to control the concern. Therefore, in making a size determination, such options, debentures, and agreements are treated as though the rights held thereunder had been exercised.

(e) Voting trusts. If the purpose of a voting trust, or similar agreement, is to separate voting power from beneficial ownership of voting stock for the purpose of shifting control of or the power to control a concern in order that such concern or another concern may qualify as a small business within the size regulations, such voting trust shall not be considered valid for this purpose regardless of whether it is or is not valid within the appropriate jurisdiction. However, if a voting trust is entered into for a legitimate purpose other than that described above, and it is valid within the appropriate jurisdiction, it may be considered valid for the purpose of a size determination, provided such consideration is determined to be in the best interest of the small business program.

(f) Control through common management. A concern may be found as controlling or having the power to control another concern when one or more of the following circumstances are found to exist, and it is reasonable to conclude that under the circumstances, such concern is directing or influencing, or has the power to direct or influence, the operation of such other concern.

(1) Interlocking management. Officers, directors, employees, or principal stockholders of one concern serve as a working majority of the board of directors or officers of another concern.

(2) Common facilities. One concern shares common office space and/or employees and/or other facilities with another concern, particularly where such concerns are in the same or related industry or field of operation, or where such concerns were formerly affiliated.

(3) Newly organized concern. Former officers, directors, principal stockholders, and/or key employees of one concern organize a new concern in the same or a related industry or field operation, and serve as its officers, directors, principal stockholders, and/or key employees, and one concern is furnishing or will furnish the other concern with subcontracts, financial or technical assistance, and/or facilities, whether for a fee or otherwise.

(g) Control through contractual relationships--(1) Definition of a joint venture for size determination purposes. A joint venture for size determination purposes is an association of persons or concerns with interests in any degree or proportion by way of contract, express or implied, consorting to engage in and carry out a single specific business venture for joint profit, for which purpose they combine their efforts, property, money, skill, or knowledge, but not on a continuing or permanent basis for conducting business generally. A joint venture is viewed as a business entity in determining power to control its management.

(i) For bundled requirements, apply size standards for the requirement to individual persons or concerns, not to the combined assets, of the joint venture.

(ii) For other than bundled requirements, apply size standards for the requirement to individual persons or concerns, not to the combined assets, of the joint venture, if--

(A) A revenue-based size standard applies to the requirement and the estimated contract value, including options, exceeds one-half the applicable size standard; or

(B) An employee-based size standard applies to the requirement and the estimated contract value, including options, exceeds $10 million.

(2) Joint venture--acquisition and property sale assistance. Concerns bidding on a particular acquisition or property sale as joint ventures are considered as affiliated and controlling or having the power to control each other with regard to performance of the contract. Moreover, an ostensible subcontractor which is to perform primary or vital requirements of a contract may have a controlling role such to be considered a joint venturer affiliated on the contract with the prime contractor. A joint venture affiliation finding is limited to particular contracts unless the SBA size determination finds general affiliation between the parties. The rules governing 8(a) Program joint ventures are described in 13 CFR 124.513.

(3) Where a concern is not considered as being an affiliate of a concern with which it is participating in a joint venture, it is necessary, nevertheless, in computing annual receipts, etc., for the purpose of applying size standards, to include such concern's share of the joint venture receipts (as distinguished from its share of the profits of such venture).

(4) Franchise and license agreements. If a concern operates or is to operate under a franchise (or a license) agreement, the following policy is applicable: In determining whether the franchisor controls or has the power to control and, therefore, is affiliated with the franchisee, the restraints imposed on a franchisee by its franchise agreement shall not be considered, provided that the franchisee has the right to profit from its effort and the risk of loss or failure, commensurate with ownership. Even though a franchisee may not be controlled by the franchisor by virtue of the contractual relationship between them, the franchisee may be controlled by the franchisor or others through common ownership or common management, in which case they would be considered as affiliated.

(5) Size determination for teaming arrangements. For size determination purposes, apply the size standard tests in paragraphs (g)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section when a teaming arrangement of two or more business concerns submits an offer, as appropriate.

"Annual receipts." (a) Annual receipts of a concern which has been in business for 3 or more complete fiscal years means the annual average gross revenue of the concern taken for the last 3 fiscal years. For the purpose of this definition, gross revenue of the concern includes revenues from sales of products and services, interest, rents, fees, commissions and/or whatever other sources derived, but less returns and allowances, sales of fixed assets, interaffiliate transactions between a concern and its domestic and foreign affiliates, and taxes collected for remittance (and if due, remitted) to a third party. Such revenues shall be measured as entered on the regular books of account of the concern whether on a cash, accrual, or other basis of accounting acceptable to the U.S. Treasury Department for the purpose of supporting Federal income tax returns, except when a change in accounting method from cash to accrual or accrual to cash has taken place during such 3-year period, or when the completed contract method has been used.

(1) In any case of change in accounting method from cash to accrual or accrual to cash, revenues for such 3-year period shall, prior to the calculation of the annual average, be restated to the accrual method. In any case, where the completed contract method has been used to account for revenues in such 3-year period, revenues must be restated on an accrual basis using the percentage of completion method.

(2) In the case of a concern which does not keep regular books of accounts, but which is subject to U.S. Federal income taxation, "annual receipts" shall be measured as reported, or to be reported to the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service, for Federal income tax purposes, except that any return based on a change in accounting method or on the completed contract method of accounting must be restated as provided for in the preceding paragraphs.

(b) Annual receipts of a concern that has been in business for less than 3 complete fiscal years means its total receipts for the period it has been in business, divided by the number of weeks including fractions of a week that it has been in business, and multiplied by 52. In calculating total receipts, the definitions and adjustments related to a change of accounting method and the completed contract method of paragraph (a) of this section, are applicable.

"Number of employees" is a measure of the average employment of a business concern and means its average employment, including the employees of its domestic and foreign affiliates, based on the number of persons employed on a full-time, part-time, temporary, or other basis during each of the pay periods of the preceding 12 months. If a business has not been in existence for 12 months, "number of employees" means the average employment of such concern and its affiliates during the period that such concern has been in existence based on the number of persons employed during each of the pay periods of the period that such concern has been in business. If a business has acquired an affiliate during the applicable 12-month period, it is necessary, in computing the applicant's number of employees, to include the affiliate's number of employees during the entire period, rather than only its employees during the period in which it has been an affiliate. The employees of a former affiliate are not included, even if such concern had been an affiliate during a portion of the period.

19.102 Size standards.

(a) The SBA establishes small business size standards on an industry-by-industry basis. (See 13 CFR 121.)

(b) Small business size standards are applied by--

(1) Classifying the product or service being acquired in the industry whose definition, as found in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Manual (available via the Internet at http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html), best describes the principal nature of the product or service being acquired;

(2) Identifying the size standard SBA established for that industry; and

(3) Specifying the size standard in the solicitation so that offerors can appropriately represent themselves as small or large.

(c) For size standard purposes, a product or service shall be classified in only one industry, whose definition best describes the principal nature of the product or service being acquired even though for other purposes it could be classified in more than one.

(d) When acquiring a product or service that could be classified in two or more industries with different size standards, contracting officers shall apply the size standard for the industry accounting for the greatest percentage of the contract price.

(e) If a solicitation calls for more than one item and allows offers to be submitted on any or all of the items, an offeror must meet the size standard for each item it offers to furnish. If a solicitation calling for more than one item requires offers on all or none of the items, an offeror may qualify as a small business by meeting the size standard for the item accounting for the greatest percentage of the total contract price.

(f) Any concern which submits a bid or offer in its own name, other than on a construction or service contract, but which proposes to furnish a product which it did not itself manufacture, is deemed to be a small business when it has no more than 500 employees, and--

(1) Except as provided in subparagraphs (f)(4) through (f)(7) of this section, in the case of Government acquisitions set-aside for small businesses, such nonmanufacturer must furnish in the performance of the contract, the product of a small business manufacturer or producer, which end product must be manufactured or produced in the United States. The term "nonmanufacturer" includes a concern which can manufacture or produce the product referred to in the specific acquisition but does not do so in connection with that acquisition. For size determination purposes there can be only one manufacturer of the end item being procured. The manufacturer of the end item being acquired is the concern which, with its own forces, transforms inorganic or organic substances including raw materials and/or miscellaneous parts or components into such end item. However, see the limitations on subcontracting at 52.219-14 which apply to any small business offeror other than a nonmanufacturer for purposes of set-asides and 8(a) awards.

(2) A concern which purchases items and packages them into a kit is considered to be a nonmanufacturer small business and can qualify as such for a given acquisition if it meets the size qualifications of a small nonmanufacturer for the acquisition, and if more than 50 percent of the total value of the kit and its contents is accounted for by items manufactured by small business.

(3) For the purpose of receiving a Certificate of Competency on an unrestricted acquisition, a small business nonmanufacturer may furnish any domestically produced or manufactured product.

(4) In the case of acquisitions set aside for small business or awarded under section 8(a) of the Small Business Act, when the acquisition is for a specific product (or a product in a class of products) for which the SBA has determined that there are no small business manufacturers or processors in the Federal market, then the SBA may grant a class waiver so that a nonmanufacturer does not have to furnish the product of a small business. For the most current listing of classes for which SBA has granted a waiver, contact an SBA Office of Government Contracting. A listing is also available on SBA's Internet Homepage at http://www.sba.gov/gc. Contracting officers may request that the SBA waive the nonmanufacturer rule for a particular class of products.

(5) For a specific solicitation, a contracting officer may request a waiver of that part of the nonmanufacturer rule which requires that the actual manufacturer or processor be a small business concern if no known domestic small business manufacturers or processors can reasonably be expected to offer a product meeting the requirements of the solicitation.

(6) Requests for waivers shall be sent to the--

Associate Administrator for Government Contracting

United States Small Business Administration

Mail Code 6250

409 Third Street, SW

Washington, DC 20416.

(7) The SBA provides for an exception to the nonmanufacturer rule where the procurement of a manufactured item processed under the procedures set forth in Part 13 is set aside for small business and where the anticipated cost of the procurement will not exceed $25,000. In those procurements, the offeror need not supply the end product of a small business concern as long as the product acquired is manufactured or produced in the United States.

(g) In the case of acquisitions set aside for very small business in accordance with 19.904, offerors may not have more than 15 employees and may not have average annual receipts that exceed $1 million.

(h) The industry size standards are published by the Small Business Administration and are available via the Internet at http://www.sba.gov/size/NAICS-cover-page.htm.

Subpart 19.2--Policies

19.201 General policy.

(a) It is the policy of the Government to provide maximum practicable opportunities in its acquisitions to small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns. Such concerns must also have the maximum practicable opportunity to participate as subcontractors in the contracts awarded by any executive agency, consistent with efficient contract performance. The Small Business Administration (SBA) counsels and assists small business concerns and assists contracting personnel to ensure that a fair proportion of contracts for supplies and services is placed with small business.

(b) The Department of Commerce will determine on an annual basis, by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Industry Subsector, and region, if any, the authorized small disadvantaged business (SDB) procurement mechanisms and applicable factors (percentages). The Department of Commerce determination shall only affect solicitations that are issued on or after the effective date of the determination. The effective date of the Department of Commerce determination shall be no less than 60 days after its publication date. The Department of Commerce determination shall not affect ongoing acquisitions. The SDB procurement mechanisms are a price evaluation adjustment for SDB concerns (see Subpart 19.11), an evaluation factor or subfactor for participation of SDB concerns (see 19.1202), and monetary subcontracting incentive clauses for SDB concerns (see 19.1203). The Department of Commerce determination shall also include the applicable factors, by NAICS Industry Subsector, to be used in the price evaluation adjustment for SDB concerns (see 19.1104). The General Services Administration shall post the Department of Commerce determination at http://www.arnet.gov/References/sdbadjustments.htm. The authorized procurement mechanisms shall be applied consistently with the policies and procedures in this subpart. The agencies shall apply the procurement mechanisms determined by the Department of Commerce. The Department of Commerce, in making its determination, is not limited to the SDB procurement mechanisms identified in this section where the Department of Commerce has found substantial and persuasive evidence of--

(1) A persistent and significant underutilization of minority firms in a particular industry, attributable to past or present discrimination; and

(2) A demonstrated incapacity to alleviate the problem by using those mechanisms.

(c) Heads of contracting activities are responsible for effectively implementing the small business programs within their activities, including achieving program goals. They are to ensure that contracting and technical personnel maintain knowledge of small business program requirements and take all reasonable action to increase participation in their activities' contracting processes by these businesses.

(d) The Small Business Act requires each agency with contracting authority to establish an Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (see section (k) of the Small Business Act). Management of the office shall be the responsibility of an officer or employee of the agency who shall, in carrying out the purposes of the Act--

(1) Be known as the Director of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization;

(2) Be appointed by the agency head;

(3) Be responsible to and report directly to the agency head or the deputy to the agency head;

(4) Be responsible for the agency carrying out the functions and duties in sections 8, 15, and 31 of the Small Business Act.

(5) Work with the SBA procurement center representative to--

(i) Identify proposed solicitations that involve bundling;

(ii) Facilitate small business participation as contractors including small business contract teams, where appropriate; and

(iii) Facilitate small business participation as subcontractors and suppliers where participation by small business concerns as contractors is unlikely;

(6) Assist small business concerns in obtaining payments under their contracts, late payment, interest penalties, or information on contractual payment provisions;

(7) Have supervisory authority over agency personnel to the extent that their functions and duties relate to sections 8, 15, and 31 of the Small Business Act.

(8) Assign a small business technical advisor to each contracting activity within the agency to which the SBA has assigned a representative (see 19.402)--

(i) Who shall be a full-time employee of the contracting activity, well qualified, technically trained, and familiar with the supplies or services contracted for by the activity; and

(ii) Whose principal duty is to assist the SBA's assigned representative in performing functions and duties relating to sections 8, 15, and 31 of the Small Business Act;

(9) Cooperate and consult on a regular basis with the SBA in carrying out the agency's functions and duties in sections 8, 15, and 31 of the Small Business Act;

(10) Make recommendations in accordance with agency procedures as to whether a particular acquisition should be awarded under Subpart 19.5 as a small business set-aside, under Subpart 19.8 as a Section 8(a) award, or under Subpart 19.13 as a HUBZone set-aside.

(e) Small Business Specialists must be appointed and act in accordance with agency regulations.

(f)(1) Each agency shall designate, at levels it determines appropriate, personnel responsible for determining whether, in order to achieve the contracting agency's goal for SDB concerns, the use of the SDB mechanism in Subpart 19.11 has resulted in an undue burden on non-SDB firms in one of the Industry Subsectors and regions identified by Department of Commerce following paragraph (b) of this section, or is otherwise inappropriate. Determinations under this subpart are for the purpose of determining future acquisitions and shall not affect ongoing acquisitions. Requests for a determination, including supporting rationale, may be submitted to the agency designee. If the agency designee makes an affirmative determination that the SDB mechanism has an undue burden or is otherwise inappropriate, the determination shall be forwarded through agency channels to the OFPP, which shall review the determination in consultation with the Department of Commerce and the Small Business Administration. At a minimum, the following information should be included in any submittal:

(i) A determination of undue burden or other inappropriate effect, including proposed corrective action.

(ii) The Industry Subsector affected.

(iii) Supporting information to justify the determination, including, but not limited to, dollars and percentages of contracts awarded by the contracting activity under the affected Industry Subsector for the previous two fiscal years and current fiscal year to date for--

(A) Total awards;

(B) Total awards to SDB concerns;

(C) Awards to SDB concerns awarded contracts under the SDB price evaluation adjustment where the SDB concerns would not otherwise have been the successful offeror;

(D) Number of successful and unsuccessful SDB offerors; and

(E) Number of successful and unsuccessful non-SDB offerors.

(iv) A discussion of the pertinent findings, including any peculiarities related to the industry, regions or demographics.

(v) A discussion of other efforts the agency has undertaken to ensure equal opportunity for SDBs in contracting with the agency.

(2) After consultation with OFPP, or if the agency does not receive a response from OFPP within 90 days after notice is provided to OFPP, the contracting agency may limit the use of the SDB mechanism in Subpart 19.11 until the Department of Commerce determines the updated price evaluation adjustment, as required by this section. This limitation shall not apply to solicitations that already have been synopsized.

19.202 Specific policies.

In order to further the policy in 19.201(a), contracting officers shall comply with the specific policies listed in this section and shall consider recommendations of the agency Director of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, or the Director's designee, as to whether a particular acquisition should be awarded under Subpart 19.5, 19.8, or 19.13. The contracting officer shall document the contract file whenever the Director's recommendations are not accepted.

19.202-1 Encouraging small business participation in acquisitions.

Small business concerns shall be afforded an equitable opportunity to compete for all contracts that they can perform to the extent consistent with the Government's interest. When applicable, the contracting officer shall take the following actions:

(a) Divide proposed acquisitions of supplies and services (except construction) into reasonably small lots (not less than economic production runs) to permit offers on quantities less than the total requirement.

(b) Plan acquisitions such that, if practicable, more than one small business concern may perform the work, if the work exceeds the amount for which a surety may be guaranteed by SBA against loss under 15 U.S.C. 694b.

(c) Ensure that delivery schedules are established on a realistic basis that will encourage small business participation to the extent consistent with the actual requirements of the Government.

(d) Encourage prime contractors to subcontract with small business concerns (see Subpart 19.7).

(e)(1) Provide a copy of the proposed acquisition package to the SBA procurement center representative at least 30 days prior to the issuance of the solicitation if--

(i) The proposed acquisition is for supplies or services currently being provided by a small business and the proposed acquisition is of a quantity or estimated dollar value, the magnitude of which makes it unlikely that small businesses can compete for the prime contract;

(ii) The proposed acquisition is for construction and seeks to package or consolidate discrete construction projects and the magnitude of this consolidation makes it unlikely that small businesses can compete for the prime contract; or

(iii) The proposed acquisition is for a bundled requirement. (See 10.001(c)(2)(i) for mandatory 30-day notice requirement to incumbent small business concerns.)

(2) The contracting officer also must provide a statement explaining why the--

(i) Proposed acquisition cannot be divided into reasonably small lots (not less than economic production runs) to permit offers on quantities less than the total requirement;

(ii) Delivery schedules cannot be established on a realistic basis that will encourage small business participation to the extent consistent with the actual requirements of the Government;

(iii) Proposed acquisition cannot be structured so as to make it likely that small businesses can compete for the prime contract;

(iv) Consolidated construction project cannot be acquired as separate discrete projects; or

(v) Bundling is necessary and justified.

