John H. Glenn Research Center

Items of Interest That May Enhance Your Business Opportunities!

Conference News:

• GRC Outreach and Inreach Activities:
  GRC supports over a dozen outreach events each year such as small business expos and conferences which are typically sponsored by local business groups like chambers of commerce, as well as non-profit organizations, local governments, State and Federal agencies, and area Procurement Technical Assistance Centers. In addition, GRC occasionally hosts Small Business Forums in conjunction with Industry Day presentations on major procurements.  GRC's last Forum was held in 2006 in conjunction with an Industry Day held for large and small businesses to support NASA's Constellation program and to specifically advise businesses on what GRC's roles and potential contract opportunities will be.  Information on the 2006 event, including pictures and presentation charts, is available at http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/Procure/Industry_Day.html

•  JPL/NASA Annual High-Tech Small Business Conference: 
  This is NASA’s largest conference and “trade show” which has seen attendance ranging between 1,000 to 1,600 representatives from government, small and large businesses.  The next annual event is expected to be held around early March 2008.  This conference is held annually around this same time in the Los Angeles area.  For more information on this conference, visit http://acquisition.jpl.nasa.gov/boo.

• NASA Semi-Annual Science Forum for Small Business:
  The Science Forums are held twice a year --- once at our Goddard Space Flight Center and the other at our Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). For more information on these, please visit: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/codek/semi-annual-sci-forum.htm.

Regulatory News:

Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS)

The Government has implemented the new electronic Subcontract Reporting System (eSRS).   As a civilian agency, NASA was in the first wave of agency participants.   (DOD will become a participant in eSRS later.)   Using the system is now mandatory for all prime contractors with subcontracting plans who report to NASA as well as other civilian agencies.   Its use is also required by subcontractors reporting to their prime contractors.   This system replaces the requirement to submit paper forms SF294 and SF295 to contracting offices and Agency Headquarters respectively.   The “old” SF294 is now known as the Individual Subcontracting Report (ISR) and the “old” SF295 is now known as the Summary Subcontracting Report (SSR).   The ISR and SSR are imbedded with eSRS.   Prime and subcontractors may obtain more information about eSRS at www.esrs.gov.   Registration to gain access to the system is also available at this site.

Recognizing that there are currently some data entry challenges with this new system, which is not unusual for many new systems, we would like to convey a few points that contractors may find useful:  

ü      Make sure the contracting agency’s, e.g., GRC, prime contract number is on the report, i.e., the ISR.  (This number also goes on multi-tiered subcontractors' reports.)   If you have a problem finding a GRC contract number on the eSRS drop-down menu, please call GRC’s Annie Schaft at 216-433-2249 or email her at Ann.E.Schaft@nasa.gov and she will try to help you identify it by the way it is listed in FPDS-NG.   (For contracts with other NASA centers or contracting activities, you must contact that activity directly.)   Also, contractors must make sure their activity's DUNS number is on the report.   If you have a problem in ascertaining the correct DUNS number that was used for a specific contract that is being reported on, Ms. Schaft may be able to help you with those GRC contracts as well.  

ü      On the bottom of your ISR’s (Block 8), please make sure to include the email address of the GRC contracting officer you are dealing with.  If you do not know your contracting officer's name or email address, please contact GRC’s Small Business Officer.   Also, include his email address, Carl.L.Silski@grc.nasa.gov, in the block.  

ü      As you input your goals and record actual's, please keep in mind that NASA is very interested in your progress as it pertains to total contract value.   So, please make sure to also address those columns when the ISR's are completed.  

Video conference training on eSRS (via one's desktop computer) is occasionally offered by the SBA.   Check the eSRS website (www.esrs.gov) for training schedules.  

 

Central Contractor Registration and Dynamic Small Business Search (formerly Pro-Net):
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Department of Defense (DOD), the Office of Management and Budget and the General Services Administration have taken steps to simplify the federal contracting process by creating an integrated database of small businesses that want to do business with the government.  The integration is a combination of SBA's "old" PRO-Net and DOD's Central Contractor Registration (CCR) databases.  It has resulted in the creation of one portal for entering and searching small business sources. This integration assists small businesses with marketing their goods and services to the federal government.

