[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 82 (Thursday, April 29, 2010)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 22499-22501]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-10174]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 82 / Thursday, April 29, 2010 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 22499]]


                Memorandum of April 26, 2010

                
Establishing an Interagency Task Force on Federal 
                Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses

                Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and 
                Agencies

                The Federal Government is the world's largest purchaser 
                of goods and services, with purchases totaling over 
                $500 billion per year. The American Recovery and 
                Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) and other 
                national investments are providing new opportunities 
                for small businesses to compete for Federal contracts, 
                and it is critical that these investments tap into the 
                talents and skills of a broad cross-section of American 
                business and industry. Small businesses must be able to 
                participate in the Nation's economic recovery, 
                including businesses owned by women, minorities, 
                socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, 
                and service-disabled veterans of our Armed Forces. 
                These businesses should be able to compete and 
                participate effectively in Federal contracts.

                The Congress has established a number of statutory 
                goals designed to help small businesses compete for 
                Federal contracts. In addition to the goal of awarding 
                at least 23 percent of all Federal prime contracting 
                dollars to small businesses, the Congress also 
                established Government-wide contracting goals for 
                participation by small businesses that are located in 
                Historically Underutilized Business Zones (at least 3 
                percent) or that are owned by women (at least 5 
                percent), socially and economically disadvantaged 
                individuals (at least 5 percent), and service-disabled 
                veterans (at least 3 percent). These aspirational goals 
                help ensure that all Americans share in the jobs and 
                opportunities created by Federal procurement.

                In recent years, the Federal Government has not 
                consistently reached its small business contracting 
                goals. Although we have made some progress--
                particularly with respect to Recovery Act contracts--
                more work can and should be done. I am committed to 
                ensuring that small businesses, including firms owned 
                by women, minorities, socially and economically 
                disadvantaged individuals, and service-disabled 
                veterans, have fair access to Federal Government 
                contracting. Indeed, where small businesses have the 
                capacity to do more, we should strive to exceed the 
                statutory goals. While Chief Acquisition Officers and 
                Senior Procurement Executives have many priorities, 
                small business contracting should always be a high 
                priority in the procurement process.

                Obtaining tangible results will require an honest and 
                accurate accounting of our progress so that we can have 
                transparency and accountability through Federal small 
                business procurement data. Additionally, we must expand 
                outreach strategies to alert small firms to Federal 
                contracting opportunities.

                In order to coordinate executive departments' and 
                agencies' efforts towards ensuring that all small 
                businesses have a fair chance to participate in Federal 
                contracting opportunities, it is hereby ordered as 
                follows:

                Section 1. Establishment. There is established an 
                Interagency Task Force on Federal Contracting 
                Opportunities for Small Businesses (Task Force). The 
                Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), the Director of the 
                Office of Management and Budget (Director), and the 
                Administrator of the Small Business Administration 
                (Administrator) shall serve as Co-Chairs of the Task 
                Force and shall direct its work.

[[Page 22500]]

                Sec. 2. Membership. In addition to the Secretary, the 
                Director, and the Administrator, the Task Force shall 
                consist of the following members:

(i) the Secretary of the Treasury;

(ii) the Secretary of Defense;

(iii) the Attorney General;

(iv) the Secretary of Labor;

(v) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;

(vi) the Secretary of Transportation;

(vii) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;

(viii) the Secretary of Homeland Security;

(ix) the Administrator of General Services;

(x) the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;

(xi) the Director of the Minority Business Development Agency;

(xii) the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy;

(xiii) the Director of the Domestic Policy Council;

(xiv) the Director of the National Economic Council;

(xv) the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers; and

(xvi) the heads of such other executive departments, agencies, and offices 
as the President may, from time to time, designate.

                A member of the Task Force may designate, to perform 
                the Task Force functions of the member, one or more 
                senior officials who are part of the member's 
                department, agency, or office, and who are full-time 
                officers or employees of the Federal Government.

                Sec. 3. Functions. The Task Force shall provide to the 
                President, not later than 120 days after the date of 
                this memorandum, proposals and recommendations for:

(i) using innovative strategies, such as teaming, to increase opportunities 
for small business contractors and utilizing and expanding mentorship 
programs, such as the mentor-prot[eacute]g[eacute] program;

(ii) removing barriers to participation by small businesses in the Federal 
marketplace by unbundling large projects, improving training of Federal 
acquisition officials with respect to strategies for increasing small 
business contracting opportunities, and utilizing new technologies to 
enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Federal program managers, 
acquisition officials, and the Directors of Offices of Small Business 
Programs and Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, their 
managers, and procurement center representatives in identifying and 
providing access to these opportunities;

(iii) expanding outreach strategies to match small businesses, including 
firms located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones and firms owned 
and controlled by women, minorities, socially and economically 
disadvantaged individuals, and service-disabled veterans of our Armed 
Forces, with contracting and subcontracting opportunities; and

(iv) establishing policies, including revision or clarification of existing 
legislation, regulations, or policies, that are necessary or appropriate to 
effectuate the objectives of this memorandum.

                Sec. 4. Using Technology to Improve Transparency and 
                Accountability. Within 90 days of the date of this 
                memorandum, the Assistant to the President and Chief 
                Technology Officer and the Federal Chief Information 
                Officer, in coordination with the Task Force, shall 
                develop a website that illustrates the participation of 
                small businesses, including those owned by women, 
                minorities, socially and economically disadvantaged 
                individuals, and service-

[[Page 22501]]

                disabled veterans of our Armed Forces, in Federal 
                contracting. To foster greater accountability and 
                transparency in, and allow oversight of, the Federal 
                Government's progress, this website shall be designed 
                to encourage improved collection, verification, and 
                availability of Federal procurement data and provide 
                accurate data on the Federal Government's progress in 
                ensuring that all small businesses have a fair chance 
                to participate in Federal contracting opportunities.

                Sec. 5. Outreach. In developing its recommendations, 
                the Task Force shall conduct outreach with 
                representatives of small businesses and small business 
                associations.

                Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) This memorandum shall 
                be implemented consistent with applicable law and 
                subject to the availability of any necessary 
                appropriations.

                    (b) This memorandum does not create any right or 
                benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law 
                or in equity by any party against the United States, 
                its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, 
                employees, or agents, or any other person.
                    (c) The heads of executive departments and agencies 
                shall assist and provide information to the Task Force, 
                consistent with applicable law, as may be necessary to 
                carry out the functions of the Task Force. Each 
                executive department and agency shall bear its own 
                expenses of participating in the Task Force.
                    (d) The Director is hereby authorized and directed 
                to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                The White House,

                    Washington, April 26, 2010

[FR Doc. 2010-10174
Filed 4-28-10; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3110-01-P