The General Services Administration wants small businesses to get more federal contracts and just launched a new online database to help them find good opportunities.
The new Forecast of Contracting Opportunities database went live on March 15, part of the Office of Small Business Utilization's efforts to give small businesses more access to government contracts.
Beta Site: GSA Forecast of Contracting Opportunities
"The General Services Administration is constantly seeking new ways to improve communication and transparency to allow vendors, especially small enterprises, a better chance for success in doing business with the government," GSA Administrator Denise Turner Roth said in a March 15 blog post. "That is why we're excited to launch our new automated Small Business Forecast Tool. This tool focuses on acquisition planning, making vendors aware of opportunities early in the acquisition process."
Specifically, the tool enables vendors to filter small business contracting opportunities by several categories, including agency, award status, location, NAICS code and contract value.
The database currently has more than 4,800 opportunities, which is expected to grow over time.
The site is in the beta phase right now and managers are interesting in hearing feedback from users. Questions and comments can be sent to forecasthelp@gsa.gov.
GSA is also hosting a webinar on March 23 with OSBU Associate Administrator Jerome Fletcher. A link to the Google Hangout session will be posted on the OSBU Twitter account — @GSAOSBU — at 12:45 p.m. that day.
Aaron Boyd is an awarding-winning journalist currently serving as editor of Federal Times — a Washington, D.C. institution covering federal workforce and contracting for more than 50 years — and Fifth Domain — a news and information hub focused on cybersecurity and cyberwar from a civilian, military and international perspective.
