Napolitano Highlights Lack of Federal Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses

Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA38) today participated in a press conference with her Small Business Committee Democratic colleagues to highlight the release of their report, Scorecard IV, indicating the federal government’s failure to provide contracting opportunities to small businesses. “With a lackluster economy and unacceptably high unemployment, we need to arm small businesses with the tools they need to be the engine of our economic recovery. It is frustrating to note yet again that federal agencies are failing to meet their legally mandated goals regarding small business contracts,” stated Napolitano.

The Congresswoman specifically pointed to the lack of federal contracts for California’s small businesses. “In the cities I represent, small businesses supply the vast majority of jobs. Sadly, in California, only 13.9 percent of federal contracting dollars went to small businesses last year. This is well below the federally mandated goal of 23 percent. Our 8(a) firms, small businesses owned by minorities, received only 1.2 percent of federal contracting dollars. Small businesses located in HUBZones (low income areas) in California received 0.4% percent of federal contracting dollars. This is not acceptable. Our small businesses can do the work if they are just given the chance to bid on the contracts,” Napolitano explained.

Napolitano commented on the need to hold federal agencies accountable for not meeting their small business contracting goals. “For the last four years the Democrats on the Small Business Committee have found that the vast majority of federal agencies are failing to abide by the law requiring them to award a certain percentage of their contracts to small businesses, minority-owned businesses and women-owned businesses. Congress hold these agencies accountable and penalize them when they fail,” the Congresswoman concluded.

Representative Grace F. Napolitano, 38th District of California

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