On January 20, 2021, the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government was issued by President Biden. The order states “…the Federal Government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.” Unison Marketplace supports E.O. 13985 via its unique sourcing team and vendor opportunities search platform.
Non-traditional vendor success in FY21:
- MO: 29.5% of Contracts Awarded
- SD: 31.1% of Contracts Awarded
- WO: 25.1% of Contracts Awarded
- WOSB: 22.5% of Contracts Awarded
- VOSB: 10.8% of Contracts Awarded
- EDWOSB: 11.2% of Contracts Awarded
- SDVOSB: 6.8% of Contracts Awarded
- NAO: 2.4% of Contracts Awarded
Unison Marketplace has more than 105,000 Small Businesses registered and in FY21, agencies awarded 93% of Marketplace actions to Small Businesses or other socio-economic set-asides—putting nearly $1 Billion into the hands of Small Businesses around the country
.The Marketplace Team fields vendor questions, hosts a complimentary 2x/month vendor webinar with a recorded version available here; has built tutorials into the platform; and partners with local PTACs, Chambers of Commerce, and Small Business Offices in order to further promote non-traditional vendors’ access to opportunities.
Federal Agency Small Business Utilization
Directing spending dollars to American small businesses is a central goal of federal contracting. In 1953, Congress passed the Small Business Act which declared “the Government should aid, counsel, assist, and protect, insofar as is possible, the interests of small business concerns,” in order to “insure that a fair proportion of the total sales of Government property be made to such enterprises, and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of the Nation”. This directive serves to support a healthy and diverse supplier base of small businesses, which are the backbone of the American economy and job creators in communities across the country.
In FY21 the federal small business utilization goals focused on small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, women-owned small businesses, and HUBZone small businesses.
* Please note, some companies may fall under multiple set-aside categories.
If your agency needs help increasing socio-economic set-aside utilization before end of year, contact us today. Unison Marketplace has extended hours through the end of FY22 to aid the end of year push to meet goals and deadlines.
Contact Buyer Support: BuyerSupportTeam@unisonglobal.com
