Small Business - Doing Business with the Department of Health and Human Services

Before the year 1953, what are now the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services separately first became a single Cabinet level department in the US. At that point, it was called the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. In 1979, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education were split into their current two departments from that one single department. Today, the Department of Health and Human Services, also known as HHS, oversees and is responsible for the health and safety and well-being of citizens of the United States. On an international level, it also takes care of health and safety issues that reach across the border.

HHS administers over 300 programs with a budget of over $737 billion. HHS mission includes a wide range of human issues, including substance abuse, Medicare and Medicaid, childrens health, health disparities, disease prevention and health promotion. It is the largest grant-making department within the Federal Government.

In 1979, HHS first established the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. Its intent was to implement and develop outreach programs to the small business community. This Office works mostly through procurement conferences, small business fairs, conventions, forums, and trade group seminars.

This Office, also called OSDBU, hosts bimonthly Vendor Outreach Sessions. These sessions' purpose is to educate and introduce vendors to the Small Business program and to give them information so that they can market their services and products to Health And Human Services most effectively.

Currently, Small Business Specialists report to The Office of Small Business Development's Director, and this is currently the only executive agency where Specialists report to the Director. The 11 agencies of HHS house the Small Business Specialists.

The Small Business Specialists work daily with the Contracting and Program Office staff to determine the best acquisition strategy and provide a unified approach to benefit vendors dealing with the Department.

Currently, HHS does not provide grants or loans to help small businesses get going, but it is in fact the largest organization to make grants within the federal government. It has over 300 grant programs today, and it handles mission-specific topics, which are in turn delegated among the various HHS operating agencies. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance profiles all Federal grant programs; these provide financial assistance and include HHS programs. In addition, specific points of contact for obtaining applications or additional information are also provided.

HHS does not require any special certifications for vendors interested in doing business with the HHS. The Small Business Administration certifies firms under their 8(a) Business Development Program, the Small Disadvantaged Business Program and the Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) program. Small, Women-Owned, Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran Owned businesses rely on self-certifications. Self-certification is not questioned until a competitor or other interested party protests. A Contracting Officer with HHS may also request a size determination from the SBA.

Michael Saunders has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He maintains a site on Government Business Grants and another on Latest Home Business Ideas. Don't reprint the same version as everyone else.