Many federal agencies maintain an Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU). This is the first point of contact for minority entrepreneurs seeking to sell their products or services to the federal government.
After meeting with the OSDBU, would-be suppliers need to become familiar with the small-business specialists or program managers inside the agency, says T.J. Garcia, director of the OSDBU at the Commerce Department. Managers are the people who request the purchase of a product or service, so they know all the details. Large contracts usually are administered by formal contracting officers, but many small-business contracts don’t require that. In fact, the program managers have authorization to make purchases of $2,500 or less without the need for competitive bids.
Mr. Garcia recommends that suppliers first get on the General Services Administration (GSA) schedule, a popular program in which companies register and state their prices for specific products or services. Managers then buy those products or services without negotiating prices. “The OSDBU can guide and direct them to get on the schedule,” says Mr. Garcia. “Of course, they still have to solicit business and conduct their own marketing. It’s important to get to know an organization before soliciting. They should do a little homework – visit the Web site, review [the agency’s] strategic plan, and see where their products or services fit into the purpose of the agency.”
The following directory of OSDBUs provides contact information for various federal offices. All OSDBUs on the directory were contacted by HISPANIC BUSINESS to confirm their status and contact information.
AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
www.usaid.gov
OSDBU
LaVerne Drummond, Deputy Director
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, #7.8 RRB
Washington, DC 20523
(202) 712-1500
Fax: (202) 216-3056
www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/osdbu
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
www.usda.gov
OSDBU
Mike Green, Acting Director
1400 Independence Ave. SW
AG STOP 9501
South Building, #1566
Washington, DC 20250
(202) 720-7117
Fax: (202)- 720-3001
www.usda.gov/osdbu
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
www.doc.gov
OSDBU
Tlaloc J. Garcia, Director
14th & Constitution Ave. NW, Rm. H6411
Washington, DC 20230
(202) 482-1472
Fax: (202) 482-0501
www.doc.gov/osdbu
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
www.acq.osd.mil
Defense Logistics Agency
Thomas D. Ray
Director, OSDBU
8725 John J. Kingman Rd.
DB, #1127
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6221
(703) 767-1661
Fax: (703) 767-1670
www.dla.mil
Department of the Air Force
Joseph Diamond
Director, OSDBU
1060 Air Force Pentagon, #5E271
Washington, DC 20330-1000
(703) 697-1950
Fax: (703) 614-9266
www.selltoairforce.org
Department of the Army
Tracy L. Pinson
Director, OSDBU
106 Army Pentagon, #2A712
Washington, DC 20310-0106
(703) 697-2868
Fax: (703) 693-3898
www.selltoarmy.org
Department of Navy
Nancy Tarrant
Director, OSDBU
720 Kennon St. SE, #207
Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5015
(202) 685-6485
Fax: (202) 685-6965
www.hq.navy.mil/sadbu
Col. Curtis Wright
Acting Director, OSDBU
1777 N. Kent St., #9100
Arlington, VA 22209
(703) 588-8620
Fax: (703) 588-7561
www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
www.ed.gov
OSDBU
Viola Jaramillo, Director
600 Independence Ave. SW, #3120
FOB 3
Washington, DC 20202-0521
(202) 708-9820
Fax: (202) 401-6477
