Build your subcontractor bench as soon as the plan is approved. Waiting until a report is due leaves no room to find the right certified sub for a given NAICS.
How to meet small business subcontracting goals
Meeting subcontracting goals is less about heroics at report time and more about steady habits from day one of performance. These tactics help primes stay on track.
Source early, not at the deadline
Track progress by category
Monitor attainment against each socio-economic goal separately. A plan can hit its overall small business number while missing HUBZone or SDVOSB — the categories are scored individually.
Keep the outreach trail
Every solicitation and response is evidence. Logging outreach as you go turns goal-tracking and good-faith-effort documentation into a byproduct of normal work rather than a scramble.
Frequently asked questions
What if we still miss a goal?
A documented good-faith effort — evidence that you actively sought and solicited qualified small businesses — is what contracting officers look for when a goal is missed.
Related resources
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