OFFICE OF
SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS
 
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DIA Office of Small Business Programs

DIA's Office of Small Business Programs is committed to increasing acquisition opportunities to small businesses. We understand how forming partnerships with the private sector enhance the DIA mission and support U.S. growth. Their contributions to our national economy in terms of innovation, job creation, efficiency, increased competition, reduced prices and quality sources of supply warrant the inclusion to the greatest extent possible when making Federal contract award decisions.

The OSBP serves as the Agency's focal point for issues and practices concerning small business utilization. The office promotes the use of small, disadvantaged, women-owned, HUBZone, veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. In addition, OSBP provide assistance to small businesses by participating in and conducting outreach activities to ensure a fair portion of DIA's total acquisitions are awarded to small businesses pursuant to public law.

Small businesses will be given an equitable opportunity to compete for all contracts that they can perform, consistent with the best interests of the Government.

Mission

Provide small businesses maximum practicable opportunities to participate in the contracting process at the prime and subcontracting level.

Performance Goals

Congress sets Federal small business procurement statutory goals annually, which require the Federal Government to direct a percentage of spending dollars to small business concerns and certain socioeconomic categories of small businesses.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) ensures that agencies establish participation goals relative to statutory goals. The SBA negotiates with agencies to develop individual agency goals that, in the aggregate, constitute government-wide goals. In addition, the SBA negotiates a small business subcontracting goal based on recent achievement levels.

The prime contract award goals for DIA are as follows in the table to the right:

  FY22 Goals FY23 Goals FY24 Goals FY25 Goals
Small Business 30.0% 30.0% 30.0%
SDB 5.4% 5.4% 6.0%
WOSB 5.0% 5.0% 5.0%
SDVOSB 3.0% 3.0% 5.0%
HUBZone 3.0% 3.0% 3.0%

Focus Areas

DIA is committed to collaborating with the industry to obtain the necessary capabilities to support the warfighter. Supplies and services that we procure:

Manpower

Linguistic Services

IT Supplies/Services

Security

Testing and Evaluation

Hardware, Software, Cyber Security

Program Management

Analytical Research

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

Business Systems

Systems Engineering

Aquisition and Finance

Networks

Logistics Management

Intelligence Collections

Facilities Engineering

Small Business Programs

Contracting officers can use set-asides and sole-source contracts to help the federal government meet its small business contracting goals. To be eligible for certain Federal programs, contracts and subcontracts, a firm must meet SBA’s criteria to be considered a “small business concern.” Contracting officers are required to verify small business status via SBA’s Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS).

To qualify as a small business concern, businesses must meet all the following SBA eligibility criteria:

  • Meet the SBA’s numerical size standards for small businesses
  • Be a for-profit business of any legal structure
  • Be independently owned and operated
  • Not be nationally dominant in its field
  • Be physically located and operate in the U.S.
  • Businesses in outlying areas may still be counted as small if they have an operation in the U.S. that makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy through payment of taxes or use of American products, materials, or labor.

You may self-certify and register your business as a Small Disadvantaged Business, if you meet all the following SBA criteria:

  • The firm must be 51% or more owned and controlled by one or more disadvantaged persons
  • The disadvantaged person or persons must be socially disadvantaged and economically disadvantaged
  • The firm must be small, according to SBA’s size standards

Unless specifically stated otherwise, the phrase “socially and economically disadvantaged individuals” includes small businesses owned by Alaska Native corporations, Community Development Corporations, Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations.

The 8(a) program is a robust nine-year business development program created to help firms owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

Businesses participating in the program receive training and technical assistance designed to strengthen their ability to compete effectively in the American economy. Small businesses owned by Alaska Native corporations, Community Development Corporations, Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations are eligible to participate in the 8 (a) program.

To qualify for the 8(a) program, businesses must meet all the following SBA eligibility criteria:

  • Be a small business
  • Not have previously participated in the 8(a) program
  • Be at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens who are socially and economically disadvantaged
  • Have a personal net worth of $850,000 or less, adjusted gross income of $400,000 or less, and assets totaling $6.5 million or less
  • Demonstrate good character
  • Demonstrate the potential for success by having been in business for two years

8(a) certification lasts for a maximum of nine years, the first four years are the development stage and the last five years are the transitional stage. Continuation in the program is dependent on staying in compliance with program requirements.

Federal agencies reserve certain contracts exclusively for SDVOSBs. To qualify for the SDVOSB Program, your business must meet all SBA eligibility criteria:

  • Be a small business
  • Be at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans (i.e., eligible veterans must have a service-connected disability)
  • Have one or more service-disabled veterans manage day-to-day operations and make long-term decisions

For those veterans who are permanently and totally disabled and unable to manage the daily business operations of their business, their business may still qualify if their spouse or appointed, permanent caregiver is assisting in that management.

The WOSB Program was created to help level the playing field for women business owners. Under the program, DIA and other federal agencies reserve certain contracts exclusively for competition among woman-owned small businesses or economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSB).

To be eligible for the WOSB program, you must meet all SBA eligibility criteria:

  • A small business according to SBA size standards
  • Be at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens
  • Have women manage day-to-day business operations and make long-term decisions

To qualify as an EDWOSB within the program, you must meet all SBA requirements for WOSBs and be owned and controlled by one or more women each with:

  • A personal net worth less than $850,000
  • $400,000 or less in adjusted gross income averaged over the previous three years
  • $6.5 million or less in personal assets

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) designates Historically Underutilized Business Zones, or HUBZones, based on a combination of unemployment and income, among other things. The purpose of the HUBZone Program is to assist qualified small business concerns located in areas designated as HUBZones to increase employment opportunities, investment, and economic development. With a goal of awarding at least three percent of federal contract dollars to HUBZone-certified companies each year, the program fuels small business growth in HUBZones.

To qualify for the HUBZone Program, you must meet all SBA eligibility criteria:

  • Be a small business according to SBA size standards
  • Be at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens, a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural cooperative, an Alaska Native corporation, a Native Hawaiian organization, or an Indian tribe
  • Have its principal office (where the majority of employees work) located in a HUBZone
  • Have at least 35% of its employees residing in a HUBZone

Subcontracting

Subcontracting can be a great way for small businesses to get started in federal contracting. To promote small business participation in larger contracts, Congress enacted Public Law 95-507, requiring all contractors, other than small businesses, receiving federal contract awards over $750,000 ($1,500,000 for construction) to submit acceptable subcontracting plans prior to contract award.

Subcontracting plans must specify goals and demonstrate contractors' best efforts to subcontract to small, small disadvantaged, HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned, and women-owned small businesses. The subcontracting program creates real opportunities for small firms.

Understanding the eligibility requirements is crucial for small businesses interested in subcontracting. An eligible subcontractor must represent itself as a small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, or women-owned small business concern. For more information about the Subcontracting Program, go to FAR Subpart 19.7.

Potential subcontracting opportunities are available through prime contractors on DIA's multiple award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contracts - Solutions for Intelligence Analysis 3 (SIA 3) and Solutions for the Information Technology Enterprise III (SITE III).

Outreach

OSBP provides continuous outreach and assistance dedicated to increasing contracting opportunities for small businesses through participation in matchmaking events and hosting virtual monthly outreach sessions.

Introduction to DIA for Small Businesses

Informative briefing for small businesses interested in conducting business with DIA. The briefs are generally held the second and fourth Wednesday of the month.
Registration coming soon!