Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

The Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Departmental Management Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization is a civilian sub-agency within USDA that administers policies and programs to increase federal contract and grant opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses across the Department.

The office has issued 19 federal contract awards since 2006, generating $290 thousand in combined award potential value and obligating $298 thousand. Contract activity is minimal and sporadic; the office awarded 2 contracts in 2016, 2 in 2018, 1 in 2019, 2 in 2020, and 1 in 2021, with no recorded awards since September 2021. Fourteen distinct prime contractors have received awards across the portfolio history. Ninety-five percent of awards carry no set-aside designation; the remaining 5 percent comprises one 8(a) sole-source award. The small contract base and extended gap since 2021 suggest the office functions primarily as a policy and advocacy entity rather than as a direct procurer.

The office recently entered grant-making activity, awarding a single Cooperative Agreement totaling $100 thousand in federal dollars to North Dakota State University on September 30, 2025. This represents the only recorded grant award and the first grant activity in the portfolio history.

No recent contract opportunities or grant opportunities are listed against the office. Firms pursuing small-business advocacy or compliance work with USDA may find limited direct contracting activity through this sub-agency; the minimal historical volume and five-year award hiatus indicate pursuit efforts should focus on policy-support or consulting engagements rather than expect competitive solicitation cycles.