Per Hog's article: "Prime contract awards during fiscal 2003 to U.S. small business concerns totaled $42.0 billion, compared with $33.3 billion for 2002. Defense awards to all U.S. business firms totaled $187.5 billion during 2003, compared with $157.1 billion during 2002. Of the $187.5 billion awarded by the DoD to all U.S. business concerns during 2003, 22.4% of the awards were made to small business concerns, versus 21.2% in fiscal 2002. The increase is attributed to greater small business participation in acquisitions related to ships, services, construction, commercial items, and other major hard goods."
Thanks for the link, Hog.
Problem with this, is that the % of $$$ awards may be increasing (although I don't understand how, if budgets are being cut to the bone almost everywhere) but the number of small business subcontractors are DECREASING. Thus, resulting in a theoretically larger pie with fewer particpants.
In regards to DoD contractors, most of the Top 500 only have 1 or 2 vendors (small businesses) that can supply a particular commodity. In the past, LARGE numbers of vendors would bid for the opportunity to participate--no more. Corporations have supposedly streamlined the open market system by selecting only a few vendors in order to save money. This is the corporate "template" that dubya is trying to model the Government after. Problem is that government buyers are now paying 40-70% MORE than they did before, when bidding was open to all. Despite what brother DCCRENS(?) says, the mentoring program is also nominal or non-existant with most corporations.
What this means, Hog, is that there may be more paper profits but fewer small businesses partaking of these supposed moneys/contracts.
blood
