U.S. Department of the Treasury

History
Program Details

Success Partnerships is designed to motivate and encourage firms to assist small businesses (SB), including HUBZone small businesses (HUBZone), small disadvantaged businesses (SDB), women-owned small businesses (WOSB), economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSB), veteran-owned small businesses (VOSB), and service disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB). The program is also designed to improve the performance of Department of the Treasury contracts and subcontracts, foster the establishment of long-term business relationships between these entities and Treasury prime contractors, and increase the overall number of these entities that receive Treasury contract and subcontract awards.

Benefits to the Department of the Treasury include, but are not limited to: acquiring an expanded base of qualified small businesses; obtaining more competitive pricing on procurement opportunities resulting in cost savings; and achieving a potential increase in small business program goal accomplishments.

For additional information on Treasury's Success Partnerships Business Partnership Network Program, please contact:

Treasury OSDBU TBPN
Business Partnership Network Program Manager
Department of the Treasury
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Business Partnership Network Program is not a complex program,  but for ease of reading, the various topics discussed in the program are provided in a Table of Contents listed below.

Scope
Definitions
Non-Affiliation
General Policy
Incentives for Prime Contractor Participation
Measurement of Program Success
Selection of Small Business Firms
Application Process
Review and Approval of the Application and Agreement
Developmental Assistance
Obligation
Internal Controls
Solicitation Provisions, Clauses, and Contract Guidance

SCOPE

The Business Partnership Network Program is designed to motivate and encourage firms to assist small businesses (SB), including HUBZone small businesses (HUBZone), small disadvantaged businesses (SDB), women-owned small businesses (WOSB) and service disabled veteran-owned small businesses in enhancing their capabilities. The program is also designed to perform Department of the Treasury contracts and subcontracts, foster the establishment of long-term business relationships between these entities and Treasury prime contractors, and increase the overall number of these entities that receive Treasury contract and subcontract awards.

DEFINITIONS

1. Small Business (SB) is a concern, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on government contracts, and qualified as a small business in their primary NAICS code under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR Part 12.
2. Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) is a small business concern owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals as defined by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 19.001.
3. Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) is a small business concern where ownership and controlling interest (at least 51%) in the company is held by a woman or women as defined by FAR 19.001.
4. HUBZone is a small business concern that appears on the List of Qualified HUBZone Small Business Concerns maintained by the SBA.
5. Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) is a small business concern where ownership and controlling interest (at least 51%) in the company is held by a service disabled veteran as defined by FAR 19.001.
6. Large businesses is a prime contractor that elects, on a particular contract, to promote and develop small business subcontractors by providing developmental assistance designed to enhance the business success of the small business.
7. Small business is a small business as defined in items 1 through 5 above who is the recipient of developmental assistance pursuant to a -small business arrangement on a particular contract. .
8. The Department of the Treasury has designated the Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) to assist and advise small, small disadvantaged, women-owned small business, HUBZone small business,  and Service Disabled Veteran-Owned small business concerns on procedures for doing business with Treasury.

 

NON-AFFILIATION

For purpose of the Small Business Act, a small business firm is not considered an affiliate of a large business firm solely on the basis that the small business firm is receiving developmental assistance from such large business firm under the program.

GENERAL POLICY

Eligible business prime contractors, not included on the "Parties Excluded from Procurement Program" list, may enter into agreements with eligible small businesses.  Large businesses provide appropriate developmental assistance to enhance the capabilities of small businesses to perform as contractors and/or subcontractors.

A firm's status as a small business under a Treasury contract shall not have an effect on the firm's eligibility to seek other prime contracts or subcontracts.