(3) The 30-day notification process shall occur concurrently with other processing steps required prior to the issuance of the solicitation.

(4) If the contracting officer rejects the SBA procurement center representative's recommendation, made in accordance with 19.402(c)(2), the contracting officer shall document the basis for the rejection and notify the SBA procurement center representative in accordance with 19.505.

19.202-2 Locating small business sources.

The contracting officer must, to the extent practicable, encourage maximum participation by small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns in acquisitions by taking the following actions:

(a) Include on mailing lists all established and potential small business sources, including those located in labor surplus areas and HUBZones, if the concerns have submitted acceptable applications or appear from other representations to be qualified small business concerns.

(b) Before issuing solicitations, make every reasonable effort to find additional small business concerns, unless lists are already excessively long and only some of the concerns on the list will be solicited. This effort should include contacting the agency SBA procurement center representative, or if there is none, the SBA.

(c) Publicize solicitations and contract awards in the "Commerce Business Daily" (see Subparts 5.2 and 5.3).

19.202-3 Equal low bids.

In the event of equal low bids (see 14.408-6), awards shall be made first to small business concerns which are also labor surplus area concerns, and second to small business concerns which are not also labor surplus area concerns.

19.202-4 Solicitation.

The contracting officer must encourage maximum response to solicitations by small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns by taking the following actions:

(a) Allow the maximum amount of time practicable for the submission of offers.

(b) Furnish specifications, plans, and drawings with solicitations, or furnish information as to where they may be obtained or examined.

(c) Send solicitations to--

(1) All small business concerns on the solicitation mailing list; or

(2) A pro rata number of small business concerns when less than a complete list is used.

(d) Provide to any small business concern, upon its request, a copy of bid sets and specifications with respect to any contract to be let, the name and telephone number of an agency contact to answer questions related to such prospective contract and adequate citations to each major Federal law or agency rule with which such business concern must comply in performing such contract other than laws or agency rules with which the small business must comply when doing business with other than the Government.

19.202-5 Data collection and reporting requirements.

Agencies must measure the extent of small business participation in their acquisition programs by taking the following actions:

(a) Require each prospective contractor to represent whether it is a small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, or women-owned small business concern (see the provision at 52.219-1, Small Business Program Representations).

(b) Accurately measure the extent of participation by small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns in Government acquisitions in terms of the total value of contracts placed during each fiscal year, and report data to the SBA at the end of each fiscal year (see Subpart 4.6).

19.202-6 Determination of fair market price.

(a) The fair market price shall be the price achieved in accordance with the reasonable price guidelines in 15.404-1(b) for--

(1) Total and partial small business set-asides (see Subpart 19.5);

(2) HUBZone set-asides (see Subpart 19.13);

(3) Contracts utilizing the price evaluation adjustment for small disadvantaged business concerns (see Subpart 19.11); and

(4) Contracts utilizing the price evaluation preference for HUBZone small business concerns (see Subpart 19.13).

(b) For 8(a) contracts, both with respect to meeting the requirement at 19.806(b) and in order to accurately estimate the current fair market price, contracting officers shall follow the procedures at 19.807.

Subpart 19.3--Determination of Small Business Status for Small Business Programs

19.301 Representation by the offeror.

(a) To be eligible for award as a small business, an offeror must represent in good faith that it is a small business at the time of its written representation. An offeror may represent that it is a small business concern in connection with a specific solicitation if it meets the definition of a small business concern applicable to the solicitation and has not been determined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to be other than a small business.

(b) The contracting officer shall accept an offeror's representation in a specific bid or proposal that it is a small business unless (1) another offeror or interested party challenges the concern's small business representation or (2) the contracting officer has a reason to question the representation. Challenges of and questions concerning a specific representation shall be referred to the SBA in accordance with 19.302.

(c) An offeror's representation that it is a small business is not binding on the SBA. If an offeror's small business status is challenged, the SBA will evaluate the status of the concern and make a determination, which will be binding on the contracting officer, as to whether the offeror is a small business. A concern cannot become eligible for a specific award by taking action to meet the definition of a small business concern after the SBA has determined that it is not a small business.

(d) If the SBA determines that the status of a concern as a small business, veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, or women-owned small business has been misrepresented in order to obtain a set-aside contract, an 8(a) subcontract, a subcontract that is to be included as part or all of a goal contained in a subcontracting plan, or a prime or subcontract to be awarded as a result, or in furtherance of any other provision of Federal law that specifically references Section 8(d) of the Small Business Act for a definition of program eligibility, the SBA may take action as specified in Section 16(d) of the Act. If the SBA declines to take action, the agency may initiate the process. The SBA's regulations on penalties for misrepresentations and false statements are contained in 13 CFR 124.6.

19.302 Protesting a small business representation.

(a) An offeror, the SBA, or another interested party may protest the small business representation of an offeror in a specific offer. However, for competitive 8(a) contracts, the filing of a protest is limited to an offeror, the contracting officer, or the SBA.

(b) Any time after offers are opened, the contracting officer may question the small business representation of any offeror in a specific offer by filing a contracting officer's protest (see paragraph (c) below).

(c)(1) Any contracting officer who receives a protest, whether timely or not, or who, as the contracting officer, wishes to protest the small business representation of an offeror, shall promptly forward the protest to the SBA Government Contracting Area Office for the geographical area where the principal office of the concern in question is located.

(2) The protest, or confirmation if the protest was initiated orally, shall be in writing and shall contain the basis for the protest with specific, detailed evidence to support the allegation that the offeror is not small. The SBA will dismiss any protest that does not contain specific grounds for the protest.

(d) In order to affect a specific solicitation, a protest must be timely. SBA's regulations on timeliness are contained in 13 CFR 121.1004. SBA's regulations on timeliness related to protests of disadvantaged status are contained in 13 CFR 124, Subpart B.

(1) To be timely, a protest by any concern or other interested party must be received by the contracting officer (see (d)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section) by the close of business of the 5th business day after bid opening (in sealed bid acquisitions) or receipt of the special notification from the contracting officer that identifies the apparently successful offeror (in negotiated acquisitions) (see 15.503(a)(2)).

(i) A protest may be made orally if it is confirmed in writing either within the 5-day period or by letter postmarked no later than 1 business day after the oral protest.

(ii) A protest may be made in writing if it is delivered to the contracting officer by hand, telegram, or letter postmarked within the 5-day period.

(2) A contracting officer's protest is always considered timely whether filed before or after award.

(3) A protest under a Multiple Award Schedule will be timely if received by SBA at any time prior to the expiration of the contract period, including renewals.

(e) Upon receipt of a protest from or forwarded by the Contracting Office, the SBA will--

(1) Notify the contracting officer and the protester of the date it was received, and that the size of the concern being challenged is under consideration by the SBA; and

(2) Furnish to the concern whose representation is being protested a copy of the protest and a blank SBA Form 355, Application for Small Business Determination, by certified mail, return receipt requested.

(f) Within 3 business days after receiving a copy of the protest and the form, the challenged offeror must file with the SBA a completed SBA Form 355 and a statement answering the allegations in the protest, and furnish evidence to support its position. If the offeror does not submit the required material within the 3 business days or another period of time granted by the SBA, the SBA may assume that the disclosure would be contrary to the offeror's interests.

(g)(1) Within 10 business days after receiving a protest, the challenged offeror's response, and other pertinent information, the SBA will determine the size status of the challenged concern and notify the contracting officer, the protester, and the challenged offeror of its decision by certified mail, return receipt requested.

(2) The SBA Government Contracting Area Director, or designee, will determine the small business status of the questioned bidder or offeror and notify the contracting officer and the bidder or offeror of the determination. Award may be made on the basis of that determination. This deter-

mination is final unless it is appealed in accordance with paragraph (i) of this section, and the contracting officer is notified of the appeal before award. If an award was made before the time the contracting officer received notice of the appeal, the contract shall be presumed to be valid.

(h)(1) After receiving a protest involving an offeror being considered for award, the contracting officer shall not award the contract until (i) the SBA has made a size determination or (ii) 10 business days have expired since SBA's receipt of a protest, whichever occurs first; however, award shall not be withheld when the contracting officer determines in writing that an award must be made to protect the public interest.

(2) After the 10-day period has expired, the contracting officer may, when practical, continue to withhold award until the SBA's determination is received, unless further delay would be disadvantageous to the Government.

(3) Whenever an award is made before the receipt of SBA's size determination, the contracting officer shall notify SBA that the award has been made.

(4) If a protest is received that challenges the small business status of an offeror not being considered for award, the contracting officer is not required to suspend contracting action. The contracting officer shall forward the protest to the SBA (see paragraph (c)(1) of this section) with a notation that the concern is not being considered for award, and shall notify the protester of this action.

(i) An appeal from an SBA size determination may be filed by any concern or other interested party whose protest of the small business representation of another concern has been denied by an SBA Government Contracting Area Director, any concern or other interested party that has been adversely affected by a Government Contracting Area Director's decision, or the SBA Associate Administrator for the SBA program involved. The appeal must be filed with the--

Office of Hearings and Appeals

Small Business Administration

Suite 5900, 409 3rd Street, SW

Washington, DC 20416

within the time limits and in strict accordance with the procedures contained in Subpart C of 13 CFR 134. It is within the discretion of the SBA Judge whether to accept an appeal from a size determination. If the Judge decides not to consider such an appeal, the Judge will issue an order denying review and specifying the reasons for the decision. The SBA will inform the contracting officer of its ruling on the appeal. The SBA decision, if received before award, will apply to the pending acquisition. SBA rulings received after award shall not apply to that acquisition.

(j) A protest that is not timely, even though received before award, shall be forwarded to the SBA Government Contracting Area Office (see paragraph (c)(1) of this section), with a notation on it that the protest is not timely. The protester shall be notified that the protest cannot be considered on the instant acquisition but has been referred to SBA for its consideration in any future actions. A protest received by a contracting officer after award of a contract shall be forwarded to the SBA Government Contracting Area Office with a notation that award has been made. The protester shall be notified that the award has been made and that the protest has been forwarded to SBA for its consideration in future actions.

19.303 Determining North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes and size standards.

(a) The contracting officer shall determine the appropriate NAICS code and related small business size standard and include them in solicitations above the micro-purchase threshold.

(b) If different products or services are required in the same solicitation, the solicitation shall identify the appropriate small business size standard for each product or service.

(c) The contracting officer's determination is final unless appealed as follows:

(1) An appeal from a contracting officer's NAICS code designation and the applicable size standard must be served and filed within 10 calendar days after the issuance of the initial solicitation. SBA's Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) will dismiss summarily an untimely NAICS code appeal.

(2)(i) The appeal petition must be in writing and must be addressed to the--

Office of Hearings and Appeals

Small Business Administration

Suite 5900, 409 3rd Street, SW

Washington, DC 20416

(ii) There is no required format for the appeal; however, the appeal must include--

(A) The solicitation or contract number and the name, address, and telephone number of the contracting officer;

(B) A full and specific statement as to why the size determination or NAICS code designation is allegedly erroneous and argument supporting the allegation; and

(C) The name, address, telephone number, and signature of the appellant or its attorney.

(3) The appellant must serve the appeal petition upon--

(i) The SBA official who issued the size determination;

(ii) The contracting officer who assigned the NAICS code to the acquisition;

(iii) The business concern whose size status is at issue;

(iv) All persons who filed protests; and

(v) SBA's Office of General Counsel.

(4) Upon receipt of a NAICS code appeal, OHA will notify the contracting officer by a notice and order of the date OHA received the appeal, the docket number, and Judge assigned to the case. The contracting officer's response to the appeal, if any, must include argument and evidence (see 13 CFR 134), and must be received by OHA within 10 calendar days from the date of the docketing notice and order, unless otherwise specified by the Administrative Judge. Upon receipt of OHA's docketing notice and order, the contracting officer must immediately send to OHA a copy of the solicitation relating to the NAICS code appeal.

(5) After close of record, OHA will issue a decision and inform the contracting officer. If OHA's decision is received by the contracting officer before the date the offers are due, the decision shall be final and the solicitation must be amended to reflect the decision, if appropriate. OHA's decision received after the due date of the initial offers shall not apply to the pending solicitation but shall apply to future solicitations of the same products or services.

19.304 Disadvantaged business status.

(a) To be eligible to receive a benefit as a prime contractor based on its disadvantaged status, a concern, at the time of its offer, must either be certified as a small disadvantaged business (SDB) concern or have a completed SDB application pending at the SBA or a Private Certifier (see 19.001).

(b) The contracting officer may accept an offeror's representation that it is an SDB concern for general statistical purposes. The provision at 52.219-1, Small Business Program Representations, or 52.212-3(c)(4), Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, is used to collect SDB data for general statistical purposes.

(c) The provision at 52.219-22, Small Disadvantaged Business Status, or 52.212-3(c)(9), Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, is used to obtain SDB status when the prime contractor may receive a benefit based on its disadvantaged status. The mechanisms that may provide benefits on the basis of disadvantaged status as a prime contractor are a price evaluation adjustment for SDB concerns (see Subpart 19.11), and an evaluation factor or subfactor for SDB participation (see 19.1202).

(1) If the apparently successful offeror has represented that it is currently certified as an SDB, the contracting officer may confirm that the concern is identified as a small disadvantaged business concern by accessing SBA's database (PRO-Net) or by contacting the SBA's Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Certification and Eligibility.

(2) If the apparently successful offeror has represented that its SDB application is pending at the SBA or a Private Certifier, and its position as the apparently successful offeror is due to the application of the price evaluation adjustment, the contracting officer shall follow the procedure in paragraph (d) of this section.

(d) Notifications to SBA of potential awards to offerors with pending SDB applications.

(1) The contracting officer shall notify the--

Small Business Administration

Assistant Administrator for SDBCE

409 Third Street, SW

Washington, DC 20416.

The notification shall contain the name of the apparently successful offeror, and the names of any other offerors that have represented that their applications for SDB status are pending at the SBA or a Private Certifier and that could receive the award due to the application of a price evaluation adjustment if the apparently successful offeror is determined not to be an SDB by the SBA.

(2) The SBA will, within 15 calendar days after receipt of the notification, determine the disadvantaged status of the apparently successful offeror and, as appropriate, any other offerors referred by the contracting officer and will notify the contracting officer.

(3) If the contracting officer does not receive an SBA determination within 15 calendar days after the SBA's receipt of the notification, the contracting officer shall presume that the apparently successful offeror, and any other offerors referred by the contracting officer, are not disadvantaged, and shall make award accordingly, unless the contracting officer grants an extension to the 15-day response period. No written determination is required for the contracting officer to make award at any point following the expiration of the 15-day response period.

(4) When the contracting officer makes a written determination that award must be made to protect the public interest, the contracting officer may proceed to contract award without notifying SBA or before receiving a determination of SDB status from SBA during the 15-day response period. In both cases, the contracting officer shall presume that the apparently successful offeror, or any other offeror referred to the SBA whose SDB application is pending, is not an SDB and shall make award accordingly.

19.305 Protesting a representation of disadvantaged business status.

(a) This section applies to protests of a small business concern's disadvantaged status as a prime contractor. Protests of a small business concern's disadvantaged status as a subcontractor are processed under 19.703(a)(2). Protests of a concern's size as a prime contractor are processed under 19.302. Protests of a concern's size as a subcontractor are processed under 19.703(b). An offeror, the contracting officer, or the SBA may protest the apparently successful offeror's representation of disadvantaged status if the concern is eligible to receive a benefit based on its disadvantaged status (see Subpart 19.11 and 19.1202.)

(b) An offeror, excluding an offeror determined by the contracting officer to be non-responsive or outside the competitive range, or an offeror that SBA has previously found to be ineligible for the requirement at issue, may protest the apparently successful offeror's representation of disadvantaged status by filing a protest in writing with the contracting officer. SBA regulations concerning protests are contained in 13 CFR 124, Subpart B. The protest--

(1) Must be filed within the times specified in 19.302(d)(1); and

(2) Must contain specific facts or allegations supporting the basis of protest.

(c) The contracting officer or the SBA may protest in writing a concern's representation of disadvantaged status at any time following bid opening or notification of intended award.

(1) If a contracting officer's protest is based on information provided by a party ineligible to protest directly or ineligible to protest under the timeliness standard, the contracting officer must be persuaded by the evidence presented before adopting the grounds for protest as his or her own.

(2) The SBA may protest a concern's representation of disadvantaged status by filing directly with its Assistant Administrator for Small Disadvantaged Business Certification and Eligibility and notifying the contracting officer.

(d) The contracting officer shall return premature protests to the protestor. A protest is considered to be premature if it is submitted before bid opening or notification of intended award. SBA normally will not consider a postaward protest. SBA may consider a postaward protest in its discretion where it determines that an SDB determination after award is meaningful (e. g., where the contracting officer agrees to terminate the contract if the protest is sustained).

(e) Upon receipt of a protest that is not premature, the contracting officer shall withhold award and forward the protest to--

Small Business Administration

Assistant Administrator for SDBCE

409 Third Street, SW

Washington, DC 20416.

The contracting officer shall send to SBA--

(1) The written protest and any accompanying materials;

(2) The date the protest was received;

(3) A copy of the protested concern's representation as a small disadvantaged business, and the date of such representation; and

(4) The date of bid opening or date on which notification of the apparently successful offeror was sent to unsuccessful offerors.

(f) When the contracting officer makes a written determination that award must be made to protect the public interest, award may be made notwithstanding the protest.

(g) The SBA Assistant Administrator for Small Disadvantaged Business Certification and Eligibility will notify the protestor and the contracting officer of the date the protest was received and whether it will be processed or dismissed for lack of timeliness or specificity. For protests that are not dismissed, the SBA will, within 15 working days after receipt of the protest, determine the disadvantaged status of the challenged offeror and will notify the contracting officer, the challenged offeror, and the protestor. Award may be made on the basis of that determination. The determination is final for purposes of the instant acquisition, unless it is appealed and--

(1) The contracting officer receives the SBA's decision on the appeal before award; or

(2) The contracting officer has agreed to terminate the contract, as appropriate, based on the outcome of the appeal (see 13 CFR 124, Subpart B).

(h) If the contracting officer does not receive an SBA determination within 15 working days after the SBA's receipt of the protest, the contracting officer shall presume that the challenged offeror is disadvantaged and may award the contract, unless the SBA requests and the contracting officer grants an extension to the 15-day response period.

(i) An SBA determination may be appealed by--

(1) The party whose protest has been denied;

(2) The concern whose status was protested; or

(3) The contracting officer.