Contractors are now required to be registered in the CCR database if they want to be awarded a NASA contract as well as any other Federal contract.   CCR also collects information needed for electronic funds transfer (EFT) - a paperless way the Government pays its vendors and contractors.  Firms are required to complete a one-time registration process that provides basic information relative to procurement and financial transactions.  However, registration must be renewed and updated annually.  When registered in CCR, contractors will receive a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code.  If your firm is not yet registered in CCR, we suggest you visit http://www.ccr.gov/ for more information and registration.  You may also call the CCR Assistance Center at 888-277-2423 or 616-961-4725.

If, in your CCR registration or update, you want your firm to have more visibility to Government procurement personnel and prime contractors, you should take advantage of the optional data you can supply that will be reflected in the Dynamic Small Business Search data base. Instructions are provided in the registration web site.

Vendor Payments by Direct Deposit:  Federal agencies like NASA are now required to pay invoices using electronic funds transfer.  The Government now uses the Automated Clearing House (ACH) method more commonly referred to as "Direct Deposit."  Until NASA GRC's vendor payment system is fully integrated with the CCR data base (as discussed above) contractors still need to have a TFS Form 3881 on file with GRC in order to receive payment for sales (via contracts, purchase orders or delivery orders) made to GRC!  If you do not have one on file, you may contact the GRC ACH Coordinator at 216-433-6828.  Also, make sure your CCR data is updated with current information.

Veteran-owned Small Businesses:  Passed into law August 1999, veterans and service-disabled veterans who have their own businesses will be given added opportunities for winning Federal Government contract awards.   More information on this evolving opportunity can be found at: http://www.sba.gov/VETS/    In addition, in February 2001, the Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) opened with the express purpose of promoting business opportunities for veterans and service-disabled veterans.  More information on their services and networks of opportunities can be found at  http://www.vetbiz.gov or you may call 202-565-8336 or toll-free 866-584-2344.  In addition, the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003 was passed and signed into law December 16, 2003, and, among other things, provides for sole source and set-aside competitive procurements for service-disabled veterans.

SDB Certification:  Are you a small disadvantaged business?   If you are, don’t delay in getting your firm certified!   Certification may provide you a competitive benefit.  SDB’s must get certified through the SBA.   If you have not yet started the process, you should.   You can obtain more information on this through your MED staff at your district SBA office, or you may go to: http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/sdb/   If you are an 8(a) contractor, you are automatically considered certified.  SDB certifications are normally valid for 3 years.   Certified SDB's should in a timely manner apply for recertification prior to their expiration date in order to maintain their SDB status without interruption.  If the SBA receives your application for recertification in a timely manner, your firm can continue as an SDB.   However, if you do not submit a timely application for recertification, then your firm’s SDB status may no longer be valid.

HUB Zone Companies:  Are you certified as a HUB Zone company?   If your company is located in one of the many HUB Zones across the country, there are some special benefits for you.   For more information on this, go to: http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/hubzone/.

Miscellaneous Items of Interest:

Re-Launched Site of Business.gov: In late 2006, the SBA updated its Business.gov website to provide small businesses a central resource for the data they need to stay current on government regulations, including information on taxes, environmental regulations, and office safety requirements. Responding to feedback from its business community users, the site has developed a tool that helps businesses determine their license and permit requirements. The site, at www.business.gov , also has expanded the content and context of the information contained in its Compliance Guides and developed relationships with other government and non-governmental organizations to provide more in-depth compliance resources.

Business.gov's new “Permit Me” feature provides a single source for obtaining federal, state, and local permits and professional licenses for businesses. While every business in the United States is required to obtain a permit, professional license, or identification number to operate, finding the right license can be a major challenge for potential business owners. Although some states offer assistance to help individuals understand their local permit and license requirements, not all provide federal information.

This information gap results in an additional burden to business owners as they must locate, research and understand federal, state, and local government resources separately and then compile the information to gain a comprehensive understanding of their regulatory requirements. “Permit Me” allows businesses to navigate to a single destination and presents a list of licensing and permit resources across all the federal, state and local domains.

Business.gov has also added “Feature Topics” that focus on common business concerns and that will be continually updated on a timely basis. Featured Topics provide context to the compliance information provided on the site and help business owners understand in plain language the regulatory requirements their businesses face. Regulatory information is typically written from the individual agency’s perspective and can fail to adequately explain the impact of the requirement on business operations or the steps required to comply. The failure to develop compliance assistance information that addresses the practical concerns of the business community adds to business’ owners compliance problems.

