Small business contracting

[ProSense]

The feds are abusing small businesses

By Harry C. Alford, NNPA Columnist
December 18, 2006 talkback

Snip...

Here's an example from one of our businesses: "I had acquired an $8 million contract with the Immigration & Nationalization Service. After approximately 8 months, I discovered that the INS was diverting my contract to non-minority contractors claiming to be Minority Disadvantaged Businesses. On January 7, 1997, I sent a letter to the Office of the Inspector General for the SBA, INS and Justice Department stating that several large white firms misrepresented themselves as being small and disadvantaged businesses in order to obtain contracts set-aside for my firm. On August 7, 1997, the Justice Department OIG issued a Report confirming my allegations."

Yes, another confirmation of abuse but once again not a darn thing was done about it. It appears here that the government agencies, SBA and INS, must be in on the corruption. They report the false numbers as minority and when the sham is exposed they turn and walk away. DO NOT BELIEVE A MINORITY BUSINESS PARTICIPATION REPORT FROM ANY FEDERAL AGENCY UNTIL THE ABOVE IS CLEANED UP.

There was a time when the Office of Inspector General for each agency was the "Sheriff" who would come and investigate any claim of fraud and/or abuse. But now the Sheriff has left town. In fact, the new Administrator of the General Services Administration has admonished the GSA IG as being too aggressive and is attempting to cut his funding by $5 million that would lessen his effectiveness. Wrong has become right and honest, sincere minority businesses are being shown the door in a formal, systematic way.

When the new 110th Congress starts in January, I will be asking the new chairs of the Senate and Congressional Small Business Committees, Sen. John Kerry and Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez, to confront this awful situation. The federal government's procurement system is as corrupt now as it has ever been. Minority businesses have been squeezed out and are doing probably less that the levels of 1960. We just don't know because no one has accurate numbers.

more...

[blm]

1. Small business concerns and GOVT. CORRUPTION - he's going to the right guy - JK.

GD or GD-P, please.

[fedupinBushcountry]

2. You can say that again

Hi, BLM. :hi: