USAID’s Small Business Forecast: What Information is Required?

By Chris O’Donnell,  May 20, 2015. Originally referred to as the Small Business Forecast, it  is codified in the 1988 Business Opportunity Development Reform Act Title V (Contract Planning: Goal Setting and Reviews Section 501(C)). Each executive agency reporting to the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) contract actions with an aggregate value in excess of $50,000,000 in fiscal year 1988, or any succeeding fiscal year, shall prepare a forecast of expected contract opportunities or classes of contract opportunities for the next and succeeding fiscal years that small business concerns, including those owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, are capable of performing. Such forecast shall be periodically revised during such year.  To the extent such information is available, the agency forecasts shall specify:

• The approximate number of individual contract opportunities (and the number of opportunities within a class).
• The approximate dollar value, or range of dollar values, for each contract opportunity or class of contract opportunities.
• The anticipated time (by fiscal year quarter) for the issuance of a procurement request.
• The activity responsible for the award and administration of the contract.

While the Act does not specify who in the agency identifies future technical requirements, the head of each executive agency shall within 10 days of completion, furnish the forecast to the Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization; the Administrator, Small Business Administration; and small business concerns.

USAID posted the  most revised  business forecast on May 4, 2015.  On  June 3, 2015  USAID will host the first public conference call to respond to questions provided in advance. While USAID is unique in the US Government to host a conference call, there has been longstanding issues of transparency, access,  quality and quantity of expected contract opportunities.  Interested parties can register for the Call at:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1v0WWD6bX9iGEB1XmKbILiOZag1Ul5ni_n.  

To access the Call on June 3rd use Dial-in Number: 641-715-3580 and Meeting ID: 488-092-565. The announcement does not mention who at USAID will respond to questions or whether mission representatives will participate–with 75 percent of USAID procurements solicited by missions. USAID will post questions and its responses on the USAID web site. 

Learn more about how to analyze the USAID Business Forecast, register for the course:   Winning USAID Awards (Grants and Contracts) at https://developmentessentials