Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

The Department of the Interior's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) advises the Secretary of the Interior on all matters related to small business and collaborate with leadership throughout the Department to maximize opportunities for small businesses in our acquisitions.  The OSDBU implement's policies, procedures, and training programs for the Department to emphasize our commitment to contracting with small businesses. Our mission also includes outreach to small and disadvantaged business communities, including Indian economic enterprises, small disadvantaged, women-owned, veteran-owned, service disabled veteran owned, and small businesses located in historically underutilized business zones (HUBZone) areas.

What's New at OSDBU

The Small Business Administration Awards DOI an "A+" in Annual FY 2022 Small Business Scorecard

The Department of the Interior (DOI) earned an “A+” rating on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Small Business Procurement Scorecard released today by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Interior earned an “A” or higher rating for maximizing opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses over the last 13 years  Interior awarded more than $3.2 billion in products and services to small businesses to support its priorities during FY 2022, representing 63% of contract obligations and showing an increase in contract dollars to small businesses for the second straight year. The score card represents the Department's commitment to assisting small and disadvantaged businesses with understanding and participating in DOI contracting opportunities.

Overall, the federal government exceeded its goal of 23 percent in prime contract dollars and earned an “A” on the FY 2022 Small Business Procurement Scorecard. Ten federal agencies earned an “A+” for their agencies’ achievements in small business contracting, and an additional ten agencies received an “A” grade. As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to equity and job creation, Interior awarded more than $3.2 billion in prime contracts to small businesses in FY 2022.

• Small Disadvantaged Businesses – 38.87%
• Women-Owned Small Businesses - 13.76%
• Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses – 5.62%
• HUBZone Small Businesses – 10.19%
• Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises – 15.10%

Over the past year, Interior’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) worked with federal partners to increase small business participation, attract new vendors, and promote awareness about contracting and financial assistance opportunities.

“The DOI FY 2022 Small Business Scorecard highlights our continued and longstanding commitment to increasing access to opportunity for millions of Americans. We will continue to leverage partnerships to expand contracting opportunities and support to our nation’s small businesses, and welcome new vendors to learn more about doing business with Interior,” said Colleen Finnegan, Director of Interior’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU).

The Department of the Interior encourages small businesses to leverage the many education and training resources available to prepare them to participate in federal, state, and local government contracts. DOI’s FY 2022 scorecard can be viewed at: https://www.sba.gov/agency-scorecards/

The U.S Department of the Interior's Efforts to Increase and Attract Small Businesses

The Department of the Interior welcomed more than 200 small businesses during an Industry Day designed to promote the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This networking event included presentations and extensive discussions about Fiscal Year 2023 BIL and IRA contracting opportunities by federal program leads and procurement experts from Interior, Department of Transportation, and the Colorado APEX Accelerators.

Participants maximized opportunities during a mini marketplace to understand downstream contracting opportunities and lauded the persistent federal investments in the growth of America’s small businesses. Industry Days support Interior’s priorities by diversifying its small business vendor base through outreach and advancing efforts to achieve the Administration’s small business and socio-economic procurement goals.

"Small businesses are vital to the success of the DOI mission and the successful implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act investments,” said Colleen Finnegan, Director of Interior’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU).

Today’s successful event completes a series of Industry Days, co-sponsored by Interior, launched last year to increase small business participation, attract new vendors, and promote awareness about contracting and financial assistance opportunities. Previous events centered on contracting opportunities for Native-owned businesses and showcased the Administration’s historic investments through the American Recovery Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and Inflation Reduction Act. These engagements are building broader awareness of federal contracting opportunities and expanding economic opportunities for small businesses

“Events like this Industry Day are critically important to keeping small businesses informed and engaged on upcoming DOI procurement opportunities and growing our small business vendor base," said Finnegan.

Interior encourages all small businesses to leverage the many education and training resources available through the Department of the Interior’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and the APEX Accelerator program (formerly Procurement Technical Assistance Center) so they are prepared to participate in federal, state, and local government contracts. To learn more about doing business with Interior contact the OSDBU or visit the APEX Accelerator website at https://www.apexaccelerators.us/

DOI is Seeking Information about Small Business Vendors interested in Doing Business with DOI

A positive experience with the Department of the Interior's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) is paramount to ensuring the services and resources we provide meet the needs of small business vendors.  In 2022, the DOI OSDBU developed a Draft Small Business Vendor Journey Map. The purpose of the Journey Map is used to inform the OSDBU's continued engagement with small businesses vendors interested in Federal contracting, improve communication and capitalize new innovative methods to reaching small business vendors with the capabilities to compete on DOI acquisitions, and ensure our products/services meet the unique needs of Small Business Vendors. The Journey Map is also intended to be a tool to help small businesses find relevant DOI-specific resources that are tailored to their needs.  The Draft Small Business Vendor Journey Map is a continual work in progress, intended to be refined as more information becomes available and evolve as technology, processes, and the businesses we work with evolve. As we launch this effort, we hope you will take a moment to tell us about your business by clicking here and provide feedback on this journey map by clicking here.

Non Discrimination Notice to U.S. Department of the Interior Contractor, Subcontractors, and Lessors