OSDBU Programs

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) Coordinators counsel businesses under the Procurement Preference Program with respect to business opportunities for the purpose of enhancing their potential participation in REE procurements. Participates and consults with procuring activities of REE, other USDA agencies, and other Federal agencies to ensure maximum practicable participation of small, small disadvantaged, women-owned businesses, and 8(a) firms.

• REE Coordinators
• Contracting with USDA Quick Reference Guide
• Procurement Forecast
• Subcontracting Directory
• Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) Information
• USDA OSDBU Home Page
• Small Business Administration (SBA) Home Page
  • SBA Government Contracting Assistance Programs
• System for Award Management (SAM)
  A search engine for contracting officers, a marketing tool for small firms and a "link" to procurement opportunities and important information. It is designed to be a "virtual" one-stop-procurement-shop. Register your company on SAM.
  • SAM.gov Training for Small Businesses recorded training
  • SAM.gov Training for Small Businesses slides
• REE FOIA Requests
  Outlines specific procedures for making a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Research, Education, and Economics (REE) agencies. This guide also includes how to access certain documents without making a FOIA request.
• REE Justifications for Other than Full and Open Competition
  Please visit the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) web site to view REE justifications for other than full and open competition. JOFOCs will be posted on SAM.gov in accordance with FAR 6.305 & 13.501.
• USDA Vendor Outreach Program
  The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Acquisition Programs and Oversight Branch (APOB) participates in the monthly USDA Vendor Outreach Program, held at the USDA South Building located at 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC. Representatives from APOB conduct sessions with the small business community providing the opportunity to discuss their capabilities and potential procurement opportunities with the Research, Education, and Economics (REE) agencies. Registration and additional information can be located at the USDA Vendor Outreach Program Web site.
• REE Vendor Communication Plan 
  USDA is committed  to acting to engage the broader acquisition community, comprised of program managers and executives in addition to the formal procurement staff, to increase awareness of available avenues to best engage the private sector. This increased awareness will enable the USDA acquisition community and industry to optimize interactions, making the best use of available time and resources.