News of Interest: Ladies, Get the Edge in Fed Contracts

Listen up WPO members! You will soon have a better chance of getting federal contracts for everything from consulting and supplies to construction and food services, thanks to new rules that give female-owned businesses an edge in the bidding process.

The Small Business Administration announced last week that it had finalized rules for its Women’s Procurement Program. This program gives female business owners access to an estimated $25 billion, 5 percent of the federal procurement budget. In some cases, it will give such businesses a slight advantage in bidding for federal contracts.

Women Impacting Public Policy is a nonpartisan group that helped bring about the changes. It has taken more than a decade to implement the program since Congress approved it in 2000, and the federal government hasn’t met its own goals for contracting with female-owned firms.

Read more here.  While you are at it, check out this piece which covers some good government contract advice (healthy dose of reality).

And please let us know when you land your first contract.  We want to report out to the Feds that this is working!