Small and Small-Disadvantaged Business Subcontracting
The policy of the Office of Sponsored Programs and The Ohio State University is to promote the procurement of goods and services from small, small-disadvantaged, woman-owned, veteran-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, Historically underutilized business zones (HUBZone), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBC/U), Alaskan Native Corporations and vendors located in Labor Surplus areas whenever possible. It is the responsibility of both the PI and the Grants Shared Services Center (GSSC) to direct purchases toward these types of businesses.
Additionally, as amended in FAR Part 19, Public Law 95-507 requires implementation of a subcontracting plan with established goals for expenditures to small and small-disadvantaged businesses for all federally sponsored contracts in excess of $900,000 ($2 million for construction). The Business Opportunity Development Reform Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-656) requires that a prime contractor pay liquidated damages upon a finding of lack of good-faith effort to meet its small business subcontracting goals. The liquidated damages will be assessed at the actual dollar amount by which the contractor failed to achieve each subcontract goal. The government also has authority to impose other penalties such as cancellation of the contract award. Any monetary penalty will be assessed to the PI’s department.
Subcontracting plans for small businesses, as required for proposals/awards, should be developed jointly between the Sponsored Program Officer, the PI, and the GSSC’s Small Business Liaison Officer (SBLO). This plan should identify anticipated contracts and the identified suppliers who will help satisfy the small business plan’s goals in the various small business socioeconomic/government contracting groups. After the award, the GSSC will screen requisitions to ensure the contracts are following the established Small Business Plan and identify alternative suppliers if necessary to help meet the various small business contracting goals. The SBLO will administer the subcontracting plan, and submit reports, as required, to the sponsoring agency or to the U.S. Small Business Administration. PIs and departments with subcontracting plans are responsible for effectively implementing the approved Small Business Subcontracting Plan. This includes achieving program goals and taking all reasonable action to increase small business participation in their project’s purchases.
Directories
Purchasing maintains directories and other source information on small, small-disadvantaged, woman-owned, veteran-owned businesses, and vendors located in Hub Zones, “Historically Underutilized Business Zones,” to assist principal investigators in locating such businesses. For assistance in locating small and disadvantaged businesses to meet your subcontracting needs you can visit the following sites or contact the GSSC Small Business Liaison Officer directly at OR-OSPSourcing@osu.edu.
Vendor Registration
All vendors contracting or selling goods and services to sponsored projects must have completed or have on file in Purchasing, a Vendor Profile/Business Status Certification/Registration Form PR-015 prior to issuance of any purchase order or subcontract. Individuals who are not licensed merchants or do not have a Federal Tax Identification Number are not permitted to receive purchase orders.
Debarment
Pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) section 9.4, any vendor/contractor who is debarred from receiving federal procurements or is shown in the “List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement or Non-procurement Programs” may not contract with the Office of Sponsored Programs.