NAWBO Criticizes Proposed SBA Rules on Women's Procurement Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November  4, 2008

Contact: Media Relations
800-556-2926
media@nawbo.org 

(Washington, D.C.) - The National Association of Women Business Owners® (NAWBO®)  submitted comments today to the Small Business Administration opposing the  proposed rules that were supposed to assist women-owned small businesses in  obtaining their fair share of federal contract dollars. 
 
“We are extremely disappointed  with the SBA’s ill-conceived proposed rule, which continues to do little to  help women-owned businesses after years of effort,” said Cynthia McClain-Hill,  NAWBO’s president.

“This rule must be  withdrawn to ensure that the government reaches the Congressional target of five  percent of government contracts for women-owned businesses under the set-aside  program. Currently, only three percent of federal contracts go to women-owned  businesses.”
 
While the new SBA  proposed rule will expand the number of women-owned business industry  categories eligible for set-asides from four to 31, it also only allows federal  agencies to implement the set-aside program after the agencies individually  document that they previously discriminated against women-owned businesses.
 
If implemented this rule  will mean women-owned businesses will see little if any additional share of  federal contracts.
 
NAWBO has proactively  engaged the Small Business Administration on this issue and is urging the SBA  to reconsider the proposed rule and take other actions designed to ensure women  business owners get their fair share of federal contracts.
 
As the pre-eminent national women-owned  business organization, NAWBO works to strengthen the wealth-creating capacity  of women entrepreneurs, promote economic development, transform public policy,  and propel women into economic, social, and political spheres of power  worldwide.

For  more information, contact Judi Erickson at 818.984.5080 or at media@nawbo.org.