As previously mentioned, when the proposed goals are received from the Federal departments and agencies, the Office of Government Contracting is responsible for reviewing the proposed goals to determine if the agency has submitted a reasonable goal. If it is determined that a goal should be increased, the agency is contacted to negotiate a new goal.
The negotiations are not complete with any Federal department or agency until it is determined that the statutorily mandated goals are established. If the Goaling Program Manager at SBA and the agency cannot agree, the Goaling Manager can request that the Associate Administrator for Government Contracting (AA/GC) become involved in the negotiations. The Goaling Manager prepares the AA/GC background information explaining the reasoning as to why that agency goal has been rejected. The AA/GC reviews the background information and may request a meeting with an agency, issue a letter, or both. If this is unsuccessful, then the AA/GC can request that the Associate Deputy Administrator for Government Contracting and Minority Enterprise Development (ADA/GC&MED) become involved in the negotiations.
The ADA/GC&MED can request a meeting with an agency, issue a letter, or both. If this is unsuccessful and a goal has not been established for an agency, the ADA/GC&MED can request that the Administrator of SBA become involved in the negotiations. The Administrator can either contact the agency head or issue a letter to the agency head notifying them that SBA is forwarding the matter to the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) at OMB for their determination of a reasonable goal. In accordance with the Small Business Act 15(g), whenever SBA and the head of any Federal agency fail to agree on established goals, the disagreement shall be submitted to the Administrator of OFPP for final determination.
Once the goals are established a letter is then prepared for the signature of the Associate Administrator of Government Contracting (as delegated by the SBA Administrator) to each agency head accepting agency goals. Agencies are informed in this letter that achievements will be measured against the accepted goals.
Information courtesy of the Small Business Administration.
