To assist in contracting with Woman-Owned Small Businesses, the AMCOM Office of Small Business Programs recently took Small Business Administration (SBA) Procurement Center training.

Set-asides under the Woman-Owned Small Business program are unique from other set-asides in that only requirements under certain North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes can be set-aside for WOSBs.

Section 8(m) of the Small Business Act created the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program. The WOSB Program assures that women-owned small business concerns have an equal opportunity to participate in Federal contracting and to assist agencies in achieving their women-owned small business participation goals.

In December 2015, an authority for sole source awards to WOSBs or EDWOSBs was implemented. If market research indicates that there is only one, the contracting officer may award the contract sole source to that business.

In March 2016, the SBA revised and expanded the NAICS list based on a new Department of Commerce study. Thirty-six new industries were added, six industries were removed from the program, and 27 industries changed their designation (between WOSB and EDWOSB) from the previous study.

It is important to note that all Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Businesses (EDWOSB) are Woman Owned Small Businesses (WOSB), however, not all Woman Owned Small Businesses are Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Businesses.

Those in taking advantage of this program should contact the Office of Small Business Programs, in building 5303, room 3135.