Events
The
D.C. Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Revitalization
Program staff participated in the National Community Reinvestment
Coalition's (NCRC's) Annual Conference in March, 2000. NCRC
is an association whose 670+ membership consists primarily
of Community Development Corporations and other community-based
non-profit organizations. NCRC was founded in 1990 to "harness
the collective energies of community reinvestment organizations
across the country to increase the flow of private capital
into traditionally undeserved communities." Veronica Romanov,
President of the Romanov Group and the D.C. HUBZone Revitalization
Program, served as a panel member at the Government Support
for Wealth Building Strategies Workshop and spoke about the
HUBZone Program. Download the PowerPoint presentation, The HUBZone Act and HUBZone Program Implementation,
prepared for the workshop. A listing of useful websites is
includede in the resources section.
Overview of the D.C. HUBZone Revitalization
Program
The
D.C. HUBZone Revitalization Program is an organization founded
by the Romanov Group as a result of the tremendous potential
for the economic revitalization of distressed areas of the
District that could result from the Federal HUBZone contracting
initiatives. Taking this vision from potential to reality
is the mission of the D.C. HUBZone Revitalization Program.
There
are 84 census tracts within the District of Columbia, roughly
25-30% of the District, designated as HUB (Historically Underutilized
Business) Zones. HUBZones are those areas characterized by
high unemployment and/or low income. The D.C. HUBZone Revitalization
Program's mission will be achieved by providing direct outreach
and technical assistance to businesses in the District's HUBZones.
We will identify and directly contact businesses within HUBZones
to educate them regarding the marketplace that is arising
as result of the HUBZone Act and assess their potential to
qualify for HUBZone certification. The next step will be to
assist them in completing the application process; while this
is primarily an administrative process, it will initiate the
process of educating the business as to how the Federal government
classifies their offerings.
The
next stage will be one of providing procurement technical
assistance to create a link between the HUBZone Businesses
and the Federal government and major prime contractors. The
D.C. HUBZone Revitalization program will assist the business
in defining their capabilities and experience and in preparing
communications packages. We will also provide targeted market
identification support, in essence, identifying the agencies
and prime contractors that have requirements that match the
HUBZone business' capabilities and offerings and the appropriate
procurement and program personnel that purchase such offerings.
Additionally, we can provide procurement technical assistance,
educating the HUBZone Businesses about bid and proposal preparation
processes and Federal procurement policies, practices, and
regulations.
A
secondary focus of the D.C. HUBZone Revitalization Program
is to serve as a link between the HUBZone Businesses and the
various workforce training programs currently operating. To
qualify for HUBZone Business certification, at least 35% of
a the concern's employees must reside within HUBZones. Therefore,
these businesses will have employment opportunities for workers
residing in HUBZone areas, and the workforce training programs
are preparing individuals for such employment opportunities.
However, currently there is nothing in place to link the businesses
and available workforce. The D.C. HUBZone Revitalization Program
will collect information regarding the various programs within
the District and be able to match the DC HUBZone Businesses
up with those programs that are preparing workers suited to
each business' skill requirements.
The
creators of the D.C. HUBZone Revitalization Programs bring
a unique perspective in that we have long been part of the
private sector working with small businesses, securing and
accomplishing federal contracts. In essence, we know how accomplish
work in the Federal marketplace because we've been doing it
for years, and we want to offer that knowledge to the District's
HUBZone area businesses. The Program will complement the efforts
of the other groups by focusing in the niche area of developing
HUBZone prime and subcontract business development. As a result
of the HUBZone Act, an extraordinary potential for business
development and employment opportunities has arisen. The D.C.
HUBZone Program will focus on helping District businesses
and residents realize that potential to the fullest extent
possible.
Program History
First
introduced into the Senate Committee on Small Business in
June of 1997, the HUBZone Act of 1997 was signed into law
on December 2, 1997, less than 6 months later as Public Law
105-135. The goal was to stimulate employment opportunities
and capital investment in those areas throughout the nation
where there are low-income and/or high-unemployment levels.
This is to be accomplished by mandating that the Federal agencies
award a designated percentage of Federal contracts to HUBZone
Businesses. The designated percentage in fiscal year (FY)
1999 was 1%, which equates to $2 billion. The percentage is
to increase by a 1/2 percent a year, leveling out at 3% ($6
billion) in FY 2003. This legislation was very popular with
Congress because it was viewed as a method to create jobs
for those that were transitioning into the workplace as a
result of the welfare-to-work legislation.
The
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was designated to
administer the Program. A proposed ruling was issued in April
1998 and the FAR Council Final Rule was published in December
1998. In April of 1999, a year ago, the SBA began accepting
certification applications from businesses. To become certified
as a HUBZone Business, a concern must be a small business,
it must be owned only by U.S. citizens, it's principal office
must be within a HUBZone, and 35% of the concern's employees
must reside within a HUBZone. The 35% employee residency requirement
is what makes this legislation truly unique when compared
to other contract set-aside programs in that the result will
be that at least a percentage of the earnings generated via
the Federal contracts will remain within these distressed
areas.
Resources
Following
are titles, URL's, and descriptions of some of the many websites
that provide information regarding the HUBZone Program and
Federal contracting.
