Sole-Source Contracts for Small Businesses (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Dec. 17, 2024 |
| Report Number |
IF12853 |
| Report Type |
In Focus |
| Authors |
R. Corinne Blackford |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Provisions of the Small Business Act authorize (and, in
some cases, require) federal agencies to provide small
businesses a preference when making a contract award.
Preferences for small business contractors may take the
form of contract set-asides, which may limit the
competition for an award to small firms, or sole-source
awards, which are contracts made to a firm without
competition from other firms. Agencies may make solesource awards to small businesses under some
circumstances, subject to limits on the value of such
awards.
This In Focus provides an overview of sole-source contracts
for small businesses. For more information about contract
set-asides for small businesses, see CRS In Focus IF12852,
Federal Contract Set-Asides for Small Businesses. For
detailed information on small business contracting policies
and contracting programs for certain types of small business
owners, see CRS Report R45576, An Overview of Small
Business Contracting.