INCENTIVES FOR PRIME CONTRACTOR PARTICIPATION

1. Under the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 637 , Treasury is authorized to:
   provide appropriate incentives to encourage subcontracting opportunities for small businesses consistent with the efficient and economical performance of the contract. This authority is limited to negotiated procurement. FAR 19.202-1(d) provides additional guidance to encourage prime contractors to subcontract with small business concerns (see subpart 19.7).
   Before awarding a contract that requires a subcontracting plan, the existence of a Business Partnership Network arrangement, and performance (if any) under an existing arrangement, may be considered by the Contracting Officer in:
   1. evaluating the quality of a proposed subcontracting plan under FAR 19.704-5; and
   2. assessing the prime contractor's compliance with the subcontracting plans submitted in previous contracts as a factor in determining contractor responsibility under FAR 19.705-5(a)(1).
2. Business Partnership Network arrangements may provide the Government with greater assurance that a small business subcontractor will be able to perform under the contract than a similarly situated non-small business subcontractor.
3. OSDBU Business Partnership Network Partnership Award. A non-monetary award is presented annually to the large business firm providing the most effective developmental support to a Small business. All nominations for the Business Partnership Network Partnership Award will be evaluated in accordance with established guidelines to determine the award recipient.

MEASUREMENT OF PROGRAM SUCCESS

The success of the Treasury Business Partnership Network program will be measured by:

(a) The increase in the number and dollar value of contracts awarded to small business firms under Treasury Department contracts from the date the small business enters the program.

(b) The increase in the number and dollar value of contract and subcontract awarded to the small business under other Federal agencies and commercial contracts.

(c) The increase in the technical, managerial, financial or other capabilities of the small business firm, as reported by the small business, and the developmental assistance provided by the large business firm.

(d) An increase in the quality of the technical capabilities of the small business firm.

SELECTION OF SMALL BUSINESS FIRMS

(a)    Large business firms will be solely responsible for selecting small business firms.

(b)    Large businesses may have multiple small businesses.

(c)    The selection of small business firms by large business firms may not be protested, except that any protest regarding the size or eligibility status of an entity selected by a large business shall be handled in accordance with the FAR and the Small Business Administration regulations

APPLICATION PROCESS FOR BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP NETWORK TEAMS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM

Firms interested in becoming a large business firm may apply in writing to the Department of the Treasury OSBDU The application will be evaluated based upon the description of the nature and extent of technical and managerial support proposed as well as the extent of financial assistance in the form of equity investment, loans, joint-venture support, and traditional subcontracting support proposed.

2022 Treasury Business Partnership Network Program

OSDBU REVIEW OF AGREEMENT

OSDBU will review the application to ensure that the large and small business are eligible, and that all of the information provided is complete. The OSDBU review will be completed after acknowledgement receipt is received by OSDBU.

Upon completion of the review, the OSBU will provide the business applicant with a template for the Business Partnership Network agreement. Businesses will need to complete and submit the agreement back to the OSDBU. OSDBU will review the agreement to ensure all the information provided is complete. Upon completion of the review the OSDBU will notify the large or small business that the agreement is active.

DEVELOPMENTAL ASSISTANCE

 The forms of developmental assistance a large or small business can provide to a business include:

 (a) Management guidance relating to—

1. Financial management
2. Organizational management
3. Overall business management/planning and
4. Business Development; and
5. Technical assistance.

(b)   Loans;

(c)   Rent-free use of facilities and/or equipment;

(d)   Property;

(e)  Temporary assignment of personnel to small business for purpose of training; and

(f)   Any other types of permissible mutually beneficial assistance

OBLIGATION

(a)     A large business or small business firm may voluntarily withdraw from the program. However, in no event shall such withdrawal impact the program mission and contract requirements under the prime contract.

(b)    Annual reports shall be submitted by the large business and small business firms to the OSDBU on program progress as it pertains to their Business Partnership Network agreement. Large businesses may submit these reports as part of their Small/Small Disadvantaged Business Plan submission in accordance with the due date on the SF295.

The Department of the Treasury will evaluate these reports by considering the following:

1. Specific actions taken by the contractor, during the evaluation period, to increase the participation of small businesss as suppliers to the Federal Government and to commercial entities;

2. Specific actions taken by the large business, during the evaluation period, to develop the technical and corporate administrative expertise of a small business as defined in the agreement;

3. To what extent the small business has met the developmental objectives in the agreement; and

4. To what extent the large business firm's participation in the Business Partnership Network Program resulted in the small business receiving contract(s) and subcontract(s) from private firms and agencies other than the Department of the Treasury.

