The Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program was established in 1988 in response to the concern that a disproportionately large number of contracts in certain industries were being set aside for small businesses. At the same time, opportunities for small businesses were not being made available in other unrelated industries in which small business participation rates were historically low.

The Program has three primary objectives:

• To demonstrate whether or not small businesses in certain industry groups can compete successfully on an unrestricted basis for Federal contracts;
• To demonstrate whether or not targeted goaling and management techniques by procuring agencies, in conjunction with SBA, can expand Federal contract opportunities for small businesses in industry categories where such opportunities historically have been low despite adequate numbers of small business contractors in the economy;
• To demonstrate whether or not expanded use of unrestricted competition adversely affects small business participation in certain industry groups, taking into consideration the numerical dominance of small firms, the size and scope of most contracting opportunities, and the competitive capabilities of small firms.

For further information, go to CompDemo Program.