The Navy wants to deepen ties with small businesses to benefit from the innovation and competition they offer while making it easier for them to participate in the acquisition process, the Navy’s acquisition chief said Monday.
Speaking to a forum of small businesses, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Sean Stackley said that reaching out to small businesses is more critical at a time of budget turmoil on Capitol Hill and with the possibility that sequestration could return.
On average the Navy has awarded $13 billion annually over the last five years in contracts to small businesses, including $4 billion through the federal Small Businesses Innovation Research (SBIR) program, Stackley said. However, those numbers declined in 2013 because of the budget problems, he said, adding that the Navy needs to take steps to counter that trend, particularly by working through SBIR.
“The Navy is looking to take greater advantage of the opportunity of the program,” Stackley told the Navy Opportunity Forum. The Navy also needs to lessen obstacles for small businesses to contribute.
“Across the board we are looking at ways to increase our engagement and to reach out to small businesses,” he said.