The majority of contract opportunities with the USITC are reserved for small business concerns. Of these, most contracting opportunities are for experienced contractors in the areas of Information Technology, Facilities Management, Administrative Services, and Management Consulting.
The USITC’s Office of Procurement oversees all procurements, including awards of contracts, purchase orders, delivery and task orders, as well as buys made with the Government Purchase Card (GPC).
The System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov database combines the following federal procurement systems: Central Contractor Registry (CCR), Federal Agency Registration (FedReg), Online Representation and Certification Application (ORCA), and the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS). In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 4.1102, prospective contractors shall be registered in the SAM database prior to receiving any contract award from USITC. Contractors are solely responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the registration information. To register your company into the SAM, visit www.sam.gov. SAM registration process requires that you have a DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet. You may obtain a DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet by visiting their website at www.dnb.com.
The Small Business Administration maintains the Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) database. As a small business registering in the SAM database, you have the opportunity to complete a small business profile. The information provided populates into the DSBS database. Procurement and requirements personnel use the DSBS database as one of many tools to identify potential small business contractors for upcoming contracting opportunities.
If you feel that your firm has product or service which may be of interest to the USITC, the USITC suggests the following:
- Monitor Federal Business Opportunities www.FedBizOpps.gov, where the government publishes notices of open market procurements valued over $25,000.00. This site provides a wealth of information about current government requirements and offers guidance that will allow you to submit quotes/proposals to the USITC.
- Monitor eBuy www.ebuy.gsa.gov, where the government solicits GSA Federal Supply Schedule contractors for goods and services. If you are not a GSA Federal Supply Schedule holder, the GSA website can provide guidance regarding obtaining a schedule contract.
- Monitor FedBid fedBid, where the government may solicit requirements to GSA Schedule Holders or solicit open market quotes/proposals from non GSA Schedule Holders.
The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is a substantial and complex set of rules governing the federal government's procurement process. Its purpose is to ensure purchasing procedures are standard and consistent, and conducted in a fair and impartial manner. Whether you are a small business owner or the contracting official, it is important to understand FAR. The FAR is available at www.acquisition.gov/far/.
Contractors may obtain assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), who can direct you to a Small business Development Center (SBDC) in your area. SBDC provides a vast array of technical assistance to small business and aspiring entrepreneurs. Contractors may obtain additional information by visiting www.sba.gov.
Small business contractors may provide a capabilities statement to the below listed Small Business Specialist. A Capabilities statement should include the following: Company Name, Address, Contact Information, Brief Description of Supplies or Services, DUNS Number, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes, and Small Business Classification.