B363 Rayburn Office Building                       Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Washington, D.C. 20515                              Contact: Alexandra Haynes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                        Phone: (202) 225-5821

GRAVES RECOMMENDS REFORMS FOR ROLE OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING


WASHINGTON, D.C. – At today’s House Small Business Committee hearing on government contracting, Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) recommended changes to the federal procurement process to ensure small business have an equal opportunity to receive contacts.   

Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) said, “Government contracting offers a unique opportunity to invest in small businesses while also stimulating our economy.  Small businesses play a central role in our economy and job growth, creating seven out of every ten private sector jobs in recent years.  With unemployment still hovering around ten percent, it is more important than ever to invest in the small businesses that support our communities and provide opportunities for our families.

While several important provisions have been built into the federal procurement system in an effort to ensure small businesses receive a fair share of government contracting opportunities, these provisions are not being properly enforced.  Programs are abused and significant portions of contracting dollars are not properly allocated.  As members of the House Small Business Committee, we must make it a top priority to fix these problems, not only to make sure taxpayer dollars have maximum impact, but also for the sake of our economy.”

During the hearing, Members of the House Small Business Committee heard testimony from a range of experts who stressed the importance of improving the federal procurement system so small businesses are better able to compete for government contracts. The witnesses urged a renewed focus on ending fraud and strengthening enforcement mechanisms within the procurement system. Additionally, the panel agreed that immediate steps must be taken to limit contract bundling, which occurs when the government consolidates smaller contracts into very large contracts for the sake of convenience.  

For video of the hearing, click here.


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