(j) The appeal must be filed with the SBA's Administrator or designee within five working days after receipt of the determination. If the contracting officer receives the SBA's decision on the appeal before award, the decision shall apply to the instant acquisition. If the decision is received after award, it will not apply to the instant acquisition (but see paragraph (g)(2) of this section).

19.306 Protesting a firm's status as a HUBZone small business concern.

(a) For sole source acquisitions, the SBA or the contracting officer may protest the apparently successful offeror's HUBZone small business status. For all other acquisitions, an offeror, the contracting officer, or the SBA may protest the apparently successful offeror's qualified HUBZone small business concern status.

(b) Protests relating to whether a qualified HUBZone small business concern is a small business for purposes of any Federal program are subject to the procedures of Subpart 19.3. Protests relating to small business size status for the acquisition and the HUBZone qualifying requirements will be processed concurrently by SBA.

(c) All protests must be in writing and must state all specific grounds for the protest. Assertions that a protested concern is not a qualified HUBZone small business concern, without setting forth specific facts or allegations, are insufficient. An offeror must submit its protest to the contracting officer. The contracting officer and the SBA must submit protests to SBA's Associate Administrator for the HUBZone Program (AA/HUB).

(d) An offeror's protest must be received by close of business on the fifth business day after bid opening (in sealed bid acquisitions) or by close of business on the fifth business day after notification by the contracting officer of the apparently successful offeror (in negotiated acquisitions). Any protest received after these time limits is untimely. Any protest received prior to bid opening or notification of intended award, whichever applies, is premature and shall be returned to the protester.

(e) Except for premature protests, the contracting officer must forward any protest received, notwithstanding whether the contracting officer believes that the protest is insufficiently specific or untimely, to:

AA/HUB

U.S. Small Business Administration

409 3rd Street, SW

Washington, DC 20416.

The AA/HUB will notify the protester and the contracting officer of the date the protest was received and whether the protest will be processed or dismissed for lack of timeliness or specificity.

(f) SBA will determine the HUBZone status of the protested HUBZone small business concern within 15 business days after receipt of a protest. If SBA does not contact the contracting officer within 15 business days, the contracting officer may award the contract to the apparently successful offeror, unless the contracting officer has granted SBA an extension. The contracting officer may award the contract after receipt of a protest if the contracting officer determines in writing that an award must be made to protect the public interest.

(g) SBA will notify the contracting officer, the protester, and the protested concern of its determination. The determination is effective immediately and is final unless overturned on appeal by SBA's Associate Deputy Administrator for Government Contracting and 8(a) Business Development (ADA/GC&8(a)BD).

(h) The protested HUBZone small business concern, the protester, or the contracting officer may file appeals of protest determinations with SBA's ADA/GC&8(a)BD. The ADA/GC&8(a)BD must receive the appeal no later than 5 business days after the date of receipt of the protest determination. SBA will dismiss any appeal received after the 5-day period.

(i) The appeal must be in writing. The appeal must identify the protest determination being appealed and must set forth a full and specific statement as to why the decision is erroneous or what significant fact the AA/HUB failed to consider.

(j) The party appealing the decision must provide notice of the appeal to the contracting officer and either the protested HUBZone small business concern or the original protester, as appropriate. SBA will not consider additional information or changed circumstances that were not disclosed at the time of the AA/HUB's decision or that are based on disagreement with the findings and conclusions contained in the determination.

(k) The ADA/GC&8(a)BD will make its decision within 5 business days of the receipt of the appeal, if practicable, and will base its decision only on the information and documentation in the protest record as supplemented by the appeal. SBA will provide a copy of the decision to the contracting officer, the protester, and the protested HUBZone small business concern. The SBA decision, if received before award, will apply to the pending acquisition. SBA rulings received after award will not apply to that acquisition. The ADA/GC&8(a)BD's decision is the final decision.

19.307 Solicitation provisions.

(a)(1) Insert the provision at 52.219-1, Small Business Program Representations, in solicitations exceeding the micro-purchase threshold when the contractor will perform the contract inside the United States, its territories or possessions, Puerto Rico, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, or the District of Columbia.

(2)(i) Use the provision with its Alternate I in solicitations issued by the following agencies on or before September 30, 2000:

(A) Department of Agriculture.

(B) Department of Defense.

(C) Department of Energy.

(D) Department of Health and Human Services.

(E) Department of Housing and Urban Development.

(F) Department of Transportation.

(G) Department of Veterans Affairs.

(H) Environmental Protection Agency.

(I) General Services Administration.

(J) National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

(ii) Use the provision with its Alternate I in solicitations issued by all Federal agencies after September 30, 2000.

(3) Use the provision with its Alternate II in solicitations issued by DoD, NASA, or the Coast Guard that the contracting officer expects will exceed the threshold at 4.601(a).

(b) Insert the provision at 52.219-22, Small Disadvantaged Business Status, in solicitations that include the clause at 52.219-23, Notice of Price Evaluation Adjustment for Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns, or 52.219-25, Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program--Disadvantaged Status and Reporting. Use the provision with its Alternate I in solicitations for acquisitions for which a price evaluation adjustment for small disadvantaged business concerns is authorized on a regional basis.

(c) When contracting by sealed bidding, insert the provision at 52.219-2, Equal Low Bids, in solicitations and contracts when the contractor will perform the contract inside the United States, its territories or possessions, Puerto Rico, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, or the District of Columbia.

Subpart 19.4--Cooperation with the Small Business Administration

19.401 General.

(a) The Small Business Act is the authority under which the Small Business Administration (SBA) and agencies consult and cooperate with each other in formulating policies to ensure that small business interests will be recognized and protected.

(b) The Director of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization serves as the agency focal point for interfacing with SBA.

19.402 Small Business Administration procurement center representatives.

(a) The SBA may assign one or more procurement center representatives to any contracting activity or contract administration office to carry out SBA policies and programs. Assigned SBA procurement center representatives are required to comply with the contracting agency's directives governing the conduct of contracting personnel and the release of contract information. The SBA must obtain for its procurement center representatives security clearances required by the contracting agency.

(b) Upon their request and subject to applicable acquisition and security regulations, contracting officers shall give SBA procurement center representatives access to all reasonably obtainable contract information that is directly pertinent to their official duties.

(c) The duties assigned by SBA to its procurement center representatives include the following:

(1) Reviewing proposed acquisitions to recommend--

(i) The setting aside of selected acquisitions not unilaterally set aside by the contracting officer,

(ii) New qualified small, veteran-owned small, service-disabled veteran-owned small, HUBZone small, small disadvantaged, and women-owned small business sources, and

(iii) Breakout of components for competitive acquisitions.

(2) Reviewing proposed acquisition packages provided in accordance with 19.202-1(e). If the SBA procurement center representative believes that the acquisition, as proposed, makes it unlikely that small businesses can compete for the prime contract, the representative shall recommend any alternate contracting method that the representative reasonably believes will increase small business prime contracting opportunities. The recommendation shall be made to the contracting officer within 15 days after receipt of the package.

(3) Recommending concerns for inclusion on solicitation mailing lists or on a list of concerns to be solicited in a specific acquisition.

(4) Appealing to the chief of the contracting office any contracting officer's determination not to solicit a concern recommended by the SBA for a particular acquisition, when not doing so results in no small business being solicited.

(5) Conducting periodic reviews of the contracting activity to which assigned to ascertain whether it is complying with the small business policies in this regulation.

(6) Sponsoring and participating in conferences and training designed to increase small business participation in the contracting activities of the office.

19.403 Small Business Administration breakout procurement center representative.

(a) The SBA is required by section 403 of Pub. L. 98-577 to assign a breakout procurement center representative to each major procurement center. A major procurement center means a procurement center that, in the opinion of the administrator, purchases substantial dollar amounts of other than commercial items, and which has the potential to incur significant savings as a result of the placement of a breakout procurement representative. The SBA breakout procurement center representative is an advocate for (1) the appropriate use of full and open competition, and (2) the breakout of items, when appropriate and while maintaining the integrity of the system in which such items are used. The SBA breakout procurement center representative is in addition to the SBA procurement center representative (see 19.402). When an SBA breakout procurement center representative is assigned, the SBA is required to assign at least two collocated small business technical advisors. Assigned SBA breakout procurement center representatives and technical advisors are required to comply with the contracting agency's directives governing the conduct of contracting personnel and the release of contract information. The SBA must obtain for its breakout procurement center representatives and technical advisors security clearances required by the contracting agency.

(b) Contracting officers shall comply with 19.402(b) in their relationships with SBA breakout procurement center representatives and SBA small business technical advisors.

(c) The SBA breakout procurement center representative is authorized to--

(1) Attend any provisioning conference or similar evaluation session during which determinations are made as to whether requirements are to be acquired using other than full and open competition and make recommendations with respect to such requirements to the members of such conference or session;

(2) Review, at any time, restrictions on competition previously imposed on items through acquisition method coding or similar procedures and recommend to personnel of the appropriate activity the prompt reevaluation of such limitations;

(3) Review restrictions on competition arising out of restrictions on the rights of the United States in technical data and, when appropriate, recommend that personnel of the appropriate activity initiate a review of the validity of such an asserted restriction;

(4) Obtain from any governmental source, and make available to personnel of the appropriate center, technical data necessary for the preparation of a competitive solicitation package for any item of supply or service previously acquired noncompetitively due to the unavailability of such technical data;

(5) Have access to procurement records and other data of the procurement center commensurate with the level of such representative's approved security clearance classification;

(6) Receive unsolicited engineering proposals and, when appropriate--

(i) Conduct a value analysis of such proposal to determine whether it, if adopted, will result in lower costs to the United States without substantially impeding legitimate acquisition objectives and forward to personnel of the appropriate center recommendations with respect to such proposal; or

(ii) Forward such proposals without analysis to personnel of the center responsible for reviewing them who shall furnish the breakout procurement center representative with information regarding the proposal's disposition;

(7) Review the systems that account for the acquisition and management of technical data within the procurement center to ensure that such systems provide the maximum availability and access to data needed for the preparation of offers to sell to the United States those supplies to which such data pertain which potential offerors are entitled to receive;

(8) Appeal the failure by the procurement center to act favorably on any recommendation made pursuant to subparagraphs (c)(1) through (7) of this section. Such appeal must be in writing and shall be filed and processed in accordance with the appeal procedures set out at 19.505;

(9) Conduct familiarization sessions for contracting officers and other appropriate personnel of the procurement center to which assigned. Such sessions shall acquaint the participants with the duties and objectives of the representative and shall instruct them in the methods designed to further the breakout of items for procurement through full and open competition; and

(10) Prepare and personally deliver an annual briefing and report to the head of the procurement center to which assigned. Such briefing and report shall detail the past and planned activities of the representative and shall contain recommendations for improvement in the operation of the center as may be appropriate. The head of such center shall personally receive the briefing and report and shall, within 60 calendar days after receipt, respond, in writing, to each recommendation made by the representative.

(d) The duties of the SBA small business technical advisors are to assist the SBA breakout procurement center representative in carrying out the activities described in (c)(1) through (7) of this section to assist the SBA procurement center representatives (see FAR 19.402).

Subpart 19.5--Set-Asides for Small Business

19.501 General.

(a) The purpose of small business set-asides is to award certain acquisitions exclusively to small business concerns. A "set-aside for small business" is the reserving of an acquisition exclusively for participation by small business concerns. A small business set-aside may be open to all small businesses. A small business set-aside of a single acquisition or a class of acquisitions may be total or partial.

(b) The determination to make a small business set-aside may be unilateral or joint. A unilateral determination is one that is made by the contracting officer. A joint determination is one that is recommended by the Small Business Administration (SBA) procurement center representative and concurred in by the contracting officer.

(c) For acquisitions exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, the requirement to set aside an acquisition for HUBZone small business concerns (see 19.1305) takes priority over the requirement to set aside the acquisition for small business concerns.

(d) The contracting officer shall review acquisitions to determine if they can be set aside for small business, giving consideration to the recommendations of agency personnel having cognizance of the agency's small business programs. The contracting officer shall document why a small business set-aside is inappropriate when an acquisition is not set aside for small business, unless a HUBZone small business set-aside or HUBZone small business sole source award is anticipated. If the acquisition is set aside for small business based on this review, it is a unilateral set-aside by the contracting officer. Agencies may establish threshold levels for this review depending upon their needs.

(e) At the request of an SBA procurement center representative, the contracting officer shall make available for review at the contracting office (to the extent of the SBA representative's security clearance) all proposed acquisitions in excess of the micro-purchase threshold that have not been unilaterally set aside for small business.

(f) To the extent practicable, unilateral determinations initiated by a contracting officer shall be used as the basis for small business set-asides rather than joint determinations by an SBA procurement center representative and a contracting officer.

(g) All solicitations involving set-asides must specify the applicable small business size standard and NAICS code (see 19.303).

(h) Except as authorized by law, a contract may not be awarded as a result of a small business set-aside if the cost to the awarding agency exceeds the fair market price.

19.502 Setting aside acquisitions.

19.502-1 Requirements for setting aside acquisitions.

(a) The contracting officer shall set aside an individual acquisition or class of acquisitions for competition among small businesses when--

(1) It is determined to be in the interest of maintaining or mobilizing the Nation's full productive capacity, war or national defense programs; or

(2) Assuring that a fair proportion of Government contracts in each industry category is placed with small business concerns; and the circumstances described in 19.502-2 or 19.502-3(a) exist.

(b) This requirement does not apply to purchases of $2,500 or less, or purchases from required sources of supply under Part 8 (e.g., Federal Prison Industries, Committee for Purchase from People Who are Blind or Severely Disabled, and Federal Supply Schedule contracts).

19.502-2 Total small business set-asides.

(a) Except for those acquisitions set aside for very small business concerns (see subpart 19.9), each acquisition of supplies or services that has an anticipated dollar value exceeding $2,500, but not over $100,000, is automatically reserved exclusively for small business concerns and shall be set aside for small business unless the contracting officer determines there is not a reasonable expectation of obtaining offers from two or more responsible small business concerns that are competitive in terms of market prices, quality, and delivery. If the contracting officer does not proceed with the small business set-aside and purchases on an unrestricted basis, the contracting officer shall include in the contract file the reason for this unrestricted purchase. If the contracting officer receives only one acceptable offer from a responsible small business concern in response to a set-aside, the contracting officer should make an award to that firm. If the contracting officer receives no acceptable offers from responsible small business concerns, the set-aside shall be withdrawn and the requirement, if still valid, shall be resolicited on an unrestricted basis. The small business reservation does not preclude the award of a contract with a value not greater than $100,000 under Subpart 19.8, Contracting with the Small Business Administration, under 19.1007(c), Solicitations equal to or less than the ESB reserve amount, or under 19.1305, HUBZone set-aside procedures.

(b) The contracting officer shall set aside any acquisition over $100,000 for small business participation when there is a reasonable expectation that (1) offers will be obtained from at least two responsible small business concerns offering the products of different small business concerns (but see paragraph (c) of this subsection); and (2) award will be made at fair market prices. Total small business set-asides shall not be made unless such a reasonable expectation exists (but see 19.502-3 as to partial set-asides). Although past acquisition history of an item or similar items is always important, it is not the only factor to be considered in determining whether a reasonable expectation exists. In making R&D small business set-asides, there must also be a reasonable expectation of obtaining from small businesses the best scientific and technological sources consistent with the demands of the proposed acquisition for the best mix of cost, performances, and schedules.

(c) For small business set-asides other than for construction or services, any concern proposing to furnish a product that it did not itself manufacture must furnish the product of a small business manufacturer unless the SBA has granted either a waiver or exception to the nonmanufacturer rule (see 19.102(f)). In industries where the SBA finds that there are no small business manufacturers, it may issue a waiver to the nonmanufacturer rule (see 19.102(f)(4) and (5)). In addition, SBA has excepted procurements processed under simplified acquisition procedures (see Part 13), where the anticipated cost of the procurement will not exceed $25,000, from the nonmanufacturer rule. Waivers permit small businesses to provide any firm's product. The exception permits small businesses to provide any domestic firm's product. In both of these cases, the contracting officer's determination in paragraph (b)(1) of this subsection or the decision not to set aside a procurement reserved for small business under paragraph (a) of this subsection will be based on the expectation of receiving offers from at least two responsible small businesses, including nonmanufacturers, offering the products of different concerns.

(d) The requirements of this subsection do not apply to acquisitions over $25,000 during the period when small business set-asides cannot be considered for the four designated industry groups (see 19.1007(b)).

19.502-3 Partial set-asides.

(a) The contracting officer shall set aside a portion of an acquisition, except for construction, for exclusive small business participation when--

(1) A total set-aside is not appropriate (see 19.502-2);

(2) The requirement is severable into two or more economic production runs or reasonable lots;

(3) One or more small business concerns are expected to have the technical competence and productive capacity to satisfy the set-aside portion of the requirement at a fair market price;

(4) The acquisition is not subject to simplified acquisition procedures; and

(5) A partial set-aside shall not be made if there is a reasonable expectation that only two concerns (one large and one small) with capability will respond with offers unless authorized by the head of a contracting activity on a case-by-case basis. Similarly, a class of acquisitions, not including construction, may be partially set aside. Under certain specified conditions, partial set-asides may be used in conjunction with multiyear contracting procedures.

(b) When the contracting officer determines that a portion of an acquisition is to be set aside, the requirement shall be divided into a set-aside portion and a non-set-aside portion, each of which shall (1) be an economic production run or reasonable lot and (2) have terms and a delivery schedule comparable to the other. When practicable, the set-aside portion should make maximum use of small business capacity.

(c)(1) The contracting officer shall award the non-set-aside portion using normal contracting procedures.

(2)(i) After all awards have been made on the non-set-aside portion, the contracting officer shall negotiate with eligible concerns on the set-aside portion, as provided in the solicitation, and make award. Negotiations shall be conducted only with those offerors who have submitted responsive offers on the non-set-aside portion. Negotiations shall be conducted with small business concerns in the order of priority as indicated in the solicitation (but see (c)(2)(ii) of this section). The set-aside portion shall be awarded as provided in the solicitation. An offeror entitled to receive the award for quantities of an item under the non-set-aside portion and who accepts the award of additional quantities under the set-aside portion shall not be requested to accept a lower price because of the increased quantities of the award, nor shall negotiation be conducted with a view to obtaining such a lower price based solely upon receipt of award of both portions of the acquisition. This does not prevent acceptance by the contracting officer of voluntary reductions in the price from the low eligible offeror before award, acceptance of voluntary refunds, or the change of prices after award by negotiation of a contract modification.

