**GAO-09-16**                      Published: Nov 21, 2008. Publicly Released: Nov 21, 2008.                  

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## Highlights

The Small Business Administration (SBA) helps small businesses gain access to federal contracting opportunities and helps socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses, known as 8(a) firms, by providing management and contracting assistance. SBA negotiates agency-specific goals to ensure that the federal government meets the statutory goal of awarding 23 percent of contract dollars to small businesses. GAO was asked to (1) describe how SBA sets small business contracting goals and the extent to which federal agencies met these goals; (2) examine the role of SBA staff in supporting small business contracting at selected federal agencies; and (3) examine SBA's overall administration of the 8(a) program. To address these objectives, GAO reviewed SBA guidance and SBA Inspector General (IG) reports, interviewed SBA and other federal officials, and conducted site visits and file reviews at four SBA locations.

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## Topics

Business Regulation and Consumer Protection

Competitive procurementContract administrationExecutive agenciesFederal agenciesFederal procurementFederal procurement policyFederal regulationsInteragency relationsInternal controlsMonitoringPolicy evaluationProcurementProcurement evaluationProcurement planningProcurement policyProcurement practicesProcurement regulationsProgram managementReporting requirementsRequirements definitionSmall businessSmall business assistanceSmall business contractorsSmall business contractsSmall disadvantaged business contractorsStrategic planningPolicies and procedures