Acquisition
Reform Network (ARNET) - www.arnet.gov
ARNET
is a Federal business opportunity website that can be used
to locate small business information, business opportunities,
and procurement forecasts by individual agencies. ARNET also
includes a library of the Federal Acquisition Regulations
(FAR's). FAR 19.13 details the HUBZone Program. (Note: In
addition to the 10 agencies listed in FAR 19.13, three other
agencies, Commerce, Justice and State became subject to the
Program procedures as of October 1, 1999. This change is not
yet reflected in the FAR.)
Commerce
Business Daily (CBD) - cbdnet.access.gpo.gov/
- Do not use "www."
CBD
Net is a searchable, online listing of federal procurement
opportunities published every Federal workday. While this
is the official Federal CBD listing, we find the CBD listing
on GovCon to easier to use and more useful.
Electronic
Posting System (EPS) - www.eps.gov
EPS
offers both a central government-wide index of business opportunities
and an application that allows government buyers to post notice
of procurements directly to the Internet. Features of this
program include: electronic searching of the business opportunities;
and a system to register for automatic e-mail notification
of Federal business opportunities. This is the most frequently
visited government site. The EPS and other Internet-based
systems will eventually share available databases to further
streamline the entire federal business process.
Federal
Acquisition Jumpstation - nais.nasa.gov/fedproc/home.html
- Do not use "www."
The
Federal Acquisition Jumpstation provides links to Federal
procurement and acquisition sites organized by agency. It
also provides links to the CBD, a Federal Acquisition Virtual
Library and a Procurement Reference Library.
The
Online Community for Government Contractors (GovCon) - www.govcon.com
GovCon contains a listing of current business opportunities,
including daily and archival CBD listings; Federal regulations
and standard forms; and other resources for doing business
with the government. GovCon offers subscription services to
an Active Contract Database and a Contractor Profile Database.
Procurement
Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC's) Around the U.S. - www.rcacwv.com/ptac.htm
A
list of PTAC's across the United States, offering each center's
street address, phone, fax, e-mail, website address and the
name of the Point-of-Contact. Procurement Technical Assistance
Centers serve to:
- supply
technical assistance to small businesses interested in federal,
state and local government contracting
- generate
employment and improve the general economy of a locality
by assisting business firms in obtaining and performing
under Federal, state and local government contracts
- provide
a link between the Federal government, major prime contractors,
and small businesses
- expand
the industrial base of the Federal agencies
Romanov
Group - www.romanovgroup.com
An
information technology and management consulting firm, the
Romanov Group is the founder of the D.C. HUBZone Revitalization
Program. This non-profit community development program is
leading an effort to provide technical assistance to HUBZone
businesses entering the federal contracting marketplace. Access
the HUBZone presentation prepared for the Government Support
for Wealth Building Strategies Workshop by clicking on the
D.C. HUBZone Revitalization Program link on our home page.
Small
Business Administration (SBA) - www.sba.gov
The
SBA website contains information related to starting, financing,
and expanding a small business, including a small business
classroom and access to on-line counselors. It also includes
HUBZone Program information, federal budget and New Market
data, Welfare-to-Work information, the Pro-Net database, an
online library, and other crucial small business and community
development information.
HUBZone
Empowerment Contracting Program - www.sba.gov/hubzone
SBA's
Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Zone website offers
an on-line application to the HUBZone Program, a "Find Out
if You Are in a HUBZone" link, and a library and resource
section. It also details the history of the HUBZone Empowerment
Contracting Program.
SBA's
Procurement Marketing and Access Network (Pro-Net) - pro-net.sba.gov
- Note: Do not use "www."
Pro-Net
is an Internet-based database of information on more than
171,000 small, disadvantaged, 8(a), HUBZone, and women-owned
businesses. Small business can enter and update information
at no cost. Federal and state government agencies, as well
as prime and other contractors seeking small business contractors,
subcontractors and/or partnership opportunities regularly
use this database. Businesses profiled on the Pro-Net system
can be searched by SIC codes, keywords, location, quality
certifications, business type, etc.
U.S.
Business Advisor - www.business.gov
The
U.S. Business Advisor is a one-stop electronic link to all
the information and services government provides for the business
community. The U.S. Business Advisor is maintained and funded
by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Standard
Industrial Classification (SIC) Search - www.osha.gov/oshstats/sicser.html
This page allows users to search the Standard Industrial Manual
by keyword and to access descriptive information for the 4-digit
SIC codes. This site can help businesses identify which SIC
codes apply to their service and product offerings.
SIC
and NAICS Correspondence Tables - www.census.gov/epcd/www/naicstab.htm
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
is replacing the SIC system. NAICS was developed jointly by
the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to provide new comparability
in statistics about business activity across North America.
See www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html
for more information regarding NAICS.
Thomas:
Legislative Information on the Internet - thomas.loc.gov -
Note: Do not use "www."
This
Library of Congress website provides current and archived
legislation information, including current bills in front
of the House and Senate and a search engine for archived legislation.
The HUBZone Act is incorporated in Public Law 105-135. Thomas
also contains the Congressional Record and provides Senate
and House Committee information.
Search
engines - www.ask.com, www.37.com,
www.e-how.com
Input
a search at these sites to access multiple search engines.
Ask.com is a favorite because it returns a limited number,
rather than millions of sites.
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