Wednesday, March 30, 2011

SBA Expands Access to Federal Contracting Opportunities for Women-Owned Small Businesses

Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program

Latest News Release: February 1, 2011 – SBA Expands Access to Federal Contracting Opportunities for Women-Owned Small Businesses

Memo from the Administrator

On October 7, 2010, the U.S. Small Business Administration published a final rule effective February 4, 2011, aimed at expanding federal contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses (WOSBs). The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program authorizes contracting officers to set aside certain federal contracts for eligible:

  • Women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) or
  • Economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs)

WOSB Program Information
WOSB Program Fact Sheet
WOSB Program Frequently Asked Questions or FAQs
WOSB Program Applicable NAICS Codes
Compliance Guide for the WOSB Program
Contracting Officer’s Guide for the WOSB Program

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, a firm must be at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women. The women must be U.S. citizens. The firm must be “small” in its primary industry in accordance with SBA’s size standards for that industry. In order for a WOSB to be deemed “economically disadvantaged,” its owners must demonstrate economic disadvantage in accordance with the requirements set forth in the final rule.

WOSB Program Certification

There are two ways to certify for the WOSB program:

• Self certification with supporting documents, or
• Third Party Certification with supporting documents

Getting Started

For a quick overview of the WOSB Program and what businesses need to do to participate, click here to view a short presentation. For detailed information about the WOSB Program, see the “WOSB Program Information” section.

5 Steps to participate in the WOSB program:

  1. Read the WOSB Federal Contract program regulations in the Federal Register and the WOSB Compliance Guide.
  2. Register in Central Contractor Registration (CCR) as WOSB or EDWOSB.*
  3. Log onto SBA’s General Login System (GLS). *Obtain an account now if you don’t already have one
  4. Go to the WOSB program repository (through GLS) and upload / categorize all required documents.
  5. Represent your status in Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA).*

*The CCR and ORCA system updates to accommodate the new business types are currently in process by the General Services Administration. These updates are expected to be completed in April 2011.

WOSB Program Repository

To access the WOSB Program Repository, users must first login to SBA’s General Login System (GLS). If you do not have an account:

  • Log onto SBA’s General Login System (GLS)
  • Click on “Instructions for GLS” for information on how to request an account
  • Go to “Request SBA User ID” to create an account

Once you are in GLS, click the “Access” button at the top of the screen. Then select “Women-Owned Small Business Program Repository” and press submit. You should then be able to access the repository. Once you are in the repository, you can click the “Help” button at the top of the screen for instructions on how to use the repository.

**A complete list of required documents to upload to the Repository can be found in the Compliance Guide for the WOSB Program. All eligible WOSBs and EDWOSBs who would like to participate in this program must complete and sign the WOSB or EDWOSB certification form below and upload it into the repository.

WOSB OMB Approved Form 3245-0374
EDWOSB OMB Approved Form 3245-0374

WOSB Program Third-Party Certification

If a WOSB chooses to obtain third-party certification, they may only obtain certification from SBA-approved third-party certifiers. At this time, SBA has not approved any third party certifiers. A list of approved third-party certifiers will be posted on this site after they have been approved.

If you are interested in becoming a SBA-approved third-party certifier, you must complete and submit an application no later than March 1, 2011. Click here to download the application and submission instructions.

*Please note that this is the first version of the third-party certifier application. SBA welcomes comments and suggestions on how to improve the application and will refine it over time. We plan to open the third-party certifier application process every six months. Please email your comments to SBA’s Office of Contract Assistance.

Questions about the WOSB Program?

SBA Answer Desk
1-800-U-ASK-SBA begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-U-ASK-SBA      end_of_the_skype_highlighting (1-800-827-5722 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-827-5722      end_of_the_skype_highlighting)
Answer Desk TTY: (704) 344-6640
[Spanish]
Email: wosb@sba.gov.

