In FY 98 Advocacy issued a report on data from the Federal Procurement Centers. This report for the first time compiled and published procurement data by individual buying centers and broke down the data on awards to small firms by state and by congressional district. The results were interesting. More than 10 percent of the centers did no business at all with small business. The FY 99 report is near completion and there is no reason to believe that much has changed.
Advocacy makes no claim to hands-on expertise with procurement processes.
Thus, as is our practice, we convened a meeting of private sector individuals who are conversant with procurement processes and with the world of small businesses trying to do business with the government. Dr. Kelman, as you know, is the author of many of the procurement reforms adopted to correct inefficiencies in the system. Drawing on their collective expertise, the group identified several problems that were causing the reduced small business share of federal procurement and the downward trend that would likely continue unless changes were made. Develop GWACs on which only small businesses can bid and establish GWAC small business goals for each agency. Make PRO-Net the central registration for all small businesses.