The Sheltered Market Program designates competition for certain contracts to small, registered, certified businesses only.

The Sheltered Market Program applies to procurements that are greater than $10,000 and up to $150,000, and for which there is a competitive pool of three or more small businesses in The Network, the Water Authority’s online vendor registration and solicitation notification system.

For more information and details on how to participate, click here.

General Information Number: (858) 522-6515
Fax Number: (858) 522-6564
scoop@sdcwa.org

Craig Balben, SCOOP Manager
(858) 522-6726
cbalben@sdcwa.org

Chelsea Campos, SCOOP Assistant
(858) 522-6710
ccampos@sdcwa.org

Yes, the Water Authority’s Board of Directors has established an overall SCOOP goal of 30 percent small business dollars as a percentage of the Water Authority’s total dollars awarded. However, there are no specific goals on individual solicitation. Instead, businesses seeking to bid on construction and service projects conduct good faith outreach to reach small businesses interested in subcontracting opportunities.

PAC is a committed partnership of San Diego regional public agencies focused on increasing bidding opportunities and the likelihood of success of small businesses on public agency contracts. PAC collaborates on outreach events and training, and shares information about processes and bid opportunities. This partnership includes:

• California Department of Transportation
• City of San Diego
• Contracting Opportunity Center
• County of San Diego
• Port of San Diego MTS
• San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG)
• San Diego City Schools
• San Diego County Regional Airport Authority
• San Diego County Water Authority
• San Diego Housing Commission
• San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
• University of California San Diego

Yes.  Regardless of whether your business is considered small or not, the Water Authority requires that all businesses seeking to bid on construction and services projects conduct good faith outreach efforts.

No. However, if specified in the solicitation document that a good faith effort is required, each prime bidder/proposer must conduct outreach.

In addition to The Network, the Water Authority's collaborative online vendor registration system, there are several resources available to find small businesses. Your firm can outreach to small businesses using the community-based organizations, and other small business registry resources listed below:

• Community Based Organizations
• Other Registry Resources

• When subcontracting opportunities are available, the Water Authority requires that prime bidders/proposers conduct outreach to small businesses via The Network
• Firms registered with The Network can generate lists of industry-specific SCOOP firms using the “Search the Small Business Database” feature. For technical assistance, please contact The Network support team at 1-800-835-4603 or e-procurementsupport@bidnet.com.

• To be recognized as a SCOOP firm, complete the small business certification portion of The Network registration form.
• Include your small business certification information from either the U.S. Federal Government's System for Award Management (SAM) or the California Department of General Services.

The Network is the Water Authority’s collaborative, online vendor registration, solicitation, and notification system. Registration is for both small and large businesses. The system is FREE of charge. To register, visit: www.govbids.com/scripts/TheNetwork/public/info/regoptions.asp. To learn how to register with The Network, please access the free training here.

SCOOP firms are:

1) Firms that meet the size standards or have been certified as small businesses by the U.S. Federal Government's system for Award Management (SAM), Department of General Services (DGS), Caltrans, or any other public agency using the size standards specified in 13 CFR 121;

2) Registered in The Network

SCOOP firms receive:

• Notification of upcoming contract opportunities
• Contact from prime contractors conducting outreach as part of their good faith effort to subcontract or joint venture on Water Authority projects
• Information on county-wide small business outreach events
• Training opportunities:
  • Classroom training
  • Online training
  • Mentor-Protégé Program for Construction