In addition to our website and the SBA Answer Desk, there are a number of resources available to help answer questions about the WOSB program:

Visit a local resource:

Small Business District Offices
Find your local office at: http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-list/2

Women’s Business Centers
Find your local center at: http://www.sba.gov/content/womens-business-centers

Small Business Development Centers
Find your local center at: http://www.asbdc-us.org/

Procurement Technical Assistance Centers
Find your local center at: http://www.aptac-us.org/new/

WOSB Program News

February 1, 2011 – SBA Expands Access to Federal Contracting Opportunities for Women-Owned Small Businesses
October 7, 2010 – Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program Final Rule is published in the Federal Register.
October 4, 2010 – SBA Releases Final Women-Owned Small Business Rule to Expand Access to Federal Contracting Opportunities
March 4, 2010 – Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program proposed rule is published in the Federal Register.
March 2, 2010 SBA news release – SBA Proposes Women-Owned Small Business Rule to Expand Access to Federal Contracting Opportunities
 
To learn more about contracting with the Federal Government, we recommend reading SBA’s pages on Small Business Certifications and visiting the SBA Office of Women’s Business Ownership.

Posted by Jackie in 08:01:45 | Permalink | Comments (120)

Friday, March 18, 2011

Small Business Majority Webinars – Affordable Care Act Information

Dear Friend: 

Small Business Majority, in conjunction with a diverse set of organizations, is pleased to announce our latest national webinar series on the Affordable Care Act and what it means for small businesses.

We’re hosting five one-hour webinars focusing on how federal and state provisions of the new healthcare law will affect small employers. Our series helps, among others, young entrepreneurs, female and Latino small business owners understand the complexity of healthcare reform. It will address small business tax credits, state health insurance marketplaces, high-risk pools, cost containment and a variety of other provisions so small business owners can learn how the Affordable Care Act impacts their bottom line. A question and answer period will follow the webinar.

Browse over the schedule below and sign up today by clicking on the link for any of the webinars that pique your interest. We’re also doing a variety of events marking the one-year anniversary since the Affordable Care Act was enacted. Click here to learn more about our events nationwide. And as always, feel free to pass along this information to others!

Best,

Rhett Buttle

National Outreach and Government Affairs Manager

Small Business Majority  

Webinars with the U.S. PIRG Education Fund 

Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 12:00 PM EDT

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

 Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 2:00 PM PDT

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

Webinar with El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

 Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 3:00 PM EDT

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Webinar with Women’s Organizations

 Thursday, March 24, 2011 @ 3:00 PM EDT

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

 Webinar with Young Invincibles

 Friday, March 25, 2011 @ 12:00 PM EDT

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

You can also view the list of webinars on our website, at http://www.smallbusinessmajority.org/small-business-outreach
Posted by Jackie in 12:28:51 | Permalink | Comments (35)

Friday, March 11, 2011

Got Tax Credits? Business Owners…Read On!

Small Business Health Care Tax Credit for Small Employers
 A restaurant open sign
The small business health care tax credit helps small businesses and small tax-exempt organizations afford the cost of covering their
employees.

Received a Postcard from the IRS?

Millions of small employers received postcards from the IRS beginning in April 2010 that alerted them to the new small business health care tax credit and encouraged them to check their eligibility. Even if you didn’t receive a postcard, your business still may be eligible. Read more about this effort. 

Eligibility Rules

  • Providing health care coverage. A qualifying employer must cover at least 50 percent of the cost of health care coverage for some of its workers based on the single rate.
  • Firm size. A qualifying employer must have less than the equivalent of 25 full-time workers (for example, an employer with fewer than 50 half-time workers may be eligible).
  • Average annual wage. A qualifying employer must pay average annual wages below $50,000.
  • Both taxable (for profit) and tax-exempt firms qualify.

Amount of Credit

  • Maximum Amount. The credit is worth up to 35 percent of a small business’ premium costs in 2010 (25% for tax-exempt employers). On Jan. 1, 2014, this rate increases to 50 percent (35 percent for tax-exempt employers). 
    Phase-out. The credit phases out gradually for firms with average wages between $25,000 and $50,000 and for firms with the equivalent of between 10 and 25 full-time workers. 

