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Government must help women-owned firms break into contracting market

July 25, 2012 /

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Bear Paw Development Corporation is a private non-profit organization created for the purpose of administering programs to help improve regional economic conditions in Hill, Blaine, Liberty, Chouteau and Phillips Counties and the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy's Indian Reservations.

One of the greatest historical challenges faced by women business owners, large and small, is access to the federal marketplace.

In February 2011, a woman-owned small business (WOSB) set-aside program was launched, validating the obstacles that women-owned small businesses have faced in getting access to contracting opportunities. However, with every opportunity comes challenges.

In the case of the WOSB set-aside program, one challenge is that because of budget shortfalls in the federal government, there have been limited resources for training the younger, less experienced federal acquisition workforce. That lack of experience coupled with limited training opportunities creates a contracting workforce that is more risk-adverse and less likely to consider new set-aside solutions.

By Doña Storey

Full Story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-small-business/post/opinion-government-must-help-women-owned-firms-break-into-contracting-market/2012/07/23/gJQANBCX4W_blog.html