Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) proposes to amend its regulations to implement section 825 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (2015 NDAA). Section 825 of the 2015 NDAA included language granting contracting officers the authority to award sole source contracts to Women- Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs) and Economically Disadvantaged Women- Owned Small Businesses (EDWOSBs). Section 825 of the 2015 NDAA also changed the deadline for SBA to conduct a study to determine the industries in which WOSBs are underrepresented to January 2, 2016. As a result, SBA is proposing to amend its definitions of underrepresentation and substantial underrepresentation.