Need To Increase Department of Energy's Efforts To Encourage Small Business Contracting

Gao ID: EMD-79-83 June 26, 1979

A review was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the Department of Energy's (DOE) efforts to encourage small business contracting in solar energy research and development.

A strong commitment to small business involvement is vital for DOE to foster greater small business participation in its procurement process. For fiscal year 1979, the overall goal for contract awards to small business is established at 15 percent of the total contract award dollars. Based on the percent of small business contract awards for fiscal year 1978, the small business procurement goal set for 1979 appears to be low. Goals are developed by a consensus of all office managers. The prime consideration of program managers in awarding contracts is technical competence of the contractor. Some program managers did not know the definition of small business and were unaware of present contractors which met the criteria. Moreover, most program managers are not using the available information system which lists and profiles small business contractors by their areas of expertise, and might help locate potential small business contractors.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: James Duffus Iii Team: General Accounting Office: Energy and Minerals Division Phone: (202) 512-7756


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