Determination of good faith effort.
Determination of good faith effort.
(1) In determining whether a contractor failed to make a good faith effort to comply with its subcontracting plan, a contracting officer must look to the totality of the contractor's actions, consistent with the information and assurances provided in its plan. The fact that the contractor failed to meet its subcontracting goals does not, in and of itself, constitute a failure to make a good faith effort (see 19.701). For example, notwithstanding a contractor's diligent effort to identify and solicit offers from any of the small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns, factors such as unavailability of anticipated sources or unreasonable prices may frustrate achievement of the contractor's subcontracting goals. The contracting officer may consider any of the following, though not all inclusive, to be indicators of a good faith effort:
(i) Breaking out work to be subcontracted into economically feasible units, as appropriate, to facilitate small business participation.
(ii) Conducting market research to identify potential small business subcontractors through all reasonable means, such as searching SAM, posting notices or solicitations on SBA's SUBNet, participating in business matchmaking events, and attending preproposal conferences.
(iii) Soliciting small business concerns as early in the acquisition process as practicable to allow them sufficient time to submit a timely offer for the subcontract.
(iv) Providing interested small businesses with adequate and timely information about plans, specifications, and requirements for performance of the prime contract to assist them in submitting a timely offer for the subcontract.
(v) Negotiating in good faith with interested small businesses.
(vi) Directing small businesses that need additional assistance to SBA.
(vii) Assisting interested small businesses in obtaining bonding, lines of credit, required insurance, necessary equipment, supplies, materials, or services.
(viii) Utilizing the available services of small business associations; local, state, and Federal small business assistance offices; and other organizations.
(ix) Participating in a formal mentor-protégé program with one or more small business protégés that results in developmental assistance to the protégés.
(x) Although failing to meet the subcontracting goal in one socioeconomic category, exceeding the goal by an equal or greater amount in one or more of the other categories.
(xi) Fulfilling all of the requirements of the subcontracting plan.
(2) When considered in the context of the contractor's total effort in accordance with its plan, the contracting officer may consider any of the following, though not all inclusive, to be indicators of a failure to make a good faith effort:
(i) Failure to attempt through market research to identify, contact, solicit, or consider for contract award small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, or women-owned small business concerns, through all reasonable means including outreach, industry days, or the use of Federal systems such as SBA's Dynamic Small Business Search or SUBNet systems.
(ii) Failure to designate and maintain a company official to administer the subcontracting program and monitor and enforce compliance with the plan.
(iii) Failure to submit an acceptable ISR, or the SSR, using the eSRS, or as provided in agency regulations, by the report due dates specified in 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan.
(iv) Failure to maintain records or otherwise demonstrate procedures adopted to comply with the plan including subcontracting flowdown requirements.
(v) Adoption of company policies or documented procedures that have as their objectives the frustration of the objectives of the plan.
(vi) Failure to pay small business subcontractors in accordance with the terms of the contract with the prime contractor.
(vii) Failure to correct substantiated findings from Federal subcontracting compliance reviews or participate in subcontracting plan management training offered by the Government.
(viii) Failure to provide the contracting officer with a written explanation if the contractor fails to acquire articles, equipment, supplies, services, or materials or obtain the performance of construction work as described in 19.704(a)(12).
(ix) Falsifying records of subcontract awards to small business concerns.