SBA’s Procurement Center Representatives (PCRs) assist small businesses in obtaining federal contracts through six Area Offices across the US and its territories.  See our map to find a PCR in your area.

What you Need to Know as a Small Business

PCRs view many acquisition and procurement strategies before they are announced. This enables them to influence opportunities that should be set-aside for small business concerns including all socio-economic categories of 8(a) (Small Disadvantaged Businesses), Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB), Economically Disadvantaged WOSB (EDWOSB), Service-connected Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDV), and Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) small businesses. As a result of this privilege they fall under the Procurement Integrity Act (PIA) and cannot divulge pre-solicitation information.

Among other activities, PCRs increase the small business share of federal procurement awards by:
Initiating small business concern category set-asides;

• Conducting market research for small business sources to assist Federal buying activities;
• Assisting small business concerns with contracting issues or payment issues;
• Counseling small firms on understanding the Federal contracting process;
• Advocating for the breakout of items previously acquired under full and open competition to be set-aside for small business concerns.

What you Need to Know as a Contracting Officer

PCRs are there to help you and your agency meet your small business goals.  PCRs should be invited into your acquisition strategy at the onset to help determine a small business’s capability to perform. In addition PCRs:

• Have access to the Head of the Contracting Activity (HCA);
• Have full access to all documents regarding an acquisition;
• Like you, are covered under the provisions of the Procurement Integrity Act (PIA);
• Can provide education on small business regulations and tools to facilitate your market research;
• May not be at your activity but can be available virtually;
• Recommend requirements to be set-aside for all Small Business Concern categories;
• Review and determine acceptability of proposed large prime contractor subcontracting plans for small business goals and options;
• Have Congressional authority to appeal and suspend your acquisition if market research identifies case for set-aside (Form 70).

PCRs promote collaborative acquisition strategies and professionally provide training, outreach, and research. To receive additional information on the roles and responsibilities of the PCR see Far 19.402.

To find the PCR in your area click here.