Norton Says Small Business Opportunities with Federal Government Critical In Recession (9/16/09)

Norton Says Small Business Opportunities with Federal Government Critical in Recession:

Hearing Tomorrow

WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, chair, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management will hold a hearing, "Doing Business with the Government During the ‘Great Recession': The Record and Goals for Small, Minority, and Disadvantaged Businesses," will be held tomorrow, Thursday, September 17, 1:30 p.m., 2167 Rayburn House Office Building to examine small business opportunities available with federal agencies. Norton has this oversight hearing annually to hold federal agencies accountable for contracting and subcontracting opportunities with women-owned and minority-owned businesses and other small businesses, but, she said, the hearing is especially important this year as numerous federal construction projects, particularly in the District of Columbia, get underway with stimulus funds from the American Recovery Act. "We are making a strong effort on federal opportunities for small businesses during these worst of times because the federal government opportunities are our best hope during this recession," Norton said. "The federal government, as the largest small business contractor, has a special obligation to this indispensable economic sector especially in today's economic downturn," she added.

Norton said she will work to ensure that small business opportunities will be available during this recession, particularly with several GSA construction and rehabilitation projects, and with the Architect of the Capitol, the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Art, and the Smithsonian Institute, who generate many small business opportunities. The Congresswoman, former chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, said her role as chair of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over several federal agencies provides her the opportunity to continue her work ensuring equal opportunities not only in jobs, but also in business opportunities.

Last week, the Congresswoman joined federal and local officials to break ground for the construction of the new Department of Homeland Security headquarters, the largest federal construction project since the Pentagon. The DHS project is expected to generate about 38,000 jobs during construction over almost a decade, and already has generated contract opportunities for small businesses. The first small business contracts, worth $25 million, went to minority businesses, 40 percent to D.C. minority businesses, and $5 million has just been set aside for small businesses for the pre-construction clearing.

Witnesses at the hearing will include Tamela Riggs, deputy assistant commissioner, Vendor Alliance and Acquisition, Public service, GSA; Jacob Hansen, director, Acquisition Management Division, FEMA; Stephen T. Ayers, acting Architect of the Capitol; Joel Zingeser, director, Corporate Development for Gravely Construction, who will testify on behalf of Associated General Contractors of America; Roger Mosier, vice president of facilities, the Kennedy Center; and Ray Amirian, Nastos Construction Company, District of Columbia Small Business of the Year - 2009 winner, who landed one of the first small business contracts for the DHS headquarters construction.