Three Simple Steps for Employers to Qualify

To determine if your small business or tax exempt organization qualifies for the small business health care tax credit, follow the three simple steps on our fact sheet.

Examples

Scenarios illustrate how the credit applies to employers in different circumstances.

Claiming the Credit

Small employers, whether businesses or tax-exempt organizations, will use new Form 8941, Credit for Small Employer Health Insurance Premiums, to calculate the small business health care tax credit.

Small businesses will include the amount of the credit as part of the general business credit on their income tax returns.

Tax-exempt organizations will include the amount of the credit on Line 44f of revised Form 990-T, Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return. Form 990-T has been revised for the 2011 filing season to enable eligible tax-exempt organizations –– even those that owe no tax on unrelated business income –– to claim the small business health care tax credit.

For more information, see our news release.

Questions and Answers

Need more detailed information? We have answers.

YouTube Primer on Health Care Credit

This new video explains the who, what, why and how of the small business health care tax credit.

For More Information

New guidance makes it easier for small businesses to determine whether they’re eligible for the new health care tax credit under the Affordable Care Act and how large a credit they’ll receive.

Related Items:
Posted by Jackie in 18:20:18 | Permalink | Comments (32)

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Get Health Insurance Quotes ~ All 50 States

All,

I wanted to share my health insurance quoting site since this is an “insurance” blog.

Click on the link and learn what it would cost monthly for health insurance coverage for yourself and your family members with no obligation to purchase coverage. You can make application online as well. Thanks much.

http://jackieboone.besthealthagent.com/HomePage.aspx

Posted by Jackie in 16:32:59 | Permalink | Comments (111)

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Small Business Information Website

I received such positive feedback on my post on “Starting & Managing a Small Business”, I thought I would do a follow up. Click the link below to another great resource for starting and managing a small business. Read on!

http://www.allbusiness.com/

Posted by Jackie in 17:23:37 | Permalink | Comments (19)

Saturday, March 5, 2011

The Prevention and Public Health Fund: Benefits to Small Business and American Workers

All,

This was recently sent to me and I thought I would share it. Enjoy the read!

Health Care Costs Are Undermining Business Profits and Successes

  • Poor health is putting the nation’s economic security in jeopardy. The skyrocketing costs of health care threaten to bankrupt American businesses, causing some companies to send jobs to other countries where costs are lower.
  • More than on quarter of helath care costs are related to obesity, overweight, and physical inactivity due to associated health problems, including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and some forms of cancer.1
  • Health care costs of obese workers are up to 21 percent higher than non-obese workers.2 
  • Workers with one or omore chroonic conditions average 2-4 times as many lost work days as employees with no chronic conditions. 3
  • The indrect costs to employers of their employees’ poor health can be 2-3 times the costs of direct medical expenses, including lower productivity, higher rates of disability, higher rates of injury, and more workers’ compensation claims. 4
  • Obese and physically inactive workers also suffer from lower worker productivity, increased absenteeism, and higher workers’ compensation claims. 5
  • Workplace injuries annually cost U.S. employers $46.8 billion – nearly $1 billion per week ~~ in direct costs (medical and lost wage payments). When indirect costs are taken into account, such as overtime, training, lost productivity, costs to employers can climb to as much as $291.6 billion a year. 6
  • Many of the leading causes of disability could be significantly reduced through healthier behaviors. 7 For example, decreasing obesity rates could reduce the impact of arthritis, back problems, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and numberous other health conditions.

