For the first time, the White House’s online Small Business Dashboard dynamic database is showing that a record 25% of eligible U.S. government contracts were awarded to small businesses in a fiscal year.       That amount surpasses the government’s 23% goal, which was met in fiscal 2013 for the first time in eight years. If the dashboard’s 25% small business participation figure for fiscal 2014 is upheld in official tallies it would be a historic first.

The dashboard has the latest current data, which is considered unofficial and may be updated at any time. Since fiscal year 2014 ended more than six months ago, additional data is unlikely to change the figures substantially.  As of May 13, the dashboard showed 25.05% of eligible federal contracts were awarded to small businesses in fiscal 2014. The dashboard initially reached the 23% goal several months ago, and climbed over 25% several weeks ago.

The Small Business Administration compiles a snapshot of official data for public release in its annual Small Business Procurement Scorecard. SBA officials recently said they are preparing to release the scorecard for fiscal 2014 within weeks.  The dashboard, as of May 13, indicated that total small business awards rose to $92 billion in fiscal 2014, up from 83.7 billion the year before.

The percentage of awards, and the total value of awards, going to disadvantaged small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses also are likely to meet their goals of 5% and 3%, respectively, for fiscal 2014, based on the dashboard figures.  The dashboard showed 9.52% for small disadvantaged firms, up from 8.58% the year before, and showed 3.67% for the disabled veteran-owned firms, up from 3.39%, as of May 13.

The dollar value of the awards rose from $30.6 billion to $35 billion for the small disadvantaged vendors.  The value increased from $12 million to $13.5 million for the disabled veterans.

Women-owned small firms and HUBZone firms also saw rising percentages and awards, but not enough to meet the goals, according to the dashboard.

The women-owned firms won 4.68% of eligible contracts, up from 4.34% in fiscal 2013, the dashboard said as of May 13. The goal is 5%. Total dollars going to those firms went up from $15.5 billion to $17.2 billion.

HUBZone firm contracts increased to 1.82%, up from 1.75%, but that did not achieve the 3% goal, the dashboard showed.

More information: http://smallbusiness.data.gov/

(This story originally was published in the May 1, 2015 edition of Set-Aside Alert. It has been updated.)