Phil MacLean | PCR, SBA Area IV (Columbus, OH)

Small Business Success Tips Podcast (episode 10)

Summary: Phil MacLean discusses important differences between OSDBUs, Small Business Specialists, and PCRs; the process of procurement review; finding points of contact within agencies; researching historical awards, FedBizOpps, GSA schedules, internal source lists, and subcontracting listings on key directories

Guest Bio: Philip MacLean is Procurement Center Representative in the SBA's Office of Government Contracting Area IV. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Phil is a catalyst for small business success in the Midwest. His activities include the Defense Logistics Agency Defense Supply Center Columbus (DLA-LAND/DSCC), the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) in Columbus, NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, the DOE's Environment Management Consolidated Business Center and the EPA's Procurement Operations Division in Cincinnati. Phil monitors hundreds of contracts each year.

In this episode, Philip MacLean discusses: 

• how PCRs are 'special insiders/outsiders'– government employees of the SBA often located onsite of federal agencies, but not employees of contracting agencies
• how PCRs ensure rules and regulations are followed, provide training to agency buyers and recommend alternative contracting methods to increase small business participation
• how most PCRs are former buyers, acquisition specialists, or agency contracting officers  and they encourage businesses to ask for help and for specific points of contact
• Small Business Specialists or OSDBU are actual employees of that agency and driven by agency mission ; PCRs are employees of the SBA
• how procurements are first reviewed by Small Business Specialists, OSDBU, or Office of Small Business Programs within that agency, before advancing to the PCR for final review
• DSBS is the primary tool when reviewing procurements and research potential small businesses
• that agencies have internal lists, such as a supplier/manufacturer capability database
• agencies with an aggregate contract value exceeding $50 million must prepare a forecast of contract opportunities but if they don't post it online, small businesses can request the info from the agency's POC, SBS, or PCR
• using FBDS to research previous contractors and determine the incumbents
• researching subcontracting opportunities with
  • SBA's Subcontracting Network (SubNet)
  •  SBA's Directory of Prime Contractors with Subcontracting Plans; 
  • GSA Subcontracting Directory and
  • the DoD Subcontracting Directory
• understanding that procurement contracts for your local base might actually be handled by a procurement center several states away

Contact Philip MacLean:  Email: [email protected]