Sen. Casey introduces bill to support small businesses through federal subcontracts

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced legislation this week that seeks to support small business development through federal subcontracts.

By serving as subcontractors, small businesses create jobs, provide specialized skills to projects, and diversify the available goods and services for government contracts.

Casey’s Ensuring Efficiency and Fairness in Federal Subcontracting Act legislation will address obstacles that prevent small businesses—particularly those that are minority, women and veteran-owned—from securing federal subcontracts.

Casey explained that small businesses face obstacles that prevent them from securing government subcontracts including unclear guidance on how subcontracts are awarded; lack of regulation to ensure contractors are giving all businesses the fair opportunity to subcontract; and limited opportunities to become aware of or exposed to subcontracting opportunities.

This legislation would improve the federal subcontracting process by making the process more transparent, penalizing contractors acting in bad faith, and increasing outreach to spread awareness of federal subcontracting opportunities.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. This bill will help to ensure that small businesses—especially women, minority, and veteran-owned businesses—can compete for federal contract opportunities on a level playing field,” Casey said. “I have always fought to support Pennsylvania’s small businesses and I will keep working to make sure that the Nation can benefit from all they have to offer.”

Casey noted that nearly 46 percent of Pennsylvania’s workforce is employed by the over 1.1 million small businesses.

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