GSA Blog

GSA Blog Logo
Six people gathered around a table, looking at a laptop together

GSA Celebrates Small Business Week

| Exodie C. Roe III, Associate Administrator, Office of Small Business Utilization
Post filed in: Small Business

This week, we join the nation to celebrate the many contributions of our entrepreneurs, innovators, and small business owners during National Small Business Week. We honor and applaud the small business community and its tremendous impact across the country, joining the U.S. Small Business Administration in its more than 50 year celebration of our nation’s small business community and National Small Business Week.

This year’s theme, “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship,” recognizes the resilience and tenacity of our nation’s small businesses which continue to help build back our economy while supporting their employees and communities.

As Associate Administrator for GSA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, I am proud of our agency’s commitment to advance opportunities for the small business community: Eighty percent of the GSA Schedule contractors are small businesses. We need to continue supporting small businesses so we can meet our FY2022 Prime and Subcontracting Small Business and Socioeconomic Small Business Goals. GSA will continue to promote equity, and increase small and socioeconomic small business participation in the federal marketplace across all categories. 

It’s critical that every small business has a fair opportunity at federal business. Our goal is to level the playing field for small businesses in underserved communities. We’ll do that by supporting small and socioeconomic small businesses in every procurement at both the prime and subcontracting level. These actions also highlight the significance and impact of GSA's Equity Action Plan.

In the coming months, OSDBU will host our second annual Small Business Works 2022 event from July 26-27. This is part of a larger effort to educate small businesses about navigating federal procurement opportunities, accessing capital, and harnessing the power of data to develop business strategies. 

A healthy small business community helps GSA meet our strategic goal of enhancing access to more opportunities for small businesses. At the same time, strong small businesses provide entrepreneurial energy that fuels cutting-edge innovation in the federal marketplace and, in turn, brings greater value to GSA, and our partner agencies.

As we celebrate small businesses this week, I encourage you to join us in finding ways to show your support for your local small businesses. Together, I know we can make a difference.

To learn more about GSA's Small Business efforts.