And that was just the first step in a long and complicated process that small, minority- and women-owned businesses face when they try to land contracts with the feds.
Facing situations like Ms. Minor's, and the likelihood for more as thousands of military jobs move to Maryland, the state is trying to make it easier for other woman- and minority-owned small businesses to sign contracts with Uncle Sam.
Officials see a study released Friday by the Governor's Office of Minority Affairs and the state...
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BRAC article - 2008-11-02 21:28:47
While the article is a good information piece about how local/state officials may try to assist with business opportunities related to BRAC, aspects of this article will lead readers potentially interested in Government Contracting down the wrong path. The opening sentence makes it seem two years to develop relationships and awareness within the government sector is unusual, when in fact it is most often the norm. The article references that "The state is trying to make sure that small companies owned by women and minorities are able win a fair share of work with the military..." when in fact it should refer to small businesses including those owned by women and minorities. Set-aside programs at the state and federal level have been established to support all small businesses not just those owned by specific socio-economic groups. The statement that "Her business is 8(a) certified, a designation that identifies it as owned by either a minority or a woman, and is supposed to be streamlined through the contracting process." is also incorrect. Companies accepted into the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program are not just minority-owned or woman-owned. Individuals who can demonstrate a socio-economic disadvantage may apply for participation. Additionally, "streamlined" is a deceptive term. Selected business opportunities are set-aside for companies in this program as well as others to create an opportunity for these companies to compete against others with similar resources and attributes. The 8(a) designation also serves as a contracting mechanism that agencies may leverage. No disrespect is intended to the writer, but it is misstated information like this that perpetuates false or misguided expectations of newcomers to our industry, which only causes them to have to re-learn the correct approaches and processes necessary for success in this market. Small companies face plenty of challenges as it is. Regards, Guy Timberlake The American Small Business Coalition
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Guy Timberlake - Columbia, MD - Karma: Neutral
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