ESI

Contract Vehicles

WOSB / EDWOSB Sole Source Awards

The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) Sole Source Program is a powerful tool that enables federal agencies to award contracts directly to certified WOSB and EDWOSB firms. Under the authority of FAR 19.15 and FAR 6.302-5(b)(7), contracting officers may issue sole-source awards when statutory conditions are met. This vehicle allows agencies to streamline acquisition timelines while promoting diversity and inclusion in federal contracting. 

This option provides agencies with: 

  • A direct sole-source pathway to partner with SBA-certified WOSB/EDWOSB firms 
  • Flexibility to meet mission-critical requirements with reduced lead times 
  • Support for SBA’s mandate to increase participation of women-owned businesses in federal procurement 

Base Ordering Period: Sole-source awards under the WOSB Program are available as long as the SBA certification is active and the NAICS code assigned to the requirement is listed as eligible for the WOSB Federal Contracting Program.

Task Order Types: Fixed-Price, Time and Materials, Labor Hour, and hybrid.

Eligibility:

  • The requirement must fall under a NAICS code designated by SBA as substantially underrepresented (for WOSB) or underrepresented (for EDWOSB).
  • The total award value may not exceed: $4.5 million.
  • There must not be a reasonable expectation of competition from two or more WOSB/EDWOSB firms.
  • The contractor must be determined responsible, and the award must be at a fair and reasonable price.
  • (Authority: FAR 19.1506, 13 CFR 127.503, 13 CFR 127.506)

Advantages of the WOSB / EDWOSB Sole Source Program 

  • Simplified acquisition process with faster procurement timelines 
  • Promotes socioeconomic diversity in federal contracting 
  • Direct access to a proven, SBA-certified small business partner 
  • Ideal for agencies seeking IT, cybersecurity, health IT, cloud integration, and training services 

Ordering Procedures:

Contracting Officers may: 

  1. Identify eligible NAICS codes for the requirement from the SBA’s official WOSB list. 
  2. Confirm WOSB/EDWOSB certification in SAM.gov or through SBA’s certification portal. 
  3. Document the sole-source determination citing FAR 6.302-5(b)(7) (authorized or required by statute). 
  4. Issue a direct contract award to the certified WOSB/EDWOSB firm without full and open competition. 

Note: No SBA approval is required for sole source awards under the WOSB Program, but the business must be SBA-certified at the time of award. 

Email: contracts@esinc-dc.com