The Content Partners Program has been established to formalize relationships with government agencies, trade associations and professional organizations to develop compliance assistance tools and resources for small and medium-sized businesses. Content Partners will provide domain specific compliance information to Business.gov ultimately to develop compliance resources that will be featured on the site’s Featured Topics and Compliance Guides pages.

Business.gov is managed by the SBA in partnership with 21 other federal agencies and is part of the President’s Management Agenda. Originally launched in 2004, the Web site provided information on starting, growing, and managing a small business. The re-launched compliance site is designed to better meet the needs of the business community, based on feedback from test groups

Assistance (Free) Is Always Available to You:  Any business that may be having difficulty penetrating the government market or understanding the government procurement culture can get assistance very readily – much of it  free of charge -- by contacting their nearest Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC).   They are located all over the country and often are identified by different names depending upon the State.   Most of the PTAC’s provide similar services such as procurement counseling, daily automated bid-matching, product buy history, assistance with bid preparation and review, training, use of extensive resource libraries, and post-contract award assistance.   Some will even assist you with electronic commerce.   To find out more about PTAC’s and to find the nearest one to you, visit: http://www.sellingtothegovernment.net/.  For those looking for more broad assistance, SBA’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) program may be another fine source of help.   SBDC’s offer one-stop assistance to small businesses by providing a wide variety of information and guidance in central and easily accessible branch locations.   The SBDC program is a cooperative effort of the private sector, the educational community, and federal, state and local governments.   The program enhances economic development by providing small businesses with management and technical assistance.   There are now 58 SBDC’s -- one in every state (Texas has four), the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands -- with a network of nearly 1,000 service locations.   The SBDC program is designed to deliver up-to-date counseling, training and technical assistance in all aspects of small business management.   SBDC services include, but are not limited to, assisting small businesses with financial, marketing, production, organization, engineering and technical problems and feasibility studies.   Special SBDC programs and economic development activities include international trade assistance, technical assistance, procurement assistance, venture capital formation and rural development.   The SBDC’s also make special efforts to reach minority members of socially and economically disadvantaged groups, veterans, women and the disabled.   More information on SBDC’s, including locations, can be found at http://www.sba.gov/aboutsbaprograms/sbc/index.html

Small Manufacturers  --  A Special Assistance Program for You!: In an attempt to create and support a national base of small, cutting-edge manufacturers that are geographically dispersed throughout the 50 states, the Air Force had created the Manufacturing Technical Assistance Pilot Program (MTAPP).   While this program was created for small business manufacturers which support DOD programs, it was also open to firms which support the Federal Government’s civilian agencies, especially those supporting the aerospace industry.   About one-fourth of this congressionally funded program’s applicants were accepted into the program.   The program is not intended for start-up firms.   Information on this pilot program is available at http://www.selltoairforce.org/Programs/mtapp/index.asp

NASA's Small Business Awards Program: The Small Business Awards Program is currently undergoing revisions. It is being expanded from its prior structure to becoming a more inclusive program. Current plans envision each NASA center conferring awards for Small Business of the Year, Large Business of the Year, and Small Business Subcontractor of the Year. Center award winners will be eligible to become an Agency-level winner for those same respective categories. The new program will not be activated until new processes and criteria are established. Further details will be provided at http://www.osbp.nasa.gov/award.html

Subcontract Reporting: If you are a prime contractor with a subcontracting plan in your contract, this is a reminder that you must have your semi-annual reports in by April 30 and October 31 of each year.   You must now use the Federal-wide Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS) for all your reports.   More information about this system is provided under "Regulatory News."  For your GRC contract-specific questions, you may call the GRC Small Business Office, Carl Silski at 216-433-2786 for more guidance.   For questions on your Agency-wide summary reports, you may contact  Donna Sprinkle at 202-358-0467 or e-mail her at dsprinkl@hq.nasa.gov .    

Commercial Technology Transfer Opportunities: In pursuing its aerospace related research, GRC has developed a broad range of technologies that have found application in industry sectors well beyond the aerospace community.   U.S. companies and entrepreneurs are encouraged to review these technologies by contacting the GRC Technology Transfer and Partnership Office for further information on them.   Companies may want to explore initiating partnerships with GRC to utilize these technologies in their own industries.   For further information, visit http://technology.grc.nasa.gov/.

GRC’s Socioeconomic Goals for FY 2008:

In an effort to keep the public informed about our commitment to small business, and in respect of former-President Clinton’s wishes of October 6, 2000, GRC is pleased to publicize its socioeconomic prime contract award goals for FY 2008: