White House Interagency Task Force on Federal Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses

June 10, 2010- The U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (DOT/OSDBU) is pleased to announce that DOT has joined the Executive Committee of the White House Interagency Task Force on Federal Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses.  OSDBU has been tapped to represent DOT.  The Task Force was created as a result of the President’s Memorandum dated April 26, 2010, and whose mission is to coordinate the efforts of Federal agencies to improve capital, business development opportunities, and pre-established Federal contracting goals for small business concerns.

This announcement is part of an ongoing effort to improve coordination between Federal agencies that provide contracting opportunities and technical assistance to small businesses.  President Obama and Secretary LaHood have made small businesses the cornerstone of the nation’s economic recovery, and DOT continues to take the lead in promoting the opportunities and necessary resources to get the job done. 

The initial meeting was held in the Roosevelt Room of the White House and was  Chaired by the Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke; Administrator Karen Mills of the Small Business Administration; and Peter Orszak, Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

OSDBU Director Brandon Neal will co-chair, along with Ginger Lew of the White House National Economic Council, a working group entitled “Enabling Small Business Contracting through Training, Outreach, Bonding, Access to Capital.”  The working group will move forward to ensure that small businesses, including firms owned by women, minorities, socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and service-disabled veterans, have fair access to Federal contracting.  The group will also take on challenges that include building small businesses capacity though better outreach and training. 

“This Task Force will allow small business issues to command the attention they deserve and reach the key decision makers in each agency.  We are very excited to be part of the Executive Committee as well as the working group responsible for making sure social and economically disadvantaged individuals receive their fair share of contracting dollars,” remarked Director Neal.

For the full content of the presidential memorandum, please visit: http://osdbu.dot.gov/documents/2010-10174.pdf