JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
As the nation rebounds from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, small businesses play a key role in contributing to the recovery.
At Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph and throughout the Department of Defense, helping small businesses is an everyday priority. Small business specialists strive to meet the goals of the DOD's Office of Small Business Programs, promoting the participation of small businesses in the military's mission.
"Appointed by the wing commander, the small business specialist is responsible for maximizing small business participation, tracking small business goals progress for the wing commander, counseling contractors, managing the outreach program, and training and educating the acquisition workforce, which includes program managers and customers, on small business program requirements and changes," Jose Farias, 902nd Contracting Squadron small business specialist, said.
Farias, who manages the small business program for the 902nd CONS and the numerous units at JBSA-Randolph supported by the squadron, said more than 280 small businesses, most of them from the San Antonio area, supported JBSA-Randolph's mission during fiscal 2012. The 902nd CONS awarded 863 of an eligible 1,275 contract actions to small businesses during that period.
"Whether it's providing shelters or protective wing covers for aircraft, renovating the Child Development Center, installing chilled-water lines, providing medical support services, supporting Headquarters Air Education and Training Command with the Automated Decision Support System and other services, or providing hardware and software support and services to Headquarters Air Force Personnel Center, these small businesses support almost every facet of the various missions at JBSA-Randolph," he said.
Farias said an important component of the program's mission is its support for disadvantaged small businesses; women-owned small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; and small businesses in historically underutilized business zones, also known as HUBZone programs.
He said $22,987,053 was awarded to small disadvantaged businesses; $14,132,465 to women-owned small businesses; $6,775,527 to service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; and $5,759,611 to HUBZone firms in fiscal 2012. In addition, veteran-owned small businesses received $11,898,169.
Another one of the program's key roles is outreach, Farias said.
"Small business specialists serve as liaisons between small business and contracting officers," he said. "We facilitate capability briefings, conduct workshops to educate small companies on doing business with the government, and work with economic development centers, usually located at a major university, and Procurement Technical Assistance Centers in an effort to maximize small business opportunities."
Farias said small businesses are "bigger than they're perceived to be."
"The definition of a small business depends on the Small Business Size Standard for the requirement being bought," he said. "For specialty trade projects, a firm is considered a small business if its three-year average annual revenue does not exceed $14 million, and for general construction projects, it's $33.5 million. For commodities, the size standard is based on a firm's average number of full-time employees."
For more information, contact Farias at 652-8419.