Contact:
Tiffani Clements (202) 401-0035
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration and U.S. General Services Administration’s Integrated Acquisition Environment Program Management Office today announced a new system to streamline reporting of small business subcontracting activity on large federal prime contracts.
As part of the President’s Management Agenda for Electronic Government to use technology to streamline federal procurement processes, SBA and GSA have developed a government-wide Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS). This Internet-based tool for reporting on subcontracting plans will streamline the process, and provide agencies with immediate access to analytical data on subcontracting performance. The eSRS specifically eliminates submission and processing of paper SF 294’s, Individual Subcontracting Reports, and SF 295’s, Summary Subcontracting Reports, and replaces them with electronic versions. Contractors will benefit from the eSRS through the elimination of manual computations and the need to distribute paper reports to agencies.
“In launching this new system today, the GSA and SBA are taking a big step in making it easier for federal prime contractors, and large subcontractors to report their small business subcontracting activity,” said SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto. “This is very important, because it will give us precise and timely insight into the value of subcontracts awarded to small businesses. Subcontracting is an increasingly important part of the federal contracting environment for small businesses. For many smaller firms, it is the first opportunity to demonstrate capability, and to build a track record for pursuing federal prime contract opportunities.”
“The eSRS is a development that will substantially improve accountability, transparency, and communication about small business subcontracting,” said GSA Acquisition Officer Emily Murphy. “These are concepts that run to the core of the President’s Management Agenda for Electronic Government. Fielding eSRS is a major accomplishment for the acquisition community. It is the result of nearly two years of close collaboration across government and the private sector.”
The eSRS was certified and accredited at the initial operating capability (IOC) level on October 31, 2005, for immediate use by all agencies, except the Department of Defense. Full operational capability, which will provide more refined report generation, among other things, will be implemented in approximately 60 days. The Department of Defense is scheduled to begin using the system in the third quarter of fiscal year 2006.
All civilian federal agencies, their large prime contractors, and large subcontractors should now begin using eSRS. Contracting officers, prime contractors, and large subcontractors should visit the eSRS Web site at http:www.esrs.gov, to register in the system, determine timelines for their agencies or companies, and begin processing subcontracting reports through eSRS.
