### 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, 2003. Therefore, any award under this program must be made on or before this date.

## 19.902 Designated SBA district.

A designated SBA district is 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: Burster, 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;
(2) Any requirement that is subject to the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program (see Subpart 19.10); or
(3) Acquisitions of $15,000 or less facilitating the defense against terrorism or biological or chemical attack against the United States as described in 13.201(g).

## 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.