MICC achieves historic small business goals

By Daniel P. Elkins, Mission and Installation Contracting Command Public Affairs OfficeOctober 7, 2015

MICC achieves historic small business goals
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Gabbert speaks with Mission and Installation Contracting Command small business specialists from throughout the country during a June roundtable workshop at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Gabbert is the MICC comman... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
MICC achieves historic small business goals
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Mission and Installation Contracting Command small business specialists advocate on behalf of small business interests at Army installations throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. They came together in June at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam H... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (Oct. 7, 2015) -- For the first time the Mission and Installation Contracting Command has met all five of its small business socioeconomic goals since the command was established in 2009.

In fiscal 2015, the MICC executed more than 36,000 contract actions valued at $5.2 billion in support of Soldiers and their families with approximately $2.25 billion of that being awarded to American small business in one of five socioeconomic categories.

Mark Massie, the MICC Small Business Programs associate director here, said the accomplishment is a significant one for the command and attributes the achievement to "the work and dedication of our small business specialists, contract specialists, contracting officers and supported activities."

Defense acquisition regulations provide contracting officers the discretionary authority to identify and set aside opportunities to meet annual government-wide goals required by the Small Business Act.

The MICC achieved 49.3 percent of total small business eligible dollars against an overall small-business goal of 45 percent for fiscal 2015. That included contracts executed in the four remaining small-business socioeconomic categories:

- Small disadvantaged business, $1.2 billion in awards for 27.3 percent toward a goal of 24 percent;

- Service-disabled veteran-owned small business, $521 million in awards for 11.4 percent toward a goal of 9 percent;

- Woman-owned small business, $479 million in awards for 10.5 percent toward a goal of 9 percent; and

- Historically underutilized business zone small business, $322 million in awards for 7.1 percent toward a goal of 6 percent.

"Achieving the HUBZone small business goal has been a significant challenge over the last several years as a result of a major re-mapping of HUBZone areas," explained Massie. "In fiscal 2015, full use of contract management systems helped us match capabilities with requirements early on, and we had buy-in from commanders and directors across the MICC to provide focused attention on HUBZone awards."

Implementation of the Contracting Tactical Operations Center, or CTOC, application across the MICC was completed in 2014, allowing officials to capture data for all of fiscal 2015. CTOC provides online, real-time procurement insight for members of the command.

Massie also credited the networking and communication between the command's small business specialists throughout the country who maintain a HUB-zone database and identify successes. Those successes directly benefit higher headquarters' goals.

"The MICC meeting its small business goals in all socioeconomic categories was a key component to Headquarters Army Contracting Command meeting all of its small business goals for the third year in a row," said Chris Evans, the acting assistant director for the ACC Office of Small Business Programs at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.

Evans cited the outstanding leadership of Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Gabbert, the MICC commanding general, and Massie as they continued to champion small business opportunities.

"In particular, their emphasis on meeting the HUBZone goal is greatly appreciated as this has proven to be the most difficult small business goal to achieve not only in the Army, but throughout DOD," Evans added.

Fiscal 2015 marks the third consecutive year that the MICC Small Business Programs office exceeded its overall small business goal. Massie said the continued used of contract management systems will build upon that success to reach goals in the new fiscal year.

"The establishment of realistic small business goals for fiscal 2016 will be critical. We will again measure the small business program at our 32 locations on a quarterly basis," Massie said. "We expect to continue to leverage technology and analytics to help us get involved early in supporting the small business program and ultimately the American economy."

Related Links:

Related: MICC caps fiscal 2015 with $5.2 billion in contract awards

Mission and Installation Contracting Command

Like us on Facebook

Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Gabbert

MICC Small Business Opportunities

MICC Mission Video