Small business: Gov't contracts for women

By early next year, federal agencies will be required to open up more contracting opportunities to women-owned businesses in 83 industries where they have been traditionally underrepresented.

The Small Business Administration recently adopted a long-awaited rule that requires the set-asides so the federal government can reach its goal of awarding 5 percent of contracts to women-owned businesses. Last year, only 3.68 percent of the $96.8 billion in federal contracts awarded to small businesses were to women-owned firms.

In 2007, the latest year for which data is available, women-owned firms accounted for 28.7 percent of all nonfarm businesses in the United States.

Local officials say the ruling could open up more opportunities for our regional women-owned firms, provided they can take the steps required to familiarize themselves with the procurement process.

"Women-owned businesses need to be willing to pursue government contracting as a new marketing tool and gain the education and information needed to compete effectively," says Lucille Wesnofske, regional director of the Small Business Development Center at Farmingdale State College, which has a procurement specialist on staff.

Implementation of the new contracting program will occur over the next several months, with the official rollout expected by February.

One of the criteria is that a firm must be 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women. (See sba.gov/wosb for updates, criteria and details on the new rule).

The SBA and local officials are encouraging women-owned firms to educate themselves on the procurement process to better compete.

"Now is the best time to start," says Pravina Raghavan, SBA's New York District director, noting there will be certification requirements to be eligible for the program.

Specifically, women-owned businesses will either have to self-certify that they are indeed a woman-owned business or be certified by third-party certifiers, including government entities and private certification groups (bit.ly/cQ0u14), Raghavan says. More information on approved third-party certifiers will be available in coming months, she adds.

Education and assistance will also be available through the SBA and SBDCs, she notes, adding, "you need to be prepared."

The Small Business Development Centers in Farmingdale and Stony Brook assist local women-owned businesses now in getting certified to work with the various levels of government. Other local groups that help include the Suffolk County Women's Business Enterprise Coalition and Black Women Enterprises.

BWE is slated to hold an educational program on the new women's contracting program Dec. 9 at Hempstead Public Library, says Gina Slater Parker, BWE president and vice president of Hill Slater Inc. in Great Neck, a woman-owned engineering/architectural firm.

"This truly increases the opportunities of women-owned businesses," says Slater, who encourages women to get certified not only on the federal level, but also on the state level. New York State has its own certification program for women-owned business (nyloves mwbe.ny.gov/Certification /Overview/Overview.htm), as does Nassau (bit.ly/cyta7k) and Suffolk (bit.ly/caihw3).

Start participating in the bidding process even locally, Slater recommends.

That's what Tina Panos of Panos Graphic Services in West Bay Shore hopes to do since she recently got certified on the state level.

"I hadn't really focused on the government side," says Panos, who wants to start doing business with the state and counties and perhaps eventually the federal government.

"It opens up more opportunities," says Panos, who worked with the Farmingdale center to get certified and recently attended its matchmaker expo to meet local purchasing agents.

Get to know the small business liaison specialists at the various government entities and make sure you're listed in the Central Contractor Registry (www.bpn.gov/ccr/default .aspx) to compete on the federal level, advises Dorothy Harris, a business adviser with the Farmingdale SBDC. Also check out FedBizOpps.gov for federal procurement opportunities over $25,000.

"Always be aggressive to find contracts," Wesnofske says.

Local resources

SBDC Farmingdale State: 631-420-2765

SBDC Stony Brook University: 631-632-9070

Suffolk County Women's Business Enterprise Coalition: scwbec.org

Black Women Enterprises: 516-485-5900

Nassau County Office of Minority Affairs: 516-571-6174

Suffolk County Office of Minority Affairs: 631-853-4738