Nydia M. Velazquez: “Mr. Chairman, there is no question that the Federal marketplace continues to grow at record rates. Just last year, the…”

“Mr. Chairman, there is no question that the Federal marketplace continues to grow at record rates. Just last year, the Federal Government spent $417 billion on goods and services. While the government's buying power is increasing, small businesses' opportunities and access to this market is decreasing. With unfair competition and the combining of government projects, entrepreneurs are being shut out of the Federal market. Currently, the state of procurement for small businesses is one that does more to create barriers than it does to encourage participation. What we have heard time and time again is that access to government projects is out of the reach of small firms. The barriers in the way of accessing this work is clear, among them, the bundling of contracts, the lack of a strongly enforced small business contracting goal and large firms receiving contracts intended for small firms. For the past 6 years, the government has failed to meet its 23 percent small business contracting goal, costing entrepreneurs last year alone as much as $4.5 billion in lost contracting opportunities. With small businesses creating three out of every four new jobs in this country, they deserve to compete on a level playing field for government work. Small firms do not deserve to be left out of the Federal marketplace but, instead, to be given every tool needed to continue to spur economic growth.”