5 Things You Need to Know About Procurement Center Representatives

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Procurement Center Representatives (PCRs) assist small businesses in obtaining federal contracts through six area offices across the U.S. and its territories. PCRs view many acquisition and procurement strategies before they are announced.

This enables them to influence opportunities that should be set-aside for small business concerns including all socio-economic categories of 8(a) (Small Disadvantaged Businesses), Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB), Economically Disadvantaged WOSB (EDWOSB), Service-connected Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDV), and Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) small businesses. As a result of this privilege they fall under the Procurement Integrity Act (PIA) and cannot divulge pre-solicitation information.

Among other efforts, PCRs increase the small business share of federal procurement awards by:

1. Initiating small business concern category set-asides; 

2. Conducting market research for small business sources to assist federal buying activities;

3. Assisting small business concerns with contracting issues or payment issues;

4. Counseling small firms on understanding the federal contracting process; 

5. Advocating for the breakout of items previously acquired under full and open competition to be set-aside for small business concerns.

See the map to find a PCR in your area.