Agencies miss small-business contracting goals.(Brief Article)

The federal government's failure to meet any of its small-business contracting goals last year has prompted renewed calls for Congress to give the U.S. Small Business Administration more power to force agencies to break up big contracts.

Only 22 percent of prime contract dollars were awarded to small businesses in fiscal 2000, missing the 23 percent goal established by Congress.

Federal agencies also fell short in particular areas: Women-owned businesses, for example, received only 2.3 percent of all prime contracts, less than half of their overall goal of 5 percent.

Only 3.6 percent of all prime contracts went to small disadvantaged businesses, …