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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 19: Small Business Programs › Subpart 19.15

FAR 19.1506 Women-Owned Small Business Program sole-source awards.

The codified text (eCFR, as of 2026-10-02). Under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul ↗, agencies follow class deviations with new text for many parts while the formal rules go through the Federal Register: check the solicitation and your contract's clauses, which rule.

In plain English

This section tells contracting officers to consider awarding a contract without competition (sole-source) to a certified Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) or Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) before using a small business set-aside. It applies only when the acquisition is in a NAICS code where SBA has determined WOSBs are underrepresented or substantially underrepresented, the contracting officer does not expect offers from two or more eligible WOSBs, and certain dollar limits and other conditions are met. The contractor must be certified and the award must be at a fair and reasonable price.

Applies to: Contracting officers considering sole-source awards to certified WOSB or EDWOSB concerns

What it requires

  • Consider a sole-source award to an EDWOSB or WOSB before considering small business set-asides.
  • Ensure the acquisition is in a NAICS code where SBA has determined WOSBs are underrepresented or substantially underrepresented.
  • Ensure the anticipated award price (including options) does not exceed $8.5 million for manufacturing or $5.5 million for other NAICS codes.
  • Only award to a concern certified as an EDWOSB or WOSB eligible under the WOSB program.

Key terms: EDWOSB · WOSB · sole-source · NAICS code · small business set-aside

Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.

The text

(a) A contracting officer shall consider a contract award to an EDWOSB concern on a sole-source basis (see 6.302-5(b)(7)) before considering small business set-asides (see 19.203 and subpart 19.5) provided none of the exclusions at 19.1504 apply and—

(1) The acquisition is assigned a NAICS code in which SBA has determined that WOSB concerns are underrepresented in Federal procurement;

(2) The contracting officer does not have a reasonable expectation that offers would be received from two or more EDWOSB concerns; and

(3) The conditions in paragraph (c) of this section exist.

(b) A contracting officer shall consider a contract award to a WOSB concern (including EDWOSB concerns) eligible under the WOSB Program on a sole-source basis (see 6.302-5(b)(7)) before considering small business set-asides (see 19.203 and subpart 19.5) provided none of the exclusions at 19.1504 apply and—

(1) The acquisition is assigned a NAICS code in which SBA has determined that WOSB concerns are substantially underrepresented in Federal procurement;

(2) The contracting officer does not have a reasonable expectation that offers would be received from two or more WOSB concerns (including EDWOSB concerns); and

(3) The conditions in paragraph (c) of this section exist.

(c)(1) The anticipated award price of the contract, including options, will not exceed—

(i) $8.5 million for a requirement within the NAICS codes for manufacturing; or

(ii) $5.5 million for a requirement within any other NAICS codes.

(2) The EDWOSB concern or WOSB concern has been determined to be a responsible contractor with respect to performance.

(3) The award can be made at a fair and reasonable price.

(d) A contracting officer shall only award a sole-source contract to a concern that has been certified pursuant to 13 CFR 127.300 as an EDWOSB or WOSB eligible under the WOSB program. Contracting officers shall not request a status determination from SBA on pending applications for certification for EDWOSB or WOSB sole-source awards.

(e) The SBA has the right to appeal the contracting officer's decision not to make a sole-source award to either an EDWOSB concern or WOSB concern eligible under the WOSB program.

Sections it refers to

  • 6.302-5 Authorized or required by statute.
  • 19.203 Relationship among small business programs.
  • 19.1504 Exclusions.

Sections that refer to it

← 19.1505 Set-aside procedures. · 19.1507 [Reserved] →

Rule changes for FAR Part 19

Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.

FAR 19.1506 Women-Owned Small Business Program sole-source awards · SpendQuery