Department of the Interior Acquisition Policy Release (DIAPR) 2000-5

SUBJECT: Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program (SBCDP) Adjustment of Set-aside Policy

1. Purpose:

This policy release provides bureau and office contracting personnel with updated information regarding the SBCDP.

2. Effective Date:

The instructions contained in this release are applicable to solicitations issued on or after June 1, 2000, and supersede previously issued changes in the Designated Industry Group (DIG) set-aside policy (e.g., DIAPR 1999-4).

3. Expiration Date:

This policy release remains effective unless superseded or canceled.

4. Background and Explanation:

On June 2, 1999, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy and Small Business Administration issued the final policy directive and implementation plan for the SBCDP (see Attachment 1).

Continuing the policy established in the interim directive, participating agencies must monitor attainment of their small business participation goals and make adjustments in set-aside policy on an annual basis instead of quarterly. The Fiscal year 1999 report on the Department of the Interior activity within the DIGs (Attachment 2) indicates that the dollar value of awards to small business:

1. Fell below the 40 percent goal in refuse systems product/service code (PSC) S205;

2. Continued to exceed the 40 percent goal in non-nuclear repair and all construction groups;

3. Fell below the 35 percent goal in architectural and engineering (A-E) Services PSCs C119, C213, and T009;

4. Remained below the 35 percent goal in A-E services PSCs C211, C214, C216*, and C219; and

5. Rose above the 35 percent goal in A-E services PSC C121.

For your ready reference, Attachment 3 provides a full description of SIC codes and PSCs affected by set-aside policy changes.

5. Action Required:

A. Specific. Small Business set-aside policy within the Department is adjusted as follows:

Category/Code	Set-aside Adjustment
Refuse Systems PSC S205 and A-E Services PSC C119	The National Park Service (NPS) will reinstate the use of small business set-asides where possible.
A-E Services PSC C121	The Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) will stop using SB set-asides but continue using the 8(a) Program and full and open competition.
A-E Services PSC C211	NPS, the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), the National Business Center, and the Bureau of Land Management will continue using set-asides where possible.
A-E Services PSC C213	NPS and FWS will reinstate the use of set-asides.
A-E Services PSC C214	NPS will start and BOR will continue using set-asides where possible.
A-E Services PSC C216*	NPS will continue the use of set-asides
A-E Services PSC C219	BOR and NPS will start while the Geological Survey (USGS) and FWS will continue using set-asides where possible.
A-E Services PSC T009	The USGS will reinstate the use of set-asides.

B.General. Where no instructions are specified above, bureaus and offices listed above shall use full and open competition exclusively for DIG procurements estimated to exceed the "Reserve Amount for Emerging Small Businesses."

Bureaus and offices other than those listed above shall use full and open competition exclusively for all DIG procurements estimated to exceed the "Reserve Amount for Emerging Small Businesses."

Note: The Reserve Amount for A-E services continues to be $50,000. Included in Attachment 2 is a copy of our report on the Targeted Industry Categories (TICs).

Please contact Frank Gisondi, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization ((202)208-4907), if you should have any questions regarding the SBCDP.

Debra E. Sonderman, Director Office of Acquisition and Property Management

Attachments
*Because IPDS records indicate no awards were made in these codes in the reporting period, the "set-aside policy" from the previous DIAPR (1999-4) is carried over.