Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business (EDWOSB)

Sole-Source Contracting

On October 7, 2010, the U.S. Small Business Administration published a final rule effective February 4, 2011, aimed at expanding federal contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses (WOSBs). The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program authorizes contracting officers to set aside certain federal contracts for eligible:

Women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) or
Economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs)

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 19.1505(b) and (c) describes the EDWOSB procurement program as follows:

1. EDWOSB Business Requirements
At the time GCorp Consulting submits its offer, it must:

• Be 51% unconditionally and directly owned and controlled by an economically disadvantaged woman.
• Be a small business concern under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to the procurement.
• Meet the requirements in 19.102(f) of the FAR

2. EDWOSB Sole-Source Requirements
The Contracting Officer must ensure that:

• Two or more EDWOSBs are not reasonably expected to submit offers*
• Insert the clause 52.219-29, Notice of Total Set Aside for Economically Disadvantaged Woman owned Small Business (EDWOSB) concerns.
• Award can be made at a fair and reasonable price**

*If the Contracting Officer has reasonable expectation that offers will be received from two or more EDWOSBs, then the Contracting Officer can set-aside the procurement to restrict the acquisition to EDWOSBs. If the contracting officer receives only one acceptable offer in response to a set-aside, the contracting officer should make an award to that EDWOSB.

**Fair and reasonable pricing is outlined in Subpart 15.4 of the FAR.

Section 1697 (became effective January 2, 2013) of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2013, Public Law 112-239 amended section 8(m) of the Small Business Act, (15 U.S.C 637(m)) by removing the dollar limitations for set asides to an EDWOSB or WOSB eligible under the Small Business Administration’s Woman owned Small Business Federal contract Program. SBA issued its interim final rule on May 07, 2013, at 78 FR 26504, conforming SBA regulations to section 1697, by revising 13 C.F.R. 127.503(a)(2) and 127.503(b)(2).

The Point of Contact is Alba Graham at 619-862-7835
Alba.graham@gcorp.info
Or email contracts@gcorp.info