(ii) If equal low offers are received on the non-set-aside portion from concerns eligible for the set-aside portion, the concern that is awarded the non-set-aside part of the acquisition shall have first priority with respect to negotiations for the set-aside.

19.502-4 Methods of conducting set-asides.

(a) Total small business set-asides may be conducted by using simplified acquisition procedures (see Part 13), sealed bids (see Part 14), or competitive proposals (see Part 15). Partial small business set-asides may be conducted using sealed bids (see Part 14), or competitive proposals (see Part 15).

(b) Except for offers on the non-set-aside portion of partial set-asides, offers received from concerns that do not qualify as small business concerns shall be considered nonresponsive and shall be rejected. However, before rejecting an offer otherwise eligible for award because of questions concerning the size representation, an SBA determination must be obtained (see Subpart 19.3).

19.502-5 Insufficient causes for not setting aside an acquisition.

None of the following is, in itself, sufficient cause for not setting aside an acquisition:

(a) A large percentage of previous contracts for the required item(s) has been placed with small business concerns.

(b) The item is on an established planning list under the Industrial Readiness Planning Program. However, a total small business set-aside shall not be made when the list contains a large business Planned Emergency Producer of the item(s) who has conveyed a desire to supply some or all of the required items.

(c) The item is on a Qualified Products List. However, a total small business set-aside shall not be made if the list contains the products of large businesses unless none of the large businesses desire to participate in the acquisition.

(d) A period of less than 30 days is available for receipt of offers.

(e) The acquisition is classified.

(f) Small business concerns are already receiving a fair proportion of the agency's contracts for supplies and services.

(g) A class small business set-aside of the item or service has been made by another contracting activity.

(h) A "brand name or equal" product description will be used in the solicitation.

19.503 Setting aside a class of acquisitions for small business.

(a) A class of acquisitions of selected products or services, or a portion of the acquisitions, may be set aside for exclusive participation by small business concerns if individual acquisitions in the class will meet the criteria in 19.502-1, 19.502-2, or 19.502-3(a). The determination to make a class small business set-aside shall not depend on the existence of a current acquisition if future acquisitions can be clearly foreseen.

(b) The determination to set aside a class of acquisitions for small business may be either unilateral or joint.

(c) Each class small business set-aside determination shall be in writing and must--

(1) Specifically identify the product(s) and service(s) it covers;

(2) Provide that the set-aside does not apply to any acquisition automatically reserved for small business concerns under 19.502-2(a).

(3) Provide that the set-aside applies only to the (named) contracting office(s) making the determination; and

(4) Provide that the set-aside does not apply to any individual acquisition if the requirement is not severable into two or more economic production runs or reasonable lots, in the case of a partial class set-aside.

(d) The contracting officer shall review each individual acquisition arising under a class small business set-aside to identify any changes in the magnitude of requirements, specifications, delivery requirements, or competitive market conditions that have occurred since the initial approval of the class set-aside. If there are any changes of such a material nature as to result in probable payment of more than a fair market price by the Government or in a change in the capability of small business concerns to satisfy the requirements, the contracting officer may withdraw or modify (see 19.506(a)) the unilateral or joint set-aside by giving written notice to the SBA procurement center representative (if one is assigned), stating the reasons.

19.504 [Reserved]

19.505 Rejecting Small Business Administration recommendations.

(a) If the contracting officer rejects a recommendation of the SBA procurement center representative or breakout procurement center representative, written notice shall be furnished to the appropriate SBA center representative within 5 working days of the contracting officer's receipt of the recommendation.

(b) The SBA procurement center representative may appeal the contracting officer's rejection to the head of the contracting activity (or designee) within 2 working days after receiving the notice. The head of the contracting activity (or designee) shall render a decision in writing, and provide it to the SBA representative within 7 working days. Pending issuance of a decision to the SBA procurement center representative, the contracting officer shall suspend action on the acquisition.

(c) If the head of the contracting activity agrees that the contracting officer's rejection was appropriate, the SBA procurement center representative may--

(1) Within 1 working day, request the contracting officer to suspend action on the acquisition until the SBA Administrator appeals to the agency head (see paragraph (f) of this section); and

(2) The SBA shall be allowed 15 working days after making such a written request, within which the Administrator of SBA (i) may appeal to the Secretary of the Department concerned, and (ii) shall notify the contracting officer whether the further appeal has, in fact, been taken. If notification is not received by the contracting officer within the 15-day period, it shall be deemed that the SBA request to suspend contracting action has been withdrawn and that an appeal to the Secretary was not taken.

(d) When the contracting officer has been notified within the 15-day period that the SBA has appealed to the agency head, the head of the contracting activity (or designee) shall forward justification for its decision to the agency head. The contracting officer shall suspend contract action until notification is received that the SBA appeal has been settled.

(e) The agency head shall reply to the SBA within 30 working days after receiving the appeal. The decision of the agency head shall be final.

(f) A request to suspend action on an acquisition need not be honored if the contracting officer determines that proceeding to contract award and performance is in the public interest. The contracting officer shall include in the contract file a statement of the facts justifying the determination, and shall promptly notify the SBA representative of the determination and provide a copy of the justification.

19.506 Withdrawing or modifying small business set-asides.

(a) If, before award of a contract involving a small business set-aside, the contracting officer considers that award would be detrimental to the public interest (e.g., payment of more than a fair market price), the contracting officer may withdraw the small business set-aside determination whether it was unilateral or joint. The contracting officer shall initiate a withdrawal of an individual small business set-aside by giving written notice to the agency small business specialist and the SBA procurement center representative, if one is assigned, stating the reasons. In a similar manner, the contracting officer may modify a unilateral or joint class small business set-aside to withdraw one or more individual acquisitions.

(b) If the agency small business specialist does not agree to a withdrawal or modification, the case shall be promptly referred to the SBA representative (if one is assigned) for review. If an SBA representative is not assigned, disagreements between the agency small business specialist and the contracting officer shall be resolved using agency procedures. However, the procedures are not applicable to automatic dissolutions of small business set-asides (see 19.507) or dissolution of small business set-asides under $100,000.

(c) The contracting officer shall prepare a written statement supporting any withdrawal or modification of a small business set-aside and include it in the contract file.

19.507 Automatic dissolution of a small business set-aside.

(a) If a small business set-aside acquisition or portion of an acquisition is not awarded, the unilateral or joint determination to set the acquisition aside is automatically dissolved for the unawarded portion of the set-aside. The required supplies and/or services for which no award was made may be acquired by sealed bidding or negotiation, as appropriate.

(b) Before issuing a solicitation for the items called for in a small business set-aside that was dissolved, the contracting officer shall ensure that the delivery schedule is realistic in the light of all relevant factors, including the capabilities of small business concerns.

19.508 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.

(a)--(b) [Reserved]

(c) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside, in solicitations and contracts involving total small business set-asides. The clause at 52.219-6 with its Alternate I will be used when the acquisition is for a product in a class for which the Small Business Administration has waived the nonmanufacturer rule (see 19.102(f)(4) and (5)).

(d) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-7, Notice of Partial Small Business Set-Aside, in solicitations and contracts involving partial small business set-asides. The clause at 52.219-7 with its Alternate I will be used when the acquisition is for a product in a class for which the Small Business Administration has waived the nonmanufacturer rule (see 19.102(f)(4) and (5)).

(e) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, in solicitations and contracts for supplies, services, and construction, if any portion of the requirement is to be set aside for small business and the contract amount is expected to exceed $100,000.

Subpart 19.6--Certificates of Competency and Determinations of Responsibility

19.601 General.

(a) A Certificate of Competency (COC) is the certificate issued by the Small Business Administration (SBA) stating that the holder is responsible (with respect to all elements of responsibility, including, but not limited to, capability, competency, capacity, credit, integrity, perseverance, tenacity, and limitations on subcontracting) for the purpose of receiving and performing a specific Government contract.

(b) The COC program empowers the Small Business Administration (SBA) to certify to Government contracting officers as to all elements of responsibility of any small business concern to receive and perform a specific Government contract. The COC program does not extend to questions concerning regulatory requirements imposed and enforced by other Federal agencies.

(c) The COC program is applicable to all Government acquisitions. A contracting officer shall, upon determining an apparent successful small business offeror to be nonresponsible, refer that small business to the SBA for a possible COC, even if the next acceptable offer is also from a small business.

(d) When a solicitation requires a small business to adhere to the limitations on subcontracting, a contracting officer's finding that a small business cannot comply with the limitation shall be treated as an element of responsibility and shall be subject to the COC process. When a solicitation requires a small business to adhere to the definition of a nonmanufacturer, a contracting officer's determination that the small business does not comply shall be processed in accordance with Subpart 19.3.

(e) Contracting officers, including those located overseas, are required to comply with this subpart for U.S. small business concerns.

19.602 Procedures.

19.602-1 Referral.

(a) Upon determining and documenting that an apparent successful small business offeror lacks certain elements of responsibility (including, but not limited to, capability, competency, capacity, credit, integrity, perseverance, tenacity, and limitations on subcontracting), the contracting officer shall--

(1) Withhold contract award (see 19.602-3); and

(2) Refer the matter to the cognizant SBA Government Contracting Area Office (Area Office) serving the area in which the headquarters of the offeror is located, in accordance with agency procedures, except that referral is not necessary if the small business concern--

(i) Is determined to be unqualified and ineligible because it does not meet the standard in 9.104-1(g); provided, that the determination is approved by the chief of the contracting office; or

(ii) Is suspended or debarred under Executive Order 11246 or Subpart 9.4.

(b) If a partial set-aside is involved, the contracting officer shall refer to the SBA the entire quantity to which the concern may be entitled, if responsible.

(c) The referral shall include--

(1) A notice that a small business concern has been determined to be nonresponsible, specifying the elements of responsibility the contracting officer found lacking; and

(2) If applicable, a copy of the following:

(i) Solicitation.

(ii) Final offer submitted by the concern whose responsibility is at issue for the procurement.

(iii) Abstract of bids or the contracting officer's price negotiation memorandum.

(iv) Preaward survey.

(v) Technical data package (including drawings, specifications and statement of work).

(vi) Any other justification and documentation used to arrive at the nonresponsibility determination.

(d) For any single acquisition, the contracting officer shall make only one referral at a time regarding a determination of nonresponsibility.

(e) Contract award shall be withheld by the contracting officer for a period of 15 business days (or longer if agreed to by the SBA and the contracting officer) following receipt by the appropriate SBA Area Office of a referral that includes all required documentation.

19.602-2 Issuing or denying a Certificate of Competency (COC).

Within 15 business days (or a longer period agreed to by the SBA and the contracting agency) after receiving a notice that a small business concern lacks certain elements of responsibility, the SBA Area Office will take the following actions:

(a) Inform the small business concern of the contracting officer's determination and offer it an opportunity to apply to the SBA for a COC. (A concern wishing to apply for a COC should notify the SBA Area Office serving the geographical area in which the headquarters of the offeror is located.)

(b) Upon timely receipt of a complete and acceptable application, elect to visit the applicant's facility to review its responsibility.

(1) The COC review process is not limited to the areas of nonresponsibility cited by the contracting officer.

(2) The SBA may, at its discretion, independently evaluate the COC applicant for all elements of responsibility, but may presume responsibility exists as to elements other than those cited as deficient.

(c) Consider denying a COC for reasons of nonresponsibility not originally cited by the contracting officer.

(d) When the Area Director determines that a COC is warranted (for contracts valued at $25,000,000 or less), notify the contracting officer and provide the following options:

(1) Accept the Area Director's decision to issue a COC and award the contract to the concern. The COC issuance letter will then be sent, including as an attachment a detailed rationale for the decision; or

(2) Ask the Area Director to suspend the case for one or more of the following purposes:

(i) To permit the SBA to forward a detailed rationale for the decision to the contracting officer for review within a specified period of time.

(ii) To afford the contracting officer the opportunity to meet with the Area Office to review all documentation contained in the case file and to attempt to resolve any issues.

(iii) To submit any information to the SBA Area Office that the contracting officer believes the SBA did not consider (at which time, the SBA Area Office will establish a new suspense date mutually agreeable to the contracting officer and the SBA).

(iv) To permit resolution of an appeal by the contracting agency to SBA Headquarters under 19.602-3. However, there is no contracting officer's appeal when the Area Office proposes to issue a COC valued at $100,000 or less.

(e) At the completion of the process, notify the concern and the contracting officer that the COC is denied or is being issued.

(f) Refer recommendations for issuing a COC on contracts greater than $25,000,000 to SBA Headquarters.

19.602-3 Resolving differences between the agency and the Small Business Administration.

(a) COCs valued between $100,000 and $25,000,000. (1) When disagreements arise about a concern's ability to perform, the contracting officer and the SBA shall make every effort to reach a resolution before the SBA takes final action on a COC. This shall be done through the complete exchange of information and in accordance with agency procedures. If agreement cannot be reached between the contracting officer and the SBA Area Office, the contracting officer shall request that the Area Office suspend action and refer the matter to SBA Headquarters for review. The SBA Area Office shall honor the request for a review if the contracting officer agrees to withhold award until the review process is concluded. Without an agreement to withhold award, the SBA Area Office will issue the COC in accordance with applicable SBA regulations.

(2) SBA Headquarters will furnish written notice to the procuring agency's Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) or other designated official (with a copy to the contracting officer) that the case file has been received and that an appeal decision may be requested by an authorized official.

(3) If the contracting agency decides to file an appeal, it must notify SBA Headquarters through its procuring agency's Director, OSDBU, or other designated official, within 10 business days (or a time period agreed upon by both agencies) that it intends to appeal the issuance of the COC.

(4) The appeal and any supporting documentation shall be filed by the procuring agency's Director, OSDBU, or other designated official, within 10 business days (or a period agreed upon by both agencies) after SBA Headquarters receives the agency's notification in accordance with paragraph (a)(3) of this subsection.

(5) The SBA Associate Administrator for Government Contracting will make a final determination, in writing, to issue or to deny the COC.

(b) SBA Headquarters' decisions on COCs valued over $25,000,000. (1) Prior to taking final action, SBA Headquarters will contact the contracting agency and offer it the following options:

(i) To request that theSBA suspend case processing to allow the agency to meet with SBA Headquarters personnel and review all documentation contained in the case file; or

(ii) To submit to SBA Headquarters for evaluation any information that the contracting agency believes has not been considered.

(2) After reviewing all available information, the SBA will make a final decision to either issue or deny the COC.

(c) Reconsideration of a COC after issuance. (1) The SBA reserves the right to reconsider its issuance of a COC, prior to contract award, if--

(i) The COC applicant submitted false information or omitted materially adverse information; or

(ii) The COC has been issued for more than 60 days (in which case the SBA may investigate the firm's current circumstances).

(2) When the SBA reconsiders and reaffirms the COC, the procedures in subsection 19.602-2 do not apply.

(3) Denial of a COC by the SBA does not preclude a contracting officer from awarding a contract to the referred concern, nor does it prevent the concern from making an offer on any other procurement.

19.602-4 Awarding the contract.

(a) If new information causes the contracting officer to determine that the concern referred to the SBA is actually responsible to perform the contract, and award has not already been made under paragraph (c) of this subsection, the contracting officer shall reverse the determination of nonresponsibility, notify the SBA of this action, withdraw the referral, and proceed to award the contract.

(b) The contracting officer shall award the contract to the concern in question if the SBA issues a COC after receiving the referral. An SBA-certified concern shall not be required to meet any other requirements of responsibility. SBA COC's are conclusive with respect to all elements of responsibility of prospective small business contractors.

(c) The contracting officer shall proceed with the acquisition and award the contract to another appropriately selected and responsible offeror if the SBA has not issued a COC within 15 business days (or a longer period of time agreed to with the SBA) after receiving the referral.

Subpart 19.7--The Small Business Subcontracting Program

19.701 Definitions.

"Commercial plan" means a subcontracting plan (including goals) that covers the offeror's fiscal year and that applies to the entire production of commercial items sold by either the entire company or a portion thereof (e.g., division, plant, or product line).

"Failure to make a good faith effort to comply with the subcontracting plan" means willful or intentional failure to perform in accordance with the requirements of the subcontracting plan, or willful or intentional action to frustrate the plan.

"Individual contract plan" means a subcontracting plan that covers the entire contract period (including option periods), applies to a specific contract, and has goals that are based on the offeror's planned subcontracting in support of the specific contract, except that indirect costs incurred for common or joint purposes may be allocated on a prorated basis to the contract.

"Master plan" means a subcontracting plan that contains all the required elements of an individual contract plan, except goals, and may be incorporated into individual contract plans, provided the master plan has been approved.

"Small business subcontractor" means any concern that--

(a) In connection with subcontracts of $10,000 or less, has a number of employees, including its affiliates, that does not exceed 500 persons; and

(b) In connection with subcontracts exceeding $10,000, has a number of employees or average annual receipts, including its affiliates, that does not exceed the size standard under 19.102 for the product or service it is providing on the subcontract.

"Subcontract" means any agreement (other than one involving an employer-employee relationship) entered into by a Government prime contractor or subcontractor calling for supplies and/or services required for performance of the contract, contract modification, or subcontract.

19.702 Statutory requirements.

Any contractor receiving a contract for more than the simplified acquisition threshold must agree in the contract that small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns will have the maximum practicable opportunity to participate in contract performance consistent with its efficient performance. It is further the policy of the United States that its prime contractors establish procedures to ensure the timely payment of amounts due pursuant to the terms of their subcontracts with small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns.

(a) Except as stated in paragraph (b) of this section, Section 8(d) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(d)) imposes the following requirements regarding subcontracting with small businesses and small business subcontracting plans:

(1) In negotiated acquisitions, each solicitation of offers to perform a contract or contract modification, that individually is expected to exceed $500,000 ($1,000,000 for construction) and that has subcontracting possibilities, shall require the apparently successful offeror to submit an acceptable subcontracting plan. If the apparently successful offeror fails to negotiate a subcontracting plan acceptable to the contracting officer within the time limit prescribed by the contracting officer, the offeror will be ineligible for award.

(2) In sealed bidding acquisitions, each invitation for bids to perform a contract or contract modification, that individually is expected to exceed $500,000 ($1,000,000 for construction) and that has subcontracting possibilities, shall require the bidder selected for award to submit a subcontracting plan. If the selected bidder fails to submit a plan within the time limit prescribed by the contracting officer, the bidder will be ineligible for award.

(b) Subcontracting plans (see subparagraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section) are not required--

(1) From small business concerns;

(2) For personal services contracts;

(3) For contracts or contract modifications that will be performed entirely outside of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; or

(4) For modifications to contracts within the general scope of the contract that do not contain the clause at 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (or equivalent prior clauses; e.g., contracts awarded before the enactment of Public Law 95-507).

(c) As stated in 15 U.S.C. 637(d)(8), any contractor or subcontractor failing to comply in good faith with the requirements of the subcontracting plan is in material breach of its contract. Further, 15 U.S.C. 637(d)(4)(F) directs that a contractor's failure to make a good faith effort to comply with the requirements of the subcontracting plan shall result in the imposition of liquidated damages.

(d) As authorized by 15 U.S.C. 637(d)(11), certain costs incurred by a mentor firm in providing developmental assistance to a protégé firm under the Department of Defense Pilot Mentor-Protégé Program, may be credited as subcontract awards to a small disadvantaged business for the purpose of determining whether the mentor firm attains a small disadvantaged business goal under any subcontracting plan entered into with any executive agency. However, the mentor-protégé agreement must have been approved by the--

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business

Utilization

Office of the Under Secretary of Defense

(Acquisition, Technology and Logistics)

1777 N. Kent Street

Suite 9100

Arlington, VA 22209

before developmental assistance costs may be credited against subcontracting goals. A list of approved agreements may be obtained at http://www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/

mentor_protege/ or by calling 1-800-553-1858.

19.703 Eligibility requirements for participating in the program.

(a) To be eligible as a subcontractor under the program, a concern must represent itself as a small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, or woman-owned small business concern.

(1) To represent itself as a small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, or woman-owned small business concern, a concern must meet the appropriate definition in 2.101 or 19.001.

(2) In connection with a subcontract, or a requirement for which the apparently successful offeror received an evaluation credit for proposing one or more SDB subcontractors, the contracting officer or the SBA may protest the disadvantaged status of a proposed subcontractor. Such protests will be processed in accordance with 13 CFR 124.1015 through 124.1022. Other interested parties may submit information to the contracting officer or the SBA in an effort to persuade the contracting officer or the SBA to initiate a protest. Such protests, in order to be considered timely, must be submitted to the SBA prior to completion of performance by the intended subcontractor.

(b) A contractor acting in good faith may rely on the written representation of its subcontractor regarding the subcontractor's status as a small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, or a woman-owned small business concern. The clause at 52.219-25, Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program--Disadvantaged Status and Reporting, requires the contractor to obtain representations of small disadvantaged status from subcontractors through use of a provision substantially the same as paragraph (b)(1)(i) of the provision at 52.219-22, Small Disadvantaged Business Status. The clause requires the contractor to confirm that a subcontractor representing itself as a small disadvantaged business concern is identified by SBA as a small disadvantaged business concern by accessing SBA's database (PRO-Net) or by contacting the SBA's Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Certification and Eligibility. The contractor, the contracting officer, or any other interested party can challenge a subcontractor's size status representation by filing a protest, in accordance with 13 CFR 121.1601 through 121.1608. Protests challenging a subcontractor's small disadvantaged business representation must be filed in accordance with 13 CFR 124.1015 through 124.1022. Protests challenging HUBZone small business concern status must be filed in accordance with 13 CFR 126.800.

19.704 Subcontracting plan requirements.

(a) Each subcontracting plan required under 19.702(a)(1) and (2) must include--

(1) Separate percentage goals for using small business, veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns as subcontractors. Service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns meet the definition of veteran-owned small business concerns, and offerors may include them within the subcontracting plan goal for veteran-owned small business concerns. A separate goal for service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns is not required;

(2) A statement of the total dollars planned to be subcontracted and a statement of the total dollars planned to be subcontracted to small business, veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns;

(3) A description of the principal types of supplies and services to be subcontracted and an identification of types planned for subcontracting to small business, veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns;

(4) A description of the method used to develop the subcontracting goals;

(5) A description of the method used to identify potential sources for solicitation purposes;

(6) A statement as to whether or not the offeror included indirect costs in establishing subcontracting goals, and a description of the method used to determine the proportionate share of indirect costs to be incurred with small business, veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns;

(7) The name of an individual employed by the offeror who will administer the offeror's subcontracting program, and a description of the duties of the individual;

(8) A description of the efforts the offeror will make to ensure that small business, veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns have an equitable opportunity to compete for subcontracts;

(9) Assurances that the offeror will include the clause at 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (see 19.708(a)), in all subcontracts that offer further subcontracting opportunities, and that the offeror will require all subcontractors (except small business concerns) that receive subcontracts in excess of $500,000 ($1,000,000 for construction) to adopt a plan that complies with the requirements of the clause at 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan (see 19.708(b));

(10) Assurances that the offeror will--

(i) Cooperate in any studies or surveys as may be required;

(ii) Submit periodic reports so that the Government can determine the extent of compliance by the offeror with the subcontracting plan;

(iii) Submit Standard Form (SF) 294, Subcontracting Report for Individual Contracts, and SF 295, Summary Subcontract Report, following the instructions on the forms or as provided in agency regulations; and

(iv) Ensure that its subcontractors agree to submit SF 294 and SF 295; and

(11) A description of the types of records that will be maintained concerning procedures adopted to comply with the requirements and goals in the plan, including establishing source lists; and a description of the offeror's efforts to locate small business, veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns and to award subcontracts to them.

(b) Contractors may establish, on a plant or division-wide basis, a master plan (see 19.701) that contains all the elements required by the clause at 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, except goals. Master plans shall be effective for a 3-year period after approval by the contracting officer; however, it is incumbent upon contractors to maintain and update master plans. Changes required to update master plans are not effective until approved by the contracting officer. A master plan, when incorporated in an individual plan, shall apply to that contract throughout the life of the contract.

(c) For multiyear contracts or contracts containing options, the cumulative value of the basic contract and all options is considered in determining whether a subcontracting plan is necessary (see 19.705-2(a)). If a plan is necessary and the offeror is submitting an individual contract plan, the plan shall contain all the elements required by paragraph (a) of this section and shall contain separate statements and goals for the basic contract and for each option.

(d) A commercial plan (as defined in 19.701) is the preferred type of subcontracting plan for contractors furnishing commercial items. The contractor shall--

(1) Submit the commercial plan to either the first contracting officer awarding a contract subject to the plan during the contractor's fiscal year, or, if the contractor has ongoing contracts with commercial plans, to the contracting officer responsible for the contract with the latest completion date. The contracting officer shall negotiate the commercial plan for the Government. The approved commercial plan shall remain in effect during the contractor's fiscal year for all Government contracts in effect during that period; and

(2) Submit a new commercial plan, 30 working days before the end of the fiscal year, to the contracting officer responsible for the uncompleted Government contract with the latest completion date. The contractor must provide to each contracting officer responsible for an ongoing contract subject to the plan, the identity of the contracting officer that will be negotiating the new plan. When the new commercial plan is approved, the contractor shall provide a copy of the approved plan to each contracting officer responsible for an ongoing contract that is subject to the plan.

19.705 Responsibilities of the contracting officer under the subcontracting assistance program.

19.705-1 General support of the program.

The contracting officer may encourage the development of increased subcontracting opportunities in negotiated acquisition by providing monetary incentives such as payments based on actual subcontracting achievement or award-fee contracting (see the clause at 52.219-10, Incentive Subcontracting Program, and 19.708(c)). This subsection does not apply to SDB subcontracting (see 19.1203). When using any contractual incentive provision based upon rewarding the contractor monetarily for exceeding goals in the subcontracting plan, the contracting officer must ensure that (a) the goals are realistic and (b) any rewards for exceeding the goals are commensurate with the efforts the contractor would not have otherwise expended. Incentive provisions should normally be negotiated after reaching final agreement with the contractor on the subcontracting plan.

19.705-2 Determining the need for a subcontracting plan.

The contracting officer must take the following actions to determine whether a proposed contractual action requires a subcontracting plan:

(a) Determine whether the proposed contractual action will meet the dollar threshold in 19.702(a)(1) or (2). If the action includes options or similar provisions, include their value in determining whether the threshold is met.

(b) Determine whether subcontracting possibilities exist by considering relevant factors such as--

(1) Whether firms engaged in the business of furnishing the types of items to be acquired customarily contract for performance of part of the work or maintain sufficient in-house capability to perform the work; and

(2) Whether there are likely to be product prequalification requirements.

(c) If it is determined that there are no subcontracting possibilities, the determination must be approved at a level above the contracting officer and placed in the contract file.

(d) In solicitations for negotiated acquisitions, the contracting officer may require the submission of subcontracting plans with initial offers, or at any other time prior to award. In determining when subcontracting plans should be required, as well as when and with whom plans should be negotiated, the contracting officer must consider the integrity of the competitive process, the goal of affording maximum practicable opportunity for small business, veteran-owned small business (including service-disabled veteran-owned small business), HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns to participate, and the burden placed on offerors.

19.705-3 Preparing the solicitation.

The contracting officer shall provide the Small Business Administration's (SBA's) resident procurement center representative, if any, a reasonable period of time to review any solicitation requiring submission of a subcontracting plan and to submit advisory findings before the solicitation is issued.

19.705-4 Reviewing the subcontracting plan.

The contracting officer must review the subcontracting plan for adequacy, ensuring that the required information, goals, and assurances are included (see 19.704).

(a) No detailed standards apply to every subcontracting plan. Instead, the contracting officer must consider each plan in terms of the circumstances of the particular acquisition, including--

(1) Previous involvement of small business concerns as prime contractors or subcontractors in similar acquisitions;

(2) Proven methods of involving small business concerns as subcontractors in similar acquisitions; and

(3) The relative success of methods the contractor intends to use to meet the goals and requirements of the plan, as evidenced by records maintained by contractors.

(b) If, under a sealed bid solicitation, a bidder submits a plan that does not cover each of the 11 required elements (see 19.704), the contracting officer shall advise the bidder of the deficiency and request submission of a revised plan by a specific date. If the bidder does not submit a plan that incorporates the required elements within the time allotted, the bidder shall be ineligible for award. If the plan, although responsive, evidences the bidder's intention not to comply with its obligations under the clause at 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns, the contracting officer may find the bidder nonresponsible.

(c) In negotiated acquisitions, the contracting officer shall determine whether the plan is acceptable based on the negotiation of each of the 11 elements of the plan (see 19.704). Subcontracting goals should be set at a level that the parties reasonably expect can result from the offeror expending good faith efforts to use small business, veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business subcontractors to the maximum practicable extent. The contracting officer shall take particular care to ensure that the offeror has not submitted unreasonably low goals to minimize exposure to liquidated damages and to avoid the administrative burden of substantiating good faith efforts. Additionally, particular attention should be paid to the identification of steps that, if taken, would be considered a good faith effort. No goal should be negotiated upward if it is apparent that a higher goal will significantly increase the Government's cost or seriously impede the attainment of acquisition objectives. An incentive subcontracting clause (see 52.219-10, Incentive Subcontracting Program), may be used when additional and unique contract effort, such as providing technical assistance, could significantly increase subcontract awards to small business, veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, or women-owned small business concerns.

(d) In determining the acceptability of a proposed subcontracting plan, the contracting officer should take the following actions:

(1) Obtain information available from the cognizant contract administration office, as provided for in 19.706(a), and evaluate the offeror's past performance in awarding subcontracts for the same or similar products or services to small business, veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns. If information is not available on a specific type of product or service, evaluate the offeror's overall past performance and consider the performance of other contractors on similar efforts.

(2) In accordance with 15 U.S.C. 637(d)(4)(F)(iii), ensure that the goals offered are attainable in relation to--

(i) The subcontracting opportunities available to the contractor, commensurate with the efficient and economical performance of the contract;

(ii) The pool of eligible subcontractors available to fulfill the subcontracting opportunities; and

(iii) The actual performance of such contractor in fulfilling the subcontracting goals specified in prior plans.

(3) Ensure that the subcontracting goals are consistent with the offeror's cost or pricing data or information other than cost or pricing data.

(4) Evaluate the offeror's make-or-buy policy or program to ensure that it does not conflict with the offeror's proposed subcontracting plan and is in the Government's interest. If the contract involves products or services that are particularly specialized or not generally available in the commercial market, consider the offeror's current capacity to perform the work and the possibility of reduced subcontracting opportunities.

(5) Evaluate subcontracting potential, considering the offeror's make-or-buy policies or programs, the nature of the supplies or services to be subcontracted, the known availability of small business, veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns in the geographical area where the work will be performed, and the potential contractor's long-standing contractual relationship with its suppliers.

(6) Advise the offeror of available sources of information on potential small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business subcontractors, as well as any specific concerns known to be potential subcontractors. If the offeror's proposed goals are questionable, the contracting officer must emphasize that the information should be used to develop realistic and acceptable goals. The contracting officer should ensure that the contractor has considered the use of service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses in developing its veteran-owned small business goal (see 19.704(a)(1) and 52.219-9(d)(1)).

(7) Obtain advice and recommendations from the SBA procurement center representative (if any) and the agency small business specialist.

19.705-5 Awards involving subcontracting plans.

(a) In making an award that requires a subcontracting plan, the contracting officer shall be responsible for the following:

(1) Consider the contractor's compliance with the subcontracting plans submitted on previous contracts as a factor in determining contractor responsibility.

(2) Assure that a subcontracting plan was submitted when required.

(3) Notify the SBA resident procurement center representative of the opportunity to review the proposed contract (including the plan and supporting documentation). The notice shall be issued in sufficient time to provide the representative a reasonable time to review the material and submit advisory recommendations to the contracting officer. Failure of the representative to respond in a reasonable period of time shall not delay contract award.

(4) Determine any fee that may be payable if an incentive is used in conjunction with the subcontracting plan.

(5) Ensure that an acceptable plan is incorporated into and made a material part of the contract.

(b) Letter contracts and similar undefinitized instruments, which would otherwise meet the requirements of 19.702(a)(1) and (2), shall contain at least a preliminary basic plan addressing the requirements of 19.704 and in such cases require the negotiation of the final plan within 90 days after award or before definitization, whichever occurs first.

19.705-6 Postaward responsibilities of the contracting officer.

After a contract or contract modification containing a subcontracting plan is awarded, the contracting officer who approved the plan is responsible for the following:

(a) Notifying the SBA of the award by sending a copy of the award document to the Area Director, Office of Government Contracting, in the SBA area office where the contract will be performed.

(b) Forwarding a copy of each commercial plan and any associated approvals to the Area Director, Office of Government Contracting, in the SBA area office where the contractor's headquarters is located.

(c) Giving to the assigned SBA resident procurement center representative (if any) a copy of--

(1) Any subcontracting plan submitted in response to a sealed bid solicitation; and

(2) The final negotiated subcontracting plan that was incorporated into a negotiated contract or contract modification.

(d) Notifying the SBA resident procurement center representative of the opportunity to review subcontracting plans in connection with contract modifications.

(e) Forwarding a copy of each plan, or a determination that there is no requirement for a subcontracting plan, to the cognizant contract administration office.

(f) Initiating action to assess liquidated damages in accordance with 19.705-7 upon a recommendation by the administrative contracting officer or receipt of other reliable evidence to indicate that such action is warranted.

(g) Taking action to enforce the terms of the contract upon receipt of a notice under 19.706(f).

19.705-7 Liquidated damages.

(a) Maximum practicable utilization of small business, veteran-owned small business (including service-disabled veteran-owned small business), HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns as subcontractors in Government contracts is a matter of national interest with both social and economic benefits. When a contractor fails to make a good faith effort to comply with a subcontracting plan, these objectives are not achieved, and 15 U.S.C. 637(d)(4)(F) directs that liquidated damages shall be paid by the contractor.

(b) The amount of damages attributable to the contractor's failure to comply shall be an amount equal to the actual dollar amount by which the contractor failed to achieve each subcontracting goal.

(c) If, at completion of the basic contract or any option, or in the case of a commercial plan, at the close of the fiscal year for which the plan is applicable, a contractor has failed to meet its subcontracting goals, the contracting officer shall review all available information for an indication that the contractor has not made a good faith effort to comply with the plan. If no such indication is found, the contracting officer shall document the file accordingly. If the contracting officer decides in accordance with paragraph (d) of this subsection that the contractor failed to make a good faith effort to comply with its subcontracting plan, the contracting officer shall give the contractor written notice specifying the failure, advising the contractor of the possibility that the contractor may have to pay to the Government liquidated damages, and providing a period of 15 working days (or longer period as necessary) within which to respond. The notice shall give the contractor an opportunity to demonstrate what good faith efforts have been made before the contracting officer issues the final decision, and shall further state that failure of the contractor to respond may be taken as an admission that no valid explanation exists.

(d) In determining whether a contractor failed to make a good faith effort to comply with its subcontracting plan, a contracting officer must look to the totality of the contractor's actions, consistent with the information and assurances provided in its plan. The fact that the contractor failed to meet its subcontracting goals does not, in and of itself, constitute a failure to make a good faith effort. For example, notwithstanding a contractor's diligent effort to identify and solicit offers from small business, veteran-owned small business (including service-disabled veteran-owned small business), HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns, factors such as unavailability of anticipated sources or unreasonable prices may frustrate achievement of the contractor's goals. However, when considered in the context of the contractor's total effort in accordance with its plan, the following, though not all inclusive, may be considered as indicators of a failure to make a good faith effort: a failure to attempt to identify, contact, solicit, or consider for contract award small business, veteran-owned small business (including service-disabled veteran-owned small business), HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, or women-owned small business concerns; a failure to designate and maintain a company official to administer the subcontracting program and monitor and enforce compliance with the plan; a failure to submit Standard Form (SF) 294, Subcontracting Report for Individual Contracts, or SF 295, Summary Subcontract Report, in accordance with the instructions on the forms or as provided in agency regulations; a failure to maintain records or otherwise demonstrate procedures adopted to comply with the plan; or the adoption of company policies or procedures that have as their objectives the frustration of the objectives of the plan.

(e) If, after consideration of all the pertinent data, the contracting officer finds that the contractor failed to make a good faith effort to comply with its subcontracting plan, the contracting officer shall issue a final decision to the contractor to that effect and require the payment of liquidated damages in an amount stated. The contracting officer's final decision shall state that the contractor has the right to appeal under the clause in the contract entitled Disputes.