(c)   The Department of the Treasury OSDBU will submit the annual reports to the Small Business Specialists and the cognizant contracting officer regarding participating prime contractor(s) performance in the program. The cognizant contracting officer shall forward a copy of the annual reports to the bureau small business specialist for their files.

(d)    Large business and small business firms shall submit an evaluation to the OSDBU at the conclusion of the mutually agreed upon program period, the conclusion of the contract, or the voluntary withdrawal by either party from the program, whichever comes first.

(e)    Small business firms shall submit a post completion report 24 months after exiting the Business Partnership Network Program.  The post completion report will assist the Department of the Treasury in assessing the progress of Small business firms upon completion of the program.  The report can be found under the forms section.

INTERNAL CONTROLS

(a)    The OSDBU will oversee the program and will work with the cognizant Contracting Officer to achieve the program's objectives.

(b)    The Department of the Treasury may rescind approval of an existing Business Partnership Network agreement if it determines that such actions are in Treasury's best interest. Recession shall be in writing and sent to the large business and small business after approval by the Director, OSDBU. Recession of an agreement does not change the terms of the subcontract between the large business and the small business or the prime contractor's obligations under its subcontracting plan.

SOLICITATION PROVISIONS, CLAUSES, AND CONTRACT GUIDANCE

The contracting officer shall insert the provision at 1052.219-73, Department of the Treasury Business Partnership Network Program, in all unrestricted solicitations exceeding $750,000 ($1,500,000 for construction) that offer subcontracting possibilities. 

1052.219-73 Department of the Treasury Business Partnership Network Program.

As described in 1019.202-70, insert the following provision:

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP NETWORK PROGRAM

(January 2000)

Large and small businesses are encouraged to participate in the Department of the Treasury Business Partnership Network program. Large business firms provide small business small businesss with developmental assistance to enhance their business capabilities and ability to obtain federal contracts.

Large business firms are large prime contractors or eligible small businesses capable of providing developmental assistance. Please note that small business size determinations and 8(a) business developmental / small disadvantaged business status determinations can be found at 13 CFR 121 and 124.

Developmental assistance is technical, managerial, financial, and other mutually beneficial assistance to aid small businesses. Contractors interested in participating in the program are encouraged to contact the Department of the Treasury OSDBU.

(End of provision)

1052.219-75 Large business Requirements and Evaluation

 As prescribed in 1019.22-70, insert the following clause:

LARGE BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION (January 2000)

(a) Large business and small business firms shall submit an evaluation to the Department of the Treasury's OSDBU at the conclusion of the mutually agreed upon program period, the conclusion of the contract, or the voluntary withdrawal by either party from the program, whichever occurs first. At the conclusion of each year in the Business Partnership Network program, the prime contractor and small business will formally brief the Department of the Treasury Business Partnership Network Program Manager regarding program accomplishments under their Business Partnership Network agreement.

(b) A large business or small business shall notify the OSDBU and the Contracting Officer, in writing, at least 30 calendar days in advance of the effective date of the firm's withdrawal from the program. A large business firm shall notify the OSDBU and the Contracting Officer upon receipt of a small businesses notice of withdrawal from the Program.

(End of clause)

HISTORY  

BusinessLINC - Business Learning, Information, Networking, and Collaboration - was launched to coordinate and encourage business-to-business linkages that may improve the economic competitiveness of smaller firms, including those located in economically distressed areas. The initiative's broad goal was to encourage more private sector business-to-business relationships in order to accelerate the success of business ventures.

To further this effort, the Department of the Treasury has implemented a Business Partnership Network Program, called "Success Partnerships", which was implemented in three phases:

Phase I began with a Treasury/SBA partnership to use the 8(a) program and SBA's Business Partnership Network program for developing 8(a) firms. A listing of current SBA approved 8(a) Business Partnership Network agreement participants can be found on SBA's website.

Phase II encouraged agreements between large or mature small businesses who act as large businesses. Under phase II, all small businesses were made eligible to participate in the program.

Phase III incorporated Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses as well as the HUB Zone program into Treasury's Business Partnership Network Program.

In the past few years the SBA has managed Treasury's Business Partnership Network Program. Starting in June 2022 Treasury OSDBU will manage all phases of Treasury's Business Partnership Network Program.