Progressive Industries, Inc. satisfies & wins HUBZone Contracts

We promise satisfaction when you choose PII as your HUBZone vendor of choice.  As a HUBZone supplier, we proide accurate contract fulfillment with simplicity, clarity and transparency.  Here are some reasons why this initiative is critical to the economic stability of our great Country.  Stimulating our HUBZone and it's residents is paramount to our sustainability and to that of the GDP and GNP of our Country.

The General Accountability Office (GAO), in September 2008, ruled that the Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUB Zone) set-aside program takes precedence over the similar set-aside program for Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, (SDVOSB). The GAO upheld a bid protest against an SDVOSB set-aside in favor of a HUBzone set-aside.  The GAO considered the specific language of the FAR in making it's decision. 

Specifically the applicable FAR provision states that a contracting officer shall set aside acquisitions exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold for competition restricted to HUBZone small business concerns, if there is a reasonable expectation that at least two HUB Zone firms will submit bids and that the contract will be awarded at a fair and reasonable price.(FAR § 19.305(a)). 

Conversely the FAR states that a contracting officer may set-aside acquisitions exceeding the micro-purchase threshold for competition restricted to SDVOSBCs when there is a reasonable expectation that offers will be received from two or more SDVOSBCs and that award will be made at a fair market price.(FAR § 19.1405(a)).  

GAO ruled that the plain meaning of the words shall and may require the Contracting Officer to set-aside qualifying HUB Zone procurements and grant the Contracting Officer the discretion to set-aside qualifying SDVOSB procurements.  Thus, in situations where two or more HUB Zone firms and two or more SDVOSBs are expected to bid, the procurement must be set-aside for HUB Zone firms.  Here is a link to the GAO decision:  http://www.gao.gov/decisions/bidpro/400278.pdf.

 

What does this mean for the community?