Prevntion: Beneficial To All Business

—————————————————————

  1.  K. Thorpe, et al. “Trends: The Impact of Obesity On Rising Medical Spending.” Health Affairs 4, (October 2004): 480-486.
  2. E. Ostbye, et al. “Obesity and Workers’ Compensation: Results from the Duke Health and Safety Surveillance System.” Archives of INternal Medicine 167, no. 8, (2004): 766-773.
  3. National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2005. In: The Health Status of the United States Workforce: Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002, and the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2005. Pfizer Inc. 2006. Quoted in: http://www.prevent.org/data/files/initiatives/leadingbyexamplefullbook.pdf
  4. Chamber of Commerce, 2007.
  5. Klarenbach, et al. “Population-Based Analysis of Obesity and Workfoce Participation.” Obesity 12, no. 5 (May 2006): 920-927.
  6. The Liberty Mututal Research Institute for Safety. “2006 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index.” Liberty Mutual.
  7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Prevalence and Most Common Causes of Disability Among Adults – United States, 2005,” MMWR: May 1, 2009 / 58 (16); 421-426.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5816a2.htm#tab2

  • Small businesses disproportionately feel the impact of an unhealthy workforce. When one person is out sick, has a chronic illness, or is less productive at work (“presenteeism”), the entire work operation suffers. Larger employers may be able to weather these losses more easily than a small business.
  • According to the National Federation of Independent Business, the cost of health care is the number one concern to small business owners. 8 Yet, small, strategic investments in community level prevention (such as those supported by the Prevention Fund) have been shown to significantly reduce direct health care costs. A study by Trust for America’s Health found that an investment of $10 per perseon per year in proven community-based programs to increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and prevent tobacco use could show a return on investment of $5.60 for every $1 spent.
  • According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, investing in the health of Americans will improve the bottom line for businesses by lowering health care costs, reducing absenteeism, and improving productivity. 9
  • The Prevention Fund and other provision in health reform can be used to strengthen workplace wellness programs, including special grants and technical assistance for small businesses (sec. 10408 and sec. 4303).
  • For those small businessses that may be unable to develop their own worksite wellness programs, they will depend on community-level prevention to help build a health workforce. The Prevention Fund will support activities that are proven to make workers healthier, such as smoking cessation program, immuzations, disease screening, and obesity prevention.

Investing in Public Health Jobs

  • The Prevention Fund will be used to address persisten public health workforce shortages. According to a survey by the National Association of County and City Health Officials, between January 2008  and December 2009, local health departments lost 23,0000 jobs to layoffs and attrition, roughly 15 percent of the entire local public health workforce.10
  • The first finacial allocation from the Prevention Fund takes a first crucial step to help alleviate the shortages in the public health workforce – by training and supporting the hiring of epidemiologists and laboratory personnel, training public health professionals to work in underserved areas, and strengthening the state and local public health worker pipeline. This investment must be ongoing to maintain a properly trained public health workforce.
  • The Fund can help stem this workforce crisis through strategic investments in the public health system, which we all depend on to proect our food and water supply, prepare for and respond to public health emergencies, and help detect and prevent disease.

—————————————————————

  1. 8. Steps to a Healthier US Workforce Symposium, October 26-28, 2004, Washington D.C. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/worklife/steps/pdfs/Steps%20Session%20A-5.pdf
  2. 9. U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Partnership Prevention, “Leading by Example: Leading Practices for Employee Health Management,” 2007. http://www.prevent.org/data/files/initatives/leadingbyexamplefullbook.pdf
  3. 10. National Association of County and City Health Officials, “2010 Data Confirm Job Losses and Program Cuts in LHDs Continue.” http://www.naccho.org/topics/infrastructure/lhdbudget/index.cfm
Posted by Jackie in 17:50:30 | Permalink | Comments (29)

Friday, March 4, 2011

The Idea Cafe

Hey All,

I found this website while doing some internet surfing – it may be useful. Check it out!

http://www.businessownersideacafe.com/

Posted by Jackie in 17:38:02 | Permalink | Comments (26)

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Found a Financial Management Training Website

All,

I was searching for some help last night to answers for developing a bill rate. I know this is a “health insurance” blog, however, I thought this information could be useful to someone else. I have not tried the templates, but it seems that this site offers a tremendous amount of “free” training and templates for financial management solutions. Click the link and learn more.

http://www.exinfm.com/training/index.html

Posted by Jackie in 09:12:20 | Permalink | Comments (35)