[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 13, 1996)] [Notices] [Pages 10350-10351] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-5908] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION Change in Solicitation Procedures Under the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program AGENCY: Office Acquisition Policy, GSA. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Title VII of the ``Business Opportunity Development Reform Act of 1988'' (Pub. L. 100-656) established the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program and designated nine (9) agencies, including GSA, to conduct the program over a four (4) year period from January 1, 1989 to December 31, 1992. The Small Business Opportunity Enhancement Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-366) extended the demonstration program until September 1996 and made certain changes in the procedures for operation of the demonstration program. The law designated four (4) industry groups for testing whether the competitive capabilities of the specified industry groups will enable them to successfully compete on an unrestricted basis. The four (4) industry groups are: construction (except dredging); architectural and engineering (A&E) services (including surveying and mapping); refuse systems and related services (limited to trash/garbage collection); and non-nuclear ship repair. Under the program, when a participating agency misses its small business participation goal, restricted competition is reinstituted only for those contracting activities that failed to attain the goal. The small business goal is 40 percent of the total contract dollars awarded for construction, trash/garbage collection services, and non- nuclear ship repair and 35 percent of the total contract dollars awarded for architect-engineer services. This notice announces modifications to GSA's solicitation practices under the demonstration program based on a review of the agency's performance during the period from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 1995. Modifications to solicitation practices are outlined in the Supplementary Information section below and apply to solicitations issued on or after April 1, 1996. EFFECTIVE DATE: April 1, 1996. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Wisnowski, Office of GSA Acquisition Policy, (202) 501-1224. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Procurements of construction or trash/ garbage collection with an estimated value of $25,000 or less will be reserved for emerging small business concerns in accordance with the procedures outlined in the interim policy directive issued by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (58 FR 13513, March 11, 1993). Procurements of construction or trash/garbage collection with an estimated value that exceeds $25,000 by GSA contracting activities will be made in accordance with the following procedures: Construction Services in Groups 15, 16, and 17 Procurements for all construction services (except solicitations issued by GSA contracting activities in Regions 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 in SIC Group 15, shall be conducted on an unrestricted basis. Procurements for construction services in SIC Group 15 issued by GSA contracting activities in Regions 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 shall be set aside for small business when there is a reasonable expectation of obtaining competition from two or more small businesses. If no expectation exists, the procurements will be conducted on an unrestricted basis. Region 3 encompasses the states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, Maryland (except Montgomery and Prince Georges counties), and Virginia (except the city of Alexandria and the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William). Region 4 encompasses the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Region 5 encompasses the states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Region 6 encompasses the states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Region 8 encompasses the states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Region 9 encompasses the states of Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada. Trash/Garbage Collection Services in PSC S205 Procurements for trash/garbage collection services in PSC S205 will be conducted on an unrestricted basis. Architect-Engineer Services (all PSC Codes Under the Demonstration Program) Procurements for all architect-engineer services (except procurements issued by contracting activities in GSA Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and the National Capital Region) shall be conducted on an unrestricted basis. Procurements for architect-engineer services issued by contracting activities [[Page 10351]] in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and the National Capital Region shall be set aside for small business when there is a reasonable expectation of obtaining competition from two or more small businesses. If no expectation exists, the procurements may be conducted on an unrestricted basis. Region 2 encompasses the states of New Jersey, New York, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Region 3 encompasses the states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, Maryland (except Montgomery and Prince Georges counties), and Virginia (except the city of Alexandria and the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William). Region 4 encompasses the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Region 5 encompasses the states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Region 9 encompasses the states of Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada. The National Capital Region encompasses the District of Columbia, Montgomery and Prince Georges counties in Maryland, and the city of Alexandria and the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William in Virginia. Non-nuclear ship repair GSA does not procure non-nuclear ship repairs. Dated: February 27, 1996. Ida M. Ustad, Deputy Associate Administrator for Acquisition Policy. [FR Doc. 96-5908 Filed 3-12-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6820-61-M