(f) With respect to commercial plans approved under the clause at 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, the contracting officer that approved the plan shall--

(1) Perform the functions of the contracting officer under this subsection on behalf of all agencies with contracts covered by the commercial plan;

(2) Determine whether or not the goals in the commercial plan were achieved and, if they were not achieved, review all available information for an indication that the contractor has not made a good faith effort to comply with the plan, and document the results of the review;

(3) If a determination is made to assess liquidated damages, in order to calculate and assess the amount of damages, the contracting officer shall ask the contractor to provide--

(i) Contract numbers for the Government contracts subject to the plan;

(ii) The total Government sales during the contractor's fiscal year; and

(iii) The amount of payments made under the Government contracts subject to that plan that contributed to the contractor's total sales during the contractor's fiscal year; and

(4) When appropriate, assess liquidated damages on the Government's behalf, based on the pro rata share of subcontracting attributable to the Government contracts. For example: The contractor's total actual sales were $50 million and its actual subcontracting was $20 million. The Government's total payments under contracts subject to the plan contributing to the contractor's total sales were $5 million, which accounted for 10 percent of the contractor's total sales. Therefore, the pro rata share of subcontracting attributable to the Government contracts would be 10 percent of $20 million, or $2 million. To continue the example, if the contractor failed to achieve its small business goal by 1 percent, the liquidated damages would be calculated as 1 percent of $2 million, or $20,000. The contracting officer shall make similar calculations for each category of small business where the contractor failed to achieve its goal and the sum of the dollars for all of the categories equals the amount of the liquidated damages to be assessed. A copy of the contracting officer's final decision assessing liquidated damages shall be provided to other contracting officers with contracts subject to the commercial plan.

(g) Liquidated damages shall be in addition to any other remedies that Government may have.

(h) Every contracting officer with a contract that is subject to a commercial plan shall include in the contract file a copy of the approved plan and a copy of the final decision assessing liquidating damages, if applicable.

19.706 Responsibilities of the cognizant administrative contracting officer.

The administrative contracting officer is responsible for assisting in evaluating subcontracting plans, and for monitoring, evaluating, and documenting contractor performance under the clause prescribed in 19.708(b) and any subcontracting plan included in the contract. The contract administration office shall provide the necessary information and advice to support the contracting officer, as appropriate, by furnishing--

(a) Documentation on the contractor's performance and compliance with subcontracting plans under previous contracts;

(b) Information on the extent to which the contractor is meeting the plan's goals for subcontracting with eligible small business, veteran-owned small business (including service-disabled veteran-owned small business), HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns;

(c) Information on whether the contractor's efforts to ensure the participation of small business, veteran-owned small business (including service-disabled veteran-owned small business), HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns are in accordance with its subcontracting plan;

(d) Information on whether the contractor is requiring its subcontractors to adopt similar subcontracting plans;

(e) Immediate notice if, during performance, the contractor is failing to meet its commitments under the clause prescribed in 19.708(b) or the subcontracting plan;

(f) Immediate notice and rationale if, during performance, the contractor is failing to comply in good faith with the subcontracting plan; and

(g) Immediate notice that performance under a contract is complete, that the goals were or were not met, and, if not met, whether there is any indication of a lack of a good faith effort to comply with the subcontracting plan.

19.707 The Small Business Administration's role in carrying out the program.

(a) Under the program, the SBA may--

(1) Assist both Government agencies and contractors in carrying out their responsibilities with regard to subcontracting plans;

(2) Review (within 5 working days) any solicitation that meets the dollar threshold in 19.702(a)(1) or (2) before the solicitation is issued;

(3) Review (within 5 working days) before execution any negotiated contractual document requiring a subcontracting plan, including the plan itself, and submit recommendations to the contracting officer, which shall be advisory in nature; and

(4) Evaluate compliance with subcontracting plans, either on a contract-by-contract basis, or, in the case of contractors having multiple contracts, on an aggregate basis.

(b) The SBA is not authorized to--

(1) Prescribe the extent to which any contractor or subcontractor shall subcontract,

(2) Specify concerns to which subcontracts will be awarded, or

(3) Exercise any authority regarding the administration of individual prime contracts or subcontracts.

19.708 Contract clauses.

(a) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns, in solicitations and contracts when the contract amount is expected to be over the simplified acquisition threshold unless--

(1) A personal services contract is contemplated (see 37.104); or

(2) The contract, together with all its subcontracts, is to be performed entirely outside of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

(b)(1) The contracting officer shall, when contracting by negotiation, insert the clause at 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, in solicitations and contracts that offer subcontracting possibilities, are expected to exceed $500,000 ($1,000,000 for construction of any public facility), and are required to include the clause at 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns, unless the acquisition is set aside or is to be accomplished under the 8(a) program. When contracting by sealed bidding rather than by negotiation, the contracting officer shall use the clause with its Alternate I. When contracting by negotiation, and subcontracting plans are required with initial proposals as provided for in 19.705-2(d), the contracting officer shall use the clause with its Alternate II.

(2) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-16, Liquidated Damages--Subcontracting Plan, in all solicitations and contracts containing the clause at 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, or the clause with its Alternate I or II.

(c)(1) The contracting officer may, when contracting by negotiation, insert in solicitations and contracts a clause substantially the same as the clause at 52.219-10, Incentive Subcontracting Program, when a subcontracting plan is required (see 19.702), and inclusion of a monetary incentive is, in the judgment of the contracting officer, necessary to increase subcontracting opportunities for small business, veteran-owned small business (including service-disabled veteran-owned small business), HUBZone small business, and women-owned small business concerns, and is commensurate with the efficient and economical performance of the contract; unless the conditions in paragraph (c)(3) of this section are applicable. The contracting officer may vary the terms of the clause as specified in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

(2) Various approaches may be used in the development of small business, veteran-owned small business (including service-disabled veteran-owned small business), HUBZone small business, and women-owned small business concerns' subcontracting incentives. They can take many forms, from a fully quantified schedule of payments based on actual subcontract achievement to an award-fee approach employing subjective evaluation criteria (see paragraph (c)(3) of this section). The incentive should not reward the contractor for results other than those that are attributable to the contractor's efforts under the incentive subcontracting program.

(3) As specified in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the contracting officer may include small business, veteran-owned small business (including service-disabled veteran-owned small business), HUBZone small business, and women-owned small business subcontracting as one of the factors to be considered in determining the award fee in a cost-plus-award-fee contract; in such cases, however, the contracting officer shall not use the clause at 52.219-10, Incentive Subcontracting Program.

Subpart 19.8--Contracting with the Small Business Administration (The 8(a) Program)

19.800 General.

(a) Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)) established a program that authorizes the Small Business Administration (SBA) to enter into all types of contracts with other agencies and let subcontracts for performing those contracts to firms eligible for program participation. The SBA's subcontractors are referred to as "8(a) contractors."

(b) Contracts may be awarded to the SBA for performance by eligible 8(a) firms on either a sole source or competitive basis.

(c) When, acting under the authority of the program, the SBA certifies to an agency that the SBA is competent and responsible to perform a specific contract, the contracting officer is authorized, in the contracting officer's discretion, to award the contract to the SBA based upon mutually agreeable terms and conditions.

(d) The SBA refers to this program as the 8(a) Business Development (BD) Program.

(e) Before deciding to set aside an acquisition in accordance with Subpart 19.5 or 19.13, the contracting officer should review the acquisition for offering under the 8(a) Program. If the acquisition is offered to the SBA, SBA regulations (13 CFR 126.607(b)) give first priority to HUBZone 8(a) concerns.

(f) When SBA has delegated its 8(a) Program contract execution authority to an agency, the contracting officer must refer to its agency supplement or other policy directives for appropriate guidance.

19.801 [Reserved]

19.802 Selecting concerns for the 8(a) Program.

Selecting concerns for the 8(a) Program is the responsibility of the SBA and is based on the criteria established in 13 CFR 124.101-112.

19.803 Selecting acquisitions for the 8(a) Program.

Through their cooperative efforts, the SBA and an agency match the agency's requirements with the capabilities of 8(a) concerns to establish a basis for the agency to contract with the SBA under the program. Selection is initiated in one of three ways--

(a) The SBA advises an agency contracting activity through a search letter of an 8(a) firm's capabilities and asks the agency to identify acquisitions to support the firm's business plans. In these instances, the SBA will provide at least the following information in order to enable the agency to match an acquisition to the firm's capabilities:

(1) Identification of the concern and its owners.

(2) Background information on the concern, including any and all information pertaining to the concern's technical ability and capacity to perform.

(3) The firm's present production capacity and related facilities.

(4) The extent to which contracting assistance is needed in the present and the future, described in terms that will enable the agency to relate the concern's plans to present and future agency requirements.

(5) If construction is involved, the request shall also include the following:

(i) The concern's capabilities in and qualifications for accomplishing various categories of maintenance, repair, alteration, and construction work in specific categories such as mechanical, electrical, heating and air conditioning, demolition, building, painting, paving, earth work, waterfront work, and general construction work.

(ii) The concern's capacity in each construction category in terms of estimated dollar value (e.g., electrical, up to $100,000).

(b) The SBA identifies a specific requirement for a particular 8(a) firm or firms and asks the agency contracting activity to offer the acquisition to the 8(a) Program for the firm(s). In these instances, in addition to the information in paragraph (a) of this section, the SBA will provide--

(1) A clear identification of the acquisition sought; e.g., project name or number;

(2) A statement as to how any additional needed facilities will be provided in order to ensure that the firm will be fully capable of satisfying the agency's requirements;

(3) If construction, information as to the bonding capability of the firm(s); and

(4) Either--

(i) If sole source request--

(A) The reasons why the firm is considered suitable for this particular acquisition; e.g., previous contracts for the same or similar supply or service; and

(B) A statement that the firm is eligible in terms of NAICS code, business support levels, and business activity targets; or

(ii) If competitive, a statement that at least two 8(a) firms are considered capable of satisfying the agency's requirements and a statement that the firms are also eligible in terms of the NAICS code, business support levels, and business activity targets. If requested by the contracting activity, SBA will identify at least two such firms and provide information concerning the firms' capabilities.

(c) Agencies may also review other proposed acquisitions for the purpose of identifying requirements which may be offered to the SBA. Where agencies independently, or through the self marketing efforts of an 8(a) firm, identify a requirement for the 8(a) Program, they may offer on behalf of a specific 8(a) firm, for the 8(a) Program in general, or for 8(a) competition (but see 19.800(e)).

19.804 Evaluation, offering, and acceptance.

19.804-1 Agency evaluation.

In determining the extent to which a requirement should be offered in support of the 8(a) Program, the agency should evaluate--

(a) Its current and future plans to acquire the specific items or work that 8(a) contractors are seeking to provide, identified in terms of--

(1) Quantities required or the number of construction projects planned; and

(2) Performance or delivery requirements, including required monthly production rates, when applicable;

(b) Its current and future plans to acquire items or work similar in nature and complexity to that specified in the business plan;

(c) Problems encountered in previous acquisitions of the items or work from the 8(a) contractors and/or other contractors;

(d) The impact of any delay in delivery;

(e) Whether the items or work have previously been acquired using small business set-asides; and

(f) Any other pertinent information about known 8(a) contractors, the items, or the work. This includes any information concerning the firms' capabilities. When necessary, the contracting agency shall make an independent review of the factors in 19.803(a) and other aspects of the firms' capabilities which would ensure the satisfactory performance of the requirement being considered for commitment to the 8(a) Program.

19.804-2 Agency offering.

(a) After completing its evaluation, the agency shall notify the SBA of the extent of its plans to place 8(a) contracts with the SBA for specific quantities of items or work. The notification must identify the time frames within which prime contract and subcontract actions must be completed in order for the agency to meet its responsibilities. The notification must also contain the following information applicable to each prospective contract:

(1) A description of the work to be performed or items to be delivered, and a copy of the statement of work, if available.

(2) The estimated period of performance.

(3) The NAICS code that applies to the principal nature of the acquisition.

(4) The anticipated dollar value of the requirement, including options, if any.

(5) Any special restrictions or geographical limitations on the requirement (for construction, include the location of the work to be performed).

(6) Any special capabilities or disciplines needed for contract performance.

(7) The type of contract anticipated.

(8) The acquisition history, if any, of the requirement, including the names and addresses of any small business contractors that have performed this requirement during the previous 24 months.

(9) A statement that prior to the offering no solicitation for the specific acquisition has been issued as a small business or HUBZone set-aside and that no other public communication (such as a notice in the Commerce Business Daily) has been made showing the contracting agency's clear intention to set-aside the acquisition for small business or HUBZone small business concerns.

(10) Identification of any particular 8(a) concern designated for consideration, including a brief justification, such as--

(i) The 8(a) concern, through its own efforts, marketed the requirement and caused it to be reserved for the 8(a) Program; or

(ii) The acquisition is a follow-on or renewal contract and the nominated concern is the incumbent.

(11) Bonding requirements, if applicable.

(12) Identification of all known 8(a) concerns, including HUBZone 8(a) concerns, that have expressed an interest in being considered for the specific requirement.

(13) Identification of all SBA field offices that have asked for the acquisition for the 8(a) Program.

(14) A request, if appropriate, that a requirement with an estimated contract value under the applicable competitive threshold be awarded as an 8(a) competitive contract (see 19.805-1(d)).

(15) A request, if appropriate, that a requirement with a contract value over the applicable competitive threshold be awarded as a sole source contract (see 19.805-1(b)).

(16) Any other pertinent and reasonably available data.

(b)(1) An agency offering a construction requirement should submit it to the SBA District Office for the geographical area where the work is to be performed.

(2) Sole source requirements, other than construction, should be forwarded directly to the district office that services the nominated firm. If the contracting officer is not nominating a specific firm, the offering letter should be forwarded to the district office servicing the geographical area in which the contracting office is located.

(c) All requirements for 8(a) competition, other than construction, should be forwarded to the district office servicing the geographical area in which the contracting office is located. All requirements for 8(a) construction competition should be forwarded to the district office servicing the geographical area in which all or the major portion of the construction is to be performed. All requirements, including construction, shall be synopsized in the Commerce Business Daily. For construction, the synopsis shall include the geographical area of the competition set forth in the SBA's acceptance letter.

19.804-3 SBA acceptance.

(a) Upon receipt of the contracting agency's offer, the SBA will determine whether to accept the requirement for the 8(a) Program. The SBA's decision whether to accept the requirement will be transmitted to the contracting agency in writing within 10 working days of receipt of the offer if the contract is likely to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold and within 2 days of receipt if the contract is at or below the simplified acquisition threshold. The contracting agency may grant an extension of these time periods. If SBA does not respond to an offering letter within 10 days, the contracting activity may seek SBA's acceptance through the Associate Administrator (AA)/8(a)BD.

(b) If the acquisition is accepted as a sole source, the SBA will advise the contracting activity of the 8(a) firm selected for negotiation. Generally, the SBA will accept a contracting activity's recommended source.

(c) For acquisitions not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, when the contracting activity makes an offer to the 8(a) Program on behalf of a specific 8(a) firm and does not receive a reply to its offer within 2 days, the contracting activity may assume the offer is accepted and proceed with award of an 8(a) contract.

(d) As part of the acceptance process, SBA will review the appropriateness of the NAICS code designation assigned to the requirement by the contracting activity.

(1) SBA will not challenge the NAICS code assigned to the requirement by the contracting activity if it is reasonable, even though other NAICS codes may also be reasonable.

(2) If SBA and the contracting activity are unable to agree on a NAICS code designation for the requirement, SBA may refuse to accept the requirement for the 8(a) Program, appeal the contracting officer's determination to the head of the agency pursuant to 19.810, or appeal the NAICS code designation to the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals under Subpart C of 13 CFR part 134.

19.804-4 Repetitive acquisitions.

In order for repetitive acquisitions to be awarded through the 8(a) Program, there must be separate offers and acceptances. This allows the SBA to determine--

(a) Whether the requirement should be a competitive 8(a) award;

(b) A nominated firm's eligibility, whether or not it is the same firm that performed the previous contract;

(c) The effect that contract award would have on the equitable distribution of 8(a) contracts; and

(d) Whether the requirement should continue under the 8(a) Program.

19.804-5 Basic ordering agreements.

(a) The contracting activity must offer, and SBA must accept, each order under a basic ordering agreement (BOA) in addition to offering and accepting the BOA itself.

(b) SBA will not accept for award on a sole-source basis any order that would cause the total dollar amount of orders issued under a specific BOA to exceed the competitive threshold amount in 19.805-1.

(c) Once an 8(a) concern's program term expires, the concern otherwise exits the 8(a) Program, or becomes other than small for the NAICS code assigned under the BOA, SBA will not accept new orders for the concern.

19.804-6 Multiple award and Federal Supply Schedule contracts.

(a) Separate offers and acceptances must not be made for individual orders under multiple award or Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contracts. SBA's acceptance of the original multiple award or FSS contract is valid for the term of the contract.

(b) The requirements of 19.805-1 do not apply to individual orders that exceed the competitive threshold as long as the original contract was competed.

(c) An 8(a) concern may continue to accept new orders under a multiple award or FSS contract even after a concern's program term expires, the concern otherwise exits the 8(a) Program, or the concern becomes other than small for the NAICS code assigned under the contract.

19.805 Competitive 8(a).

19.805-1 General.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, an acquisition offered to the SBA under the 8(a) Program shall be awarded on the basis of competition limited to eligible 8(a) firms if--

(1) There is a reasonable expectation that at least two eligible and responsible 8(a) firms will submit offers and that award can be made at a fair market price; and

(2) The anticipated total value of the contract, including options, will exceed $5,000,000 for acquisitions assigned manufacturing North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes and $3,000,000 for all other acquisitions.

(b) Where an acquisition exceeds the competitive threshold, the SBA may accept the requirement for a sole source 8(a) award if--

(1) There is not a reasonable expectation that at least two eligible and responsible 8(a) firms will submit offers at a fair market price; or

(2) SBA accepts the requirement on behalf of a concern owned by an Indian tribe or an Alaska Native Corporation.

(c) A proposed 8(a) requirement with an estimated value exceeding the applicable competitive threshold amount shall not be divided into several requirements for lesser amounts in order to use 8(a) sole source procedures for award to a single firm.

(d) The SBA Associate Administrator for 8(a) Business Development (AA/8(a)BD) may approve an agency request for a competitive 8(a) award below the competitive thresholds. Such requests will be approved only on a limited basis and will be primarily granted where technical competitions are appropriate or where a large number of responsible 8(a) firms are available for competition. In determining whether a request to compete below the threshold will be approved, the AA/8(a)BD will, in part, consider the extent to which the requesting agency is supporting the 8(a) Program on a noncompetitive basis. The agency may include recommendations for competition below the threshold in the offering letter or by separate correspondence to the AA/8(a)BD.

19.805-2 Procedures.

(a) Offers shall be solicited from those sources identified in accordance with 19.804-3.

(b) The SBA will determine the eligibility of the firms for award of the contract. Eligibility will be determined by the SBA as of the time of submission of initial offers which include price. Eligibility is based on Section 8(a) Program criteria.

(1) In sealed bid acquisitions, upon receipt of offers, the contracting officer will provide the SBA a copy of the solicitation, the estimated fair market price, and a list of offerors ranked in the order of their standing for award (i.e., first low, second low, etc.) with the total evaluated price for each offer, differentiating between basic requirements and any options. The SBA will consider the eligibility of the first low offeror. If the first low offeror is not determined to be eligible, the SBA will consider the eligibility of the next low offeror until an eligible offeror is identified. The SBA will determine the eligibility of the firms and advise the contracting officer within 5 working days after its receipt of the list of bidders. Once eligibility has been established by the SBA, the successful offeror will be determined by the contracting activity in accordance with normal contracting procedures.

(2) In negotiated acquisition, the SBA will determine eligibility when the successful offeror has been established by the agency and the contract transmitted for signature unless a referral has been made under 19.809, in which case the SBA will determine eligibility at that point.

(c) In any case in which a firm is determined to be ineligible, the SBA will notify the firm of that determination.

(d) The eligibility of an 8(a) firm for a competitive 8(a) award may not be challenged or protested by another 8(a) firm or any other party as part of a solicitation or proposed contract award. Any party with information concerning the eligibility of an 8(a) firm to continue participation in the 8(a) Program may submit such information to the SBA in accordance with 13 CFR 124.517.

19.806 Pricing the 8(a) contract.

(a) The contracting officer shall price the 8(a) contract in accordance with Subpart 15.4. If required by Subpart 15.4, the SBA shall obtain cost or pricing data from the 8(a) contractor. If the SBA requests audit assistance to determine the reasonableness of the proposed price in a sole source acquisition, the contracting activity shall furnish it to the extent it is available.

(b) An 8(a) contract, sole source or competitive, may not be awarded if the price of the contract results in a cost to the contracting agency which exceeds a fair market price.

(c) If requested by the SBA, the contracting officer shall make available the data used to estimate the fair market price within 10 working days.

(d) The negotiated contract price and the estimated fair market price are subject to the concurrence of the SBA. In the event of a disagreement between the contracting officer and the SBA, the SBA may appeal in accordance with 19.810.

19.807 Estimating fair market price.

(a) The contracting officer shall estimate the fair market price of the work to be performed by the 8(a) contractor.

(b) In estimating the fair market price for an acquisition other than those covered in paragraph (c) of this section, the contracting officer shall use cost or price analysis and consider commercial prices for similar products and services, available in-house cost estimates, data (including cost or pricing data) submitted by the SBA or the 8(a) contractor, and data obtained from any other Government agency.

(c) In estimating a fair market price for a repeat purchase, the contracting officer shall consider recent award prices for the same items or work if there is comparability in quantities, conditions, terms, and performance times. The estimated price should be adjusted to reflect differences in specifications, plans, transportation costs, packaging and packing costs, and other circumstances. Price indices may be used as guides to determine the changes in labor and material costs. Comparison of commercial prices for similar items may also be used.

19.808 Contract negotiation.

19.808-1 Sole source.

(a) The SBA is responsible for initiating negotiations with the agency within the time established by the agency. If the SBA does not initiate negotiations within the agreed time and the agency cannot allow additional time, the agency may, after notifying the SBA, proceed with the acquisition from other sources.

(b) The SBA should participate, whenever practicable, in negotiating the contracting terms. When mutually agreeable, the SBA may authorize the contracting activity to negotiate directly with the 8(a) contractor. Whether or not direct negotiations take place, the SBA is responsible for approving the resulting contract before award.

19.808-2 Competitive.

In competitive 8(a) acquisitions subject to Part 15, the contracting officer conducts negotiations directly with the competing 8(a) firms. Conducting competitive negotiations among 8(a) firms prior to SBA's formal acceptance of the acquisition for the 8(a) Program may be grounds for SBA's not accepting the acquisition for the 8(a) Program.

19.809 Preaward considerations.

The contracting officer should request a preaward survey of the 8(a) contractor whenever considered useful. If the results of the preaward survey or other information available to the contracting officer raise substantial doubt as to the firm's ability to perform, the contracting officer must refer the matter to SBA for Certificate of Competency consideration under Subpart 19.6.

19.810 SBA appeals.

(a) The SBA Administrator may submit the following matters for determination to the agency head if the SBA and the contracting officer fail to agree on them:

(1) The decision not to make a particular acquisition available for award under the 8(a) Program.

(2) A contracting officer's decision to reject a specific 8(a) firm for award of an 8(a) contract after SBA's acceptance of the requirement for the 8(a) Program.

(3) The terms and conditions of a proposed 8(a) contract, including the contracting activity's NAICS code designation and estimate of the fair market price.

(b) Notification of a proposed appeal to the agency head by the SBA must be received by the contracting officer within 5 working days after the SBA is formally notified of the contracting officer's decision. The SBA will provide the agency Director for Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization a copy of this notification of the intent to appeal. The SBA must send the written appeal to the head of the contracting activity within 15 working days of SBA's notification of intent to appeal or the contracting activity may consider the appeal withdrawn. Pending issuance of a decision by the agency head, the contracting officer must suspend action on the acquisition. The contracting officer need not suspend action on the acquisition if the contracting officer makes a written determination that urgent and compelling circumstances that significantly affect the interests of the United States will not permit waiting for a decision.

(c) If the SBA appeal is denied, the decision of the agency head shall specify the reasons for the denial, including the reasons why the selected firm was determined incapable of performance, if appropriate. The decision shall be made a part of the contract file.

19.811 Preparing the contracts.

19.811-1 Sole source.

(a) The contract to be awarded by the agency to the SBA shall be prepared in accordance with agency procedures and in the same detail as would be required in a contract with a business concern. The contracting officer shall use the Standard Form 26 as the award form, except for construction contracts, in which case the Standard Form 1442 shall be used as required in 36.701(b).

(b) The agency shall prepare the contract that the SBA will award to the 8(a) contractor in accordance with agency procedures, as if the agency were awarding the contract directly to the 8(a) contractor, except for the following:

(1) The award form shall cite 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(5) or 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(5) (as appropriate) as the authority for use of other than full and open competition.

(2) Appropriate clauses shall be included, as necessary, to reflect that the contract is between the SBA and the 8(a) contractor.

(3) The following items shall be inserted by the SBA:

(i) The SBA contract number.

(ii) The effective date.

(iii) The typed name of the SBA's contracting officer.

(iv) The signature of the SBA's contracting officer.

(v) The date signed.

(4) The SBA will obtain the signature of the 8(a) contractor prior to signing and returning the prime contract to the contracting officer for signature. The SBA will make every effort to obtain signatures and return the contract, and any subsequent bilateral modification, to the contracting officer within a maximum of 10 working days.

(c) Except in procurements where the SBA will make advance payments to its 8(a) contractor, the agency contracting officer may, as an alternative to the procedures in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection, use a single contract document for both the prime contract between the agency and the SBA and its 8(a) contractor. The single contract document shall contain the information in paragraphs (b) (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection. Appropriate blocks on the Standard Form (SF) 26 or 1442 will be asterisked and a continuation sheet appended as a tripartite agreement which includes the following:

(1) Agency acquisition office, prime contract number, name of agency contracting officer and lines for signature, date signed, and effective date.

(2) The SBA office, the SBA contract number, name of the SBA contracting officer, and lines for signature and date signed.

(3) Name and lines for the 8(a) subcontractor's signature and date signed.

(d) For acquisitions not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, the contracting officer may use the alternative procedures in paragraph (c) of this subsection with the appropriate simplified acquisition forms.

19.811-2 Competitive.

(a) The contract will be prepared in accordance with 14.408-1(d), except that appropriate blocks on the Standard Form 26 or 1442 will be asterisked and a continuation sheet appended as a tripartite agreement which includes the following:

(1) The agency contracting activity, prime contract number, name of agency contracting officer, and lines for signature, date signed, and effective date.

(2) The SBA office, the SBA subcontract number, name of the SBA contracting officer and lines for signature and date signed.

(b) The process for obtaining signatures shall be as specified in 19.811-1(b)(4).

19.811-3 Contract clauses.

(a) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-11, Special 8(a) Contract Conditions, in contracts between the SBA and the agency when the acquisition is accomplished using the procedures of 19.811-1(a) and (b).

(b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-12, Special 8(a) Subcontract Conditions, in contracts between the SBA and its 8(a) contractor when the acquisition is accomplished using the procedures of 19.811-1(a) and (b).

(c) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-17, Section 8(a) Award, in competitive solicitations and contracts when the acquisition is accomplished using the procedures of 19.805 and in sole source awards which utilize the alternative procedure in 19.811-1(c).

(d) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-18, Notification of Competition Limited to Eligible 8(a) Concerns, in competitive solicitations and contracts when the acquisition is accomplished using the procedures of 19.805.

(1) The clause at 52.219-18 with its Alternate I will be used when competition is to be limited to 8(a) concerns within one or more specific SBA districts pursuant to 19.804-2.

(2) The clause at 52.219-18 with its Alternate II will be used when the acquisition is for a product in a class for which the Small Business Administration has waived the nonmanufacturer rule (see 19.102(f)(4) and (5)).

(e) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, in any solicitation and contract resulting from this subpart.

19.812 Contract administration.

(a) The contracting officer shall assign contract administration functions, as required, based on the location of the 8(a) contractor (see Federal Directory of Contract Administration Services Components (available via the Internet at http://www.dcma.mil/casbook/casbook.htm)).

(b) The agency shall distribute copies of the contract(s) in accordance with Part 4. All contracts and modifications, if any, shall be distributed to both the SBA and the firm in accordance with the timeframes set forth in 4.201.

(c) To the extent consistent with the contracting activity's capability and resources, 8(a) contractors furnishing requirements shall be afforded production and technical assistance, including, when appropriate, identification of causes of deficiencies in their products and suggested corrective action to make such products acceptable.

(d) An 8(a) contract, whether in the base or an option year, must be terminated for convenience if the 8(a) concern to which it was awarded transfers ownership or control of the firm or if the contract is transferred or novated for any reason to another firm, unless the Administrator of the SBA waives the requirement for contract termination (13 CFR 124.515). The Administrator may waive the termination requirement only if certain conditions exist. Moreover, a waiver of the requirement for termination is permitted only if the 8(a) firm's request for waiver is made to the SBA prior to the actual relinquishment of ownership or control, except in the case of death or incapacity where the waiver must be submitted within 60 days after such an occurrence. The clauses in the contract entitled "Special 8(a) Contract Conditions" and "Special 8(a) Subcontract Conditions" require the SBA and the 8(a) subcontractor to notify the contracting officer when ownership of the firm is being transferred. When the contracting officer receives information that an 8(a) contractor is planning to transfer ownership or control to another firm, the contracting officer must take action immediately to preserve the option of waiving the termination requirement. The contracting officer should determine the timing of the proposed transfer and its effect on contract performance and mission support. If the contracting officer determines that the SBA does not intend to waive the termination requirement, and termination of the contract would severely impair attainment of the agency's program objectives or mission, the contracting officer should immediately notify the SBA in writing that the agency is requesting a waiver. Within 15 business days thereafter, or such longer period as agreed to by the agency and the SBA, the agency head must either confirm or withdraw the request for waiver. Unless a waiver is approved by the SBA, the contracting officer must terminate the contract for convenience upon receipt of a written request by the SBA. This requirement for a convenience termination does not affect the Government's right to terminate for default if the cause for termination of an 8(a) contract is other than the transfer of ownership or control.

Subpart 19.9--Very Small Business Pilot Program

19.901 General.

(a) The Very Small Business Pilot Program was established under Section 304 of the Small Business Administration Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-403).

(b) The purpose of the program is to improve access to Government contract opportunities for concerns that are substantially below SBA's size standards by reserving certain acquisitions for competition among such concerns.

(c) This pilot program terminates on September 30, 2000. Therefore, any award under this program must be made on or before this date.

19.902 Definition.

"Designated SBA district" means the geographic area served by any of the following SBA district offices:

(1) Albuquerque, NM, serving New Mexico.

(2) Los Angeles, CA, serving the following counties in California: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.

(3) Boston, MA, serving Massachusetts.

(4) Louisville, KY, serving Kentucky.

(5) Columbus, OH, serving the following counties in Ohio: Adams, Allen, Ashland, Athens, Auglaize, Belmont, Brown, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Coshocton, Crawford, Darke, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Gallia, Greene, Guernsey, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Knox, Lawrence, Licking, Logan, Madison, Marion, Meigs, Mercer, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Paulding, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Preble, Putnam, Richland, Ross, Scioto, Shelby, Union, Van Wert, Vinton, Warren, Washington, and Wyandot.

(6) New Orleans, LA, serving Louisiana.

(7) Detroit, MI, serving Michigan.

(8) Philadelphia, PA, serving the State of Delaware and the following counties in Pennsylvania: Adams, Berks, Bradford, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Clinton, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Fulton, Huntington, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Perry, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Wayne, Wyoming, and York.

(9) El Paso, TX, serving the following counties in Texas: Brewster, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, and Terrell.

(10) Santa Ana, CA, serving the following counties in California: Orange, Riverside, and San Bernadino.

19.903 Applicability.

(a) The Very Small Business Pilot Program applies to acquisitions, including construction acquisitions, with an estimated value exceeding $2,500 but not greater than $50,000, when--

(1) In the case of an acquisition for supplies, the contracting office is located within the geographical area served by a designated SBA district; or

(2) In the case of an acquisition for other than supplies, the contract will be performed within the geographical area served by a designated SBA district.

(b) The Very Small Business Pilot Program does not apply to--

(1) Acquisitions that will be awarded pursuant to the 8(a) Program; or

(2) Any requirement that is subject to the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program (see Subpart 19.10).

19.904 Procedures.

(a) A contracting officer must set-aside for very small business concerns each acquisition that has an anticipated dollar value exceeding $2,500 but not greater than $50,000 if--

(1) In the case of an acquisition for supplies--

(i) The contracting office is located within the geographical area served by a designated SBA district; and

(ii) There is a reasonable expectation of obtaining offers from two or more responsible very small business concerns headquartered within the geographical area served by the designated SBA district that are competitive in terms of market prices, quality, and delivery; or

(2) In the case of an acquisition for services--

(i) The contract will be performed within the geographical area served by a designated SBA district; and

(ii) There is a reasonable expectation of obtaining offers from two or more responsible very small business concerns headquartered within the geographical area served by the designated SBA district that are competitive in terms of market prices, quality, and delivery.

(b) Contracting officers must determine the applicable designated SBA district office as defined at 19.902. The geographic areas served by the SBA Los Angeles and Santa Ana District offices will be treated as one designated SBA district for the purposes of this subpart.

(c) If no reasonable expectation exists under paragraphs (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(2)(ii) of this section, the contracting officer must document the file and proceed with the acquisition in accordance with Subpart 19.5.

(d) If the contracting officer receives only one acceptable offer from a responsible very small business concern in response to a very small business set-aside, the contracting officer should make an award to that firm. If there is no offer received from a very small business concern, the contracting officer must cancel the very small business set-aside and proceed with the acquisition in accordance with Subpart 19.5.

19.905 Solicitation provision and contract clause.

Insert the clause at 52.219-5, Very Small Business Set-Aside, in solicitations and contracts if the acquisition is set aside for very small business concerns.

(a) Insert the clause at 52.219-5 with its Alternate I--

(1) In construction or service contracts; or

(2) When the acquisition is for a product in a class for which the Small Business Administration has waived the nonmanufacturer rule (see 19.102(f)(4) and (5)).

(b) Insert the clause at 52.219-5 with its Alternate II when Alternate I does not apply, the acquisition is processed under simplified acquisition procedures, and the total amount of the contract does not exceed $25,000.

Subpart 19.10--Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program

19.1001 General.

The Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program was established by the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program Act of 1988, Public Law 100-656 (15 U.S.C. 644 note). The program is implemented by a joint OFPP and SBA Policy Directive and Implementation Plan, dated May 25, 1999. The program consists of two major components--

(a) Unrestricted competition in four designated industry groups; and

(b) Enhanced small business participation in 10 agency targeted industry categories.

19.1002 Definitions.

"Emerging small business," as used in this subpart, means a small business concern whose size is no greater than 50 percent of the numerical size standard applicable to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to a contracting opportunity.

"Emerging small business reserve amount," for the designated groups described in 19.1005, means a threshold established by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy of--

(1) $25,000 for construction, refuse systems and related services, and nonnuclear ship repair; and

(2) $50,000 for architectural and engineering services.

19.1003 Purpose.

The purpose of the Program is to--

(a) Assess the ability of small businesses to compete successfully in certain industry categories without competition being restricted by the use of small business set-asides. This portion of the program is limited to the four designated industry groups listed in section 19.1005.

(b) Expand small business participation in 10 targeted industry categories through continued use of set-aside pro- cedures, increased management attention, and specifically tailored acquisition procedures, as implemented through agency procedures.

(c) Measure the extent to which awards are made to a new category of small businesses known as emerging small businesses (ESB's), and to provide for certain acquisitions to be reserved for ESB participation only. This portion of the program is also limited to the four designated industry groups listed in section 19.1005.

19.1004 Participating agencies.

The following agencies have been identified as participants in the demonstration program:

The Department of Agriculture.

The Department of Defense, except the National Imagery and Mapping Agency.

The Department of Energy.

The Department of Health and Human Services.

The Department of the Interior.

The Department of Transportation.

The Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Environmental Protection Agency.

The General Services Administration.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

19.1005 Applicability.

(a) Designated industry groups.

NAICS CODE NAICS DESCRIPTION

Construction

Subsector 233--Building, Developing, and
General Contracting

23311 Land Subdivision and Land Development

23321 Single Family Housing Construction

23322 Multifamily Housing Construction

23331 Manufacturing and Industrial Building Construction

23332 Commercial and Institutional Building Construction

Subsector 234--Heavy Construction

23411 Highway and Street Construction

23412 Bridge and Tunnel Construction

23491 Water, Sewer, and Pipeline Construction

23492 Power and Communication Transmission Line Construction

23493 Industrial Nonbuilding Structure Construction

23499 All Other Heavy Construction

Subsector 235--Special Trade Contractors

23511 Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors

23521 Painting and Wall Covering Contractors

23531 Electrical Contractors

23541 Masonry and Stone Contractors

23542 Drywall, Plastering, Acoustical, and Insulation Contractors

23543 Tile, Marble, Terrazzo, and Mosaic Contractors

23551 Carpentry Contractors

23552 Floor Laying and Other Floor Contractors

NAICS CODE NAICS DESCRIPTION

23561 Roofing, Siding, and Sheet Metal Contractors

23571 Concrete Contractors

23581 Water Well Drilling Contractors

23591 Structural Steel Erection Contractors

23592 Glass and Glazing Contractors

23593 Excavation Contractors

23594 Wrecking and Demolition Contractors

23595 Building Equipment and Other Machinery Installation Contractors

23599 All Other Special Trade Contractors

Nonnuclear Ship Repair

336611 Ship Building and Repairing

Architectural and Engineering Services
(including surveying and mapping)

54131 Architectural Services

54133 Engineering Services

54136 Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services

54137 Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services

Refuse Systems and Related Services

562111 Solid Waste Collection

562119 Other Waste Collection

562219 Other Nonhazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal

(b) Targeted industry categories. Each participating agency, in consultation with the Small Business Administration, designates its own targeted industry categories for enhanced small business participation.

19.1006 Exclusions.

This subpart does not apply to--

(a) Orders placed against Federal Supply Schedules;

(b) Contract awards to educational and nonprofit organizations; or

(c) Contract awards to governmental entities.

19.1007 Procedures.

(a) General. (1) All solicitations must include the applicable NAICS code and size standards.

(2) The face of each award made pursuant to the program must contain a statement that the award is being issued pursuant to the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program.

(b) Solicitations greater than the ESB reserve amount. (1) Solicitations for acquisitions in any of the four designated industry groups that have an anticipated dollar value greater than the emerging small business reserve amount must not be considered for small business set-asides under Subpart 19.5. However, agencies may reinstate the use of small business set-asides as necessary to meet their assigned goals, but only within organizational units that failed to meet the small business participation goal.

(2) Acquisitions in the designated industry groups must continue to be considered for placement under the 8(a) Program (see Subpart 19.8) and the HUBZone Program (see Subpart 19.13).

(c) Solicitations equal to or less than the ESB reserve amount. (1) Solicitations for acquisitions in the four designated industry groups with an estimated value equal to or less than the emerging small business reserve amount must be set aside for ESBs, provided that the contracting officer determines that there is a reasonable expectation of obtaining offers from two or more responsible ESBs that will be competitive in terms of market price, quality, and delivery. If no such reasonable expectation exists, the contracting officer must--

(i) For acquisitions $25,000 or less, proceed in accordance with Subpart 19.5, 19.8, or 19.13; or

(ii) For acquisitions greater than $25,000 and less than or equal to the ESB reserve amount, proceed in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section.

(2) If the contracting officer proceeds with the ESB set-aside and receives a quotation from only one ESB at a reasonable price, the contracting officer must make the award. If there is no quote from an ESB, or the quote is not at a reasonable price, then the contracting officer must cancel the ESB set-aside and proceed in accordance with paragraph (c)(1)(i) or (ii) of this section.

(d) Expanding small business participation in targeted industry categories. Each participating agency must develop and implement a time-phased strategy with incremental goals, including reporting on goal attainment. To the extent practicable, provisions that encourage and promote teaming and joint ventures must be considered. These provisions should permit small business firms to effectively compete for contracts that individual small businesses would be ineligible to compete for because of lack of production capacity or capability.

19.1008 Solicitation provisions.

(a) Insert in full text the provision at 52.219-19, Small Business Concern Representation for the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program, in all solicitations in the four designated industry groups.

(b) Insert in full text the provision at 52.219-20, Notice of Emerging Small Business Set-Aside, in all solicitations for emerging small businesses in accordance with 19.1007(c).

(c) Insert in full text the provision at 52.219-21, Small Business Size Representation for Targeted Industry Categories under the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program, in all solicitations issued in each of the targeted industry categories under the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program that are expected to result in a contract award in excess of $25,000.

Subpart 19.11--Price Evaluation Adjustment for Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns

19.1101 General.

A price evaluation adjustment for small disadvantaged business concerns shall be applied as determined by the Department of Commerce (see 19.201(b)). Joint ventures may qualify provided the requirements set forth in 13 CFR 124.1002(f) are met.

19.1102 Applicability.

(a) Use the price evaluation adjustment in competitive acquisitions in the authorized NAICS Industry Subsector.

(b) Do not use the price evaluation adjustment in acquisitions--

(1) That are less than or equal to the simplified acquisition threshold;

(2) That are awarded pursuant to the 8(a) Program;

(3) That are set aside for small business concerns;

(4) That are set aside for HUBZone small business concerns;

(5) Where price is not a selection factor so that a price evaluation adjustment would not be considered (e.g., architect/engineer acquisitions); or

(6) Where all fair and reasonable offers are accepted (e.g., the award of multiple award schedule contracts).

19.1103 Procedures.

(a) Give offers from small disadvantaged business concerns a price evaluation adjustment by adding the factor determined by the Department of Commerce to all offers, except--

(1) Offers from small disadvantaged business concerns that have not waived the evaluation adjustment; or, if a price evaluation adjustment for small disadvantaged business concerns is authorized on a regional basis, offers from small disadvantaged business concerns, whose address is in such a region, that have not waived the evaluation adjustment;

(2) An otherwise successful offer of eligible products under the Trade Agreements Act when the acquisition equals or exceeds the dollar threshold in 25.403;

(3) An otherwise successful offer where application of the factor would be inconsistent with a Memorandum of Understanding or other international agreement with a foreign government;

(4) For DoD, NASA, and Coast Guard acquisitions, an otherwise successful offer from a historically black college or university or minority institution; or

(5) For DoD acquisitions, an otherwise successful offer of qualifying country end products (see DFARS 225.000-70 and 252.225-7001).

(b) Apply the factor to a line item or a group of line items on which award may be made. Add other evaluation factors such as transportation costs or rent-free use of Government facilities to the offers before applying the price evaluation adjustment.

(c) Do not evaluate offers using the price evaluation adjustment when it would cause award, as a result of this adjustment, to be made at a price that exceeds fair market price by more than the factor as determined by the Department of Commerce (see 19.202-6(a)).

19.1104 Contract clause.

Insert the clause at 52.219-23, Notice of Price Evaluation Adjustment for Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns, in solicitations and contracts when the circumstances in 19.1101 and 19.1102 apply. If a price evaluation adjustment is authorized on a regional basis, the clause shall be included in the solicitation even if the place of performance is outside an authorized region. The contracting officer shall insert the authorized price evaluation adjustment factor. The clause shall be used with its Alternate I when the contracting officer determines that there are no small disadvantaged business manufacturers that can meet the requirements of the solicitation. The clause shall be used with its Alternate II when a price evaluation adjustment is authorized on a regional basis.

Subpart 19.12--Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program

19.1201 General.

This subpart addresses the evaluation of the extent of participation of small disadvantaged business (SDB) concerns in performance of contracts in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Industry Subsectors as determined by the Department of Commerce (see 19.201(b)), and to the extent authorized by law. Two mechanisms are addressed in this subpart--

(a) An evaluation factor or subfactor for the participation of SDB concerns in performance of the contract; and

(b) An incentive subcontracting program for SDB concerns.

19.1202 Evaluation factor or subfactor.

19.1202-1 General.

The extent of participation of SDB concerns in performance of the contract, in the NAICS Industry Subsector as determined by the Department of Commerce, and to the extent authorized by law, shall be evaluated consistent with this section. Participation in performance of the contract includes joint ventures, teaming arrangements, and subcontracts. Credit under the evaluation factor or subfactor is not available to SDB concerns that receive a price evaluation adjustment under Subpart 19.11. If an SDB concern waives the price evaluation adjustment at Subpart 19.11, participation in performance of that contract includes the work expected to be performed by the SDB concern at the prime contract level.

19.1202-2 Applicability.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, the extent of participation of SDB concerns in performance of the contract in the authorized NAICS Industry Subsector shall be evaluated in competitive, negotiated acquisitions expected to exceed $500,000 ($1,000,000 for construction).

(b) The extent of participation of SDB concerns in performance of the contract in the authorized NAICS Industry Subsector (see paragraph (a) of this subsection) shall not be evaluated in--

(1) Small business set-asides (see Subpart 19.5) and HUBZone set-asides (see Subpart 19.13);

(2) 8(a) acquisitions (see Subpart 19.8);

(3) Negotiated acquisitions where the lowest price technically acceptable source selection process is used (see 15.101-2); or

(4) Contract actions that will be performed entirely outside of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

19.1202-3 Considerations in developing an evaluation factor or subfactor.

In developing an SDB participation evaluation factor or subfactor for the solicitation, agencies may consider--

(a) The extent to which SDB concerns are specifically identified;

(b) The extent of commitment to use SDB concerns (for example, enforceable commitments are to be weighted more heavily than non-enforceable ones);

(c) The complexity and variety of the work SDB concerns are to perform;

(d) The realism of the proposal;

(e) Past performance of offerors in complying with subcontracting plan goals for SDB concerns and monetary targets for SDB participation; and

(f) The extent of participation of SDB concerns in terms of the value of the total acquisition.

19.1202-4 Procedures.

(a) The solicitation shall describe the SDB participation evaluation factor or subfactor. The solicitation shall require offerors to provide, with their offers, targets, expressed as dollars and percentages of total contract value, in each of the applicable, authorized NAICS Industry Subsector, and a total target for SDB participation by the contractor, including joint venture partners, and team members, and a total target for SDB participation by subcontractors. The solicitation shall require an SDB offeror that waives the SDB price evaluation adjustment in the clause at 52.219-23, Notice of Price Evaluation Adjustment for Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns, to provide with its offer a target for the work that it intends to perform as the prime contractor. The solicitation shall state that any targets will be incorporated into and become part of any resulting contract. Contractors with SDB participation targets shall be required to report SDB participation.

(b) When an evaluation includes an SDB participation evaluation factor or subfactor that considers the extent to which SDB concerns are specifically identified, the SDB concerns considered in the evaluation shall be listed in the contract, and the contractor shall be required to notify the contracting officer of any substitutions of firms that are not SDB concerns.

19.1203 Incentive subcontracting with small disadvantaged business concerns.

The contracting officer may encourage increased subcontracting opportunities in the NAICS Industry Subsector as determined by the Department of Commerce for SDB concerns in negotiated acquisitions by providing monetary incentives (see the clause at 52.219-26, Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program--Incentive Subcontracting, and 19.1204(c)). Monetary incentives shall be based on actual achievement as compared to proposed monetary targets for SDB subcontracting. The incentive subcontracting program is separate and distinct from the establishment, monitoring, and enforcement of SDB subcontracting goals in a subcontracting plan.

19.1204 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.

(a) The contracting officer may insert a provision substantially the same as the provision at 52.219-24, Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program--Targets, in solicitations that consider the extent of participation of SDB concerns in performance of the contract. The contracting officer may vary the terms of this provision consistent with the policies in 19.1202-4.

(b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-25, Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program--Disadvantaged Status and Reporting, in solicitations and contracts that consider the extent of participation of SDB concerns in performance of the contract.

(c) The contracting officer may, when contracting by negotiation, insert in solicitations and contracts containing the clause at 52.219-25, Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program--Disadvantaged Status and Reporting, a clause substantially the same as the clause at 52.219-26, Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program--Incentive Subcontracting, when authorized (see 19.1203). The contracting officer may include an award fee provision in lieu of the incentive; in such cases, however, the contracting officer shall not use the clause at 52.219-26.

Subpart 19.13--Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Program

19.1301 General.

(a) The Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Act of 1997 (15 U.S.C. 631 note) created the HUBZone Program (sometimes referred to as the "HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program").

(b) The purpose of the HUBZone Program is to provide Federal contracting assistance for qualified small business concerns located in historically underutilized business zones, in an effort to increase employment opportunities, investment, and economic development in those areas.

19.1302 Applicability.

(a) Until September 30, 2000, the procedures in this subpart apply only to acquisitions made by the following Federal agencies:

(1) Department of Agriculture.

(2) Department of Defense.

(3) Department of Energy.

(4) Department of Health and Human Services.

(5) Department of Housing and Urban Development.

(6) Department of Transportation.

(7) Department of Veterans Affairs.

(8) Environmental Protection Agency.

(9) General Services Administration.

(10) National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

(b) After September 30, 2000, the procedures in this subpart will apply to all Federal agencies that employ one or more contracting officers.

19.1303 Status as a qualified HUBZone small business concern.

(a) Status as a qualified HUBZone small business concern is determined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) in accordance with 13 CFR part 126.

(b) If the SBA determines that a concern is a qualified HUBZone small business concern, it will issue a certification to that effect and will add the concern to the List of Qualified HUBZone Small Business Concerns on its Internet website at http://www.sba.gov/hubzone. A firm on the list is eligible for HUBZone program preferences without regard to the place of performance. The concern must appear on the list to be a HUBZone small business concern.

(c) A joint venture (see 19.101) may be considered a HUBZone small business if the business entity meets all the criteria in 13 CFR 126.616.

(d) Except for construction or services, any HUBZone small business concern (nonmanufacturer) proposing to furnish a product that it did not itself manufacture must furnish the product of a HUBZone small business concern manufacturer to receive a benefit under this subpart.

19.1304 Exclusions.

This subpart does not apply to--

(a) Requirements that can be satisfied through award to--

(1) Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (see Subpart 8.6); or

(2) Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act participating non-profit agencies for the blind or severely disabled (see Subpart 8.7);

(b) Orders under indefinite delivery contracts (see Subpart 16.5);

(c) Orders against Federal Supply Schedules (see Subpart 8.4);

(d) Requirements currently being performed by an 8(a) participant or requirements SBA has accepted for performance under the authority of the 8(a) Program, unless SBA has consented to release the requirements from the 8(a) Program;

(e) Requirements that do not exceed the micro-purchase threshold; or

(f) Requirements for commissary or exchange resale items.

19.1305 HUBZone set-aside procedures.

(a) A participating agency contracting officer shall set aside acquisitions exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold for competition restricted to HUBZone small business concerns when the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section can be satisfied. The contracting officer shall consider HUBZone set-asides before considering HUBZone sole source awards (see 19.1306) or small business set-asides (see Subpart 19.5).

(b) To set aside an acquisition for competition restricted to HUBZone small business concerns, the contracting officer must have a reasonable expectation that--

(1) Offers will be received from two or more HUBZone small business concerns; and

(2) Award will be made at a fair market price.

(c) A participating agency may set aside acquisitions exceeding the micro-purchase threshold but not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold for competition restricted to HUBZone small business concerns at the sole discretion of the contracting officer, provided the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section can be satisfied.

(d) If the contracting officer receives only one acceptable offer from a qualified HUBZone small business concern in response to a set aside, the contracting officer should make an award to that concern. If the contracting officer receives no acceptable offers from HUBZone small business concerns, the HUBZone set-aside shall be withdrawn and the requirement, if still valid, set aside for small business concerns, as appropriate (see Subpart 19.5).

(e) The procedures at 19.202-1 and, except for acquisitions not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, at 19.402 apply to this section. When the SBA intends to appeal a contracting officer's decision to reject a recommendation of the SBA procurement center representative to set aside an acquisition for competition restricted to HUBZone small business concerns, the SBA procurement center representative shall notify the contracting officer, in writing, of its intent within 5 working days of receiving the contracting officer's notice of rejection. Upon receipt of notice of SBA's intent to appeal, the contracting officer shall suspend action on the acquisition unless the head of the contracting activity makes a written determination that urgent and compelling circumstances, which significantly affect the interests of the Government, exist. Within 15 working days of SBA's notification to the contracting officer, SBA shall file its formal appeal with the head of the contracting activity, or that agency may consider the appeal withdrawn. The head of the contracting activity shall reply to SBA within 15 working days of receiving the appeal. The decision of the head of the contracting activity shall be final.

19.1306 HUBZone sole source awards.

(a) A participating agency contracting officer may award contracts to HUBZone small business concerns on a sole source basis without considering small business set-asides (see Subpart 19.5), provided--

(1) Only one HUBZone small business concern can satisfy the requirement;

(2) The anticipated price of the contract, including options, will not exceed--

(i) $5,000,000 for a requirement within the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes for manufacturing; or

(ii) $3,000,000 for a requirement within any other NAICS code;

(3) The requirement is not currently being performed by a non-HUBZone small business concern;

(4) The acquisition is greater than the simplified acquisition threshold (see Part 13);

(5) The HUBZone small business concern has been determined to be a responsible contractor with respect to performance; and

(6) Award can be made at a fair and reasonable price.

(b) The SBA has the right to appeal the contracting officer's decision not to make a HUBZone sole source award.

19.1307 Price evaluation preference for HUBZone small business concerns.

(a) The price evaluation preference for HUBZone small business concerns shall be used in acquisitions conducted using full and open competition. The preference shall not be used--

(1) In acquisitions expected to be less than or equal to the simplified acquisition threshold;

(2) Where price is not a selection factor so that a price evaluation preference would not be considered (e.g., Architect/Engineer acquisitions);

(3) Where all fair and reasonable offers are accepted (e.g., the award of multiple award schedule contracts).

(b) The contracting officer shall give offers from HUBZone small business concerns a price evaluation preference by adding a factor of 10 percent to all offers, except--

(1) Offers from HUBZone small business concerns that have not waived the evaluation preference;

(2) Otherwise successful offers from small business concerns;

(3) Otherwise successful offers of eligible products under the Trade Agreements Act when the acquisition equals or exceeds the dollar threshold in 25.403; and

(4) Otherwise successful offers where application of the factor would be inconsistent with a Memorandum of Understanding or other international agreement with a foreign government (see agency supplement).

(c) The factor of 10 percent shall be applied on a line item basis or to any group of items on which award may be made. Other evaluation factors, such as transportation costs or rent-free use of Government facilities, shall be added to

the offer to establish the base offer before adding the factor of 10 percent.

(d) A concern that is both a HUBZone small business concern and a small disadvantaged business concern shall receive the benefit of both the HUBZone small business price evaluation preference and the small disadvantaged business price evaluation adjustment (see Subpart 19.11). Each applicable price evaluation preference or adjustment shall be calculated independently against an offeror's base offer. These individual preference and adjustment amounts shall both be added to the base offer to arrive at the total evaluated price for that offer.

19.1308 Contract clauses.

(a) The contracting officer shall insert the clause 52.219-3, Notice of Total HUBZone Set-Aside, in solicitations and contracts for acquisitions that are set aside for HUBZone small business concerns under 19.1305 or 19.1306.

(b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at FAR 52.219-4, Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns, in solicitations and contracts for acquisitions conducted using full and open competition. The clause shall not be used in acquisitions that do not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.