AIA's Supplier Management Council

Socio-Economic Working Group: Supporting Small Disadvantaged Businesses and Women-Owned Small Business

Approximately 20 percent of AIA's associate members are Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs) and Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs). The SMC established the Socio-Economic Working Group to become an advocate to the government for SDB and WOSB issues and to help SDBs and WOSBs reach the commercial and global marketplaces.

For 2004, the Working Group is addressing three issues which include removing Small Business Administration (SBA) third party certification for SDBs, raising the wealth limit of $750K (excluding personal residence) for SDBs, and encouraging customers to respond to information submitted by suppliers.

The Working Group has requested AIA staff arrange meetings with Congressional Staffs to address the first and second issues. The first of these meetings occurred in September 2003 during Small Business Week as Working Group representatives met the House Small Business staff. The Working Group will continue to arrange discussions to push these issues and reach a consensus.

The last issue is being addressed at AIA regional meetings by providing representatives from SDBs and WOSBs an opportunity to talk to host company staff about their capabilities. This initiative was extremely successful for both the host company and the SDBs at six regional meetings covering 2002-2004 held at Northrop Grumman, Los Angeles; Boeing, Seattle; Vought Aircraft, Dallas; Lockheed Martin, Orlando; BAE Systems, San Diego and Honeywell, Phoenix.