PART 1519 - SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS

Each program's Assistant or Associate Administrator shall be responsible for developing its socioeconomic goals on a fiscal year basis. The goals shall be developed in collaboration with the supporting Chiefs of Contracting Offices (CCOs) or Regional Acquisition Managers (RAMs), the assigned Small Business Specialist (SBS), and the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU). The goals will be based on advance procurement plans and past performance. The goals shall be submitted to the Director of OSDBU, at least thirty (30) days prior to the start of the fiscal year.

The Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) provides guidance and advice, as appropriate, to Agency program and contracts officials on small business programs. The OSDBU Director is the central point of contact for inquiries concerning the small business programs from industry, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Congress; and shall advise the Administrator and staff of such inquiries as required. The OSDBU Director shall represent the Agency in the negotiations with the other Government agencies on small business programs matters.

(a) Small Business Specialists (SBSs) shall be appointed in writing. Regional SBSs will normally be appointed from members of staffs of the appointing authority. The appointing authorities for regional SBSs are the RAMs. The SBSs for EPA headquarters, Research Triangle Park (RTP), and Cincinnati shall be appointed by the OSDBU Director. The SBS is administratively responsible directly to the appointing authority and, on matters relating to small business programs activities, receives technical guidance from the OSDBU Director.

(b) A copy of each appointment and termination of all SBSs shall be forwarded to the OSDBU Director. In addition to performing the duties outlined in paragraph (c) of this section that are normally performed in the activity to which assigned, the SBS shall perform such additional functions as may be prescribed from time to time in furtherance of overall small business programs goals. The SBS may be appointed on either a full- or part-time basis; however, when appointed on a part-time basis, small business duties shall take precedence over collateral responsibilities.

(c) The SBS appointed pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section shall perform the following duties as appropriate:

(1) Maintain a program designed to locate capable small business sources for current and future acquisitions;

(2) Coordinate inquiries and requests for advice from small business concerns on acquisition matters;

(3) Review all proposed solicitations in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold, assure that small business concerns will be afforded an equitable opportunity to compete, and, as appropriate, initiate recommendations for small business set-asides, or offers of requirements to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for the 8(a) program, and complete EPA Form 1900-37, “Record of Procurement Request Review,” as appropriate;

(4) Take action to assure the availability of adequate specifications and drawings, when necessary, to obtain small business participation in an acquisition. When small business concerns cannot be given an opportunity on a current acquisition, initiate action, in writing, with appropriate technical and contracting personnel to ensure that necessary specifications and/or drawings for future acquisitions are available;

(5) Review proposed contracts for possible breakout of items or services suitable for acquisition from small business concerns;

(6) Participate in the evaluation of a prime contractor's small business subcontracting programs;

(7) Assure that adequate records are maintained, and accurate reports prepared, concerning small business participation in acquisition programs;

(8) Make available to SBA copies of solicitations when so requested; and

(9) Act as liaison with the appropriate SBA office or representative in connection with matters concerning the small business programs including set-asides.

(a) If no Small Business Administration (SBA) representative is available, the Small Business Specialist (SBS) shall initiate recommendations to the contracting officer for small business set-asides with respect to individual acquisitions or classes of acquisitions or portions thereof.

(b) When the SBS has recommended that all, or a portion, of an individual acquisition or class of acquisitions be set aside for small business, the contracting officer shall:

(1) Promptly concur in the recommendation; or

(2) Promptly disapprove the recommendation, stating in writing the reasons for disapproval. If the contracting officer disapproves the recommendation of the SBS, the SBS may appeal to the appropriate appointing authority, whose decision shall be final.

(a) Each proposed acquisition for construction estimated to cost between $10,000 and $1,000,000 shall be set-aside for exclusive small business participation. Such set-asides shall be considered to be unilateral small business set-asides, and shall be withdrawn in accordance with the procedure of FAR 19.506 only if found not to serve the best interest of the Government.

(b) Small business set-aside preferences for construction acquisitions in excess of $1,000,000 shall be considered on a case-by-case basis.

One copy of the determination required by FAR 19.705-2(c) shall be placed in the contract file and one copy provided to the Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.

In determining the acceptability of a proposed subcontracting plan, the contracting officer shall obtain advice and recommendations from the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, which shall in turn coordinate review by the Small Business Administration Procurement Center Representative (if any).

The synopsis of contract award, where applicable, shall include a statement identifying the contract as one containing Public Law 95-507 subcontracting plans and goals.