Ivy Hartman: In 2000 Congress had a goal that five percent of Federal Contracts should go to Women owned businesses. And currently that goal is not being met, but we’re together with American Express Open our making strives to change all that by increasing the number of women who are registered to do business with the Federal government.
Susan Sobbott: There are only 67,000 women business owners who are registered today on the CCR which is the Federal database, and so our objective is to have at least 5,000 more. We hope we can get better than that. It is such a small number given that 10 million plus women own businesses in this country, so we’re really excited that we’re going to get lots of them to enroll on this database.
Ivy Hartman: The Central Contract the Registration database or CCR as it often referred to is the official registry of businesses that are eligible to do business with Federal agencies. By entering your small business profile data in the CCR it allows you to become part of the small business administrations that 1:23 pages known as DSCS where your business information and capabilities statements can be viewed by contracting officers, large prime contractors and the general public.
Rebecca Boenigk: So for us CCR is that there’s something that has always been part of our lives. So when we got the information from American Express about getting more women registered, we we’re already there.
Mary Schnack: So one of the reasons I never looked at Federal contracting is I figured out I was too small, but what I’ve learned because there’s also a lot of educational materials from American Express and read with this. What I’ve learned is if I could go in as a second tier supplier which means I could sub to a larger PR firm or to somebody else who needs some communications, and that would be perfect for me. And that something I never knew before this program too.
Ivy Hartman: The goal of the Give Me 5 Program is to double the number of women owned businesses who are registered. In order to make women in business stand out and be counted.
Susan Sobbott: It’s really exciting and it will help women-owned businesses get a bigger chunk of that Federal contracting budget which is $400 billion of Federal contracts. Women are getting only 3.4% that it’s absurd. There’s so much opportunity, so we’re really excited to help educate and engage and enroll with it in this program.
Ivy Hartman: Before you register you’ll need a few things including a D-U-N-S Number of Data Universal Numbering System, and you can go to their website to apply for free. You’ll also need to have your Tax ID Number and NAICS and SIC Codes to de-classify your business. You can get those codes online as well. And when you have this information you’re ready to register. Go online to www.ccr.gov. In addition to these resources there are others out there to help obtain a piece of the $400 billions on goods and services that the Federal government contracts out each year.
Federal agencies published their purchasing needs through the Federal Business Opportunities website at fedbizopps.gov or fbo.gov. You can search that site to see what contracts are available. The Federal Procurement Data System, fpds.gov is a hub of contract data and can provide the names of agencies that have a history of buying particular good and services.
The government also purchases through the General Services Administration or GSA. For more information of becoming a GSA contractor visit www.gsa.gov/schedules.
I’m Ivy Hartman reporting for SBTV.com.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services