SBA Seeks Comment on ‘Bundling’ Plan

Small firms doing business with the federal government still have time to comment on proposed contract “bundling” rules proposed by the Small Business Administration. Contract bundling occurs when procurement officials consolidate several small purchases into a single large contract. It’s a streamlining move that’s gaining speed in Washington, but one that threatens to cut into the small-business sector’s one-third share of the $200-billion-a-year federal contracting pie.

While the SBA can’t reverse the bundling trend, it’s proposing new guidelines to allow small businesses to team up for contracts or negotiate with federal agencies for a piece of the action. The agency published those regulations in the Jan. 13 edition of Federal Register, which can be viewed online under the SBA heading at https://www.access.gpo.gov/sudocs/fedreg/a990113c.html. Or call the SBA at (202) 205-6126. Comments should be sent by March 15 to the SBA’s Office of Government Contracting, 409 3rd St. S.W., Washington, D.C. 20416.