Reps. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y. and Sam Graves (R-Mo.) recently praised Senate passage of the National Defense Authorization Act and amendments that clarify and simplify the process for awarding national defense contracts to small businesses.
Graves, chairman of the House Small Business Committee, and Hanna, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce, inserted amendments into the House version of the NDAA that address small business defense contracts.
“Given the opportunity, small businesses can often do excellent work for less money,” Graves said. “Our priority is to ensure the door is open so that small firms can participate. Clarifying complex subcontracting rules will help small companies navigate the procurement process. In turn, helping small businesses compete strengthens the industrial base, keeps costs down and creates jobs.”
An amendment offered by Graves aims to ensure that when competition is restricted to small businesses a larger firm is not subcontracted to complete the work. The measure clarifies discrepancies between the Small Business Act and a policy adopted by the DoD that limits how much work a prime contractor is allowed to subcontract.
“We all benefit from the innovation and savings that small businesses can bring into federal contracts,” Hanna said. “Small firms want to compete, taxpayers want efficiency and the federal government needs the work done well. This legislation is a win for all three and will lead to opportunities for small businesses to create more jobs in the United States.”
Hanna offered an amendment that creates more opportunities for small businesses by incentivizing large prime contractors to consider smaller firms for subcontracts.