Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What classifies a business as a Small, Small Disadvantaged, HUBZone Small Business or a Women-Owned Small Business?

A:

• Small Business Concern (SB): A concern, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on Government contracts. Manufacturing and distributing firms: total employees do not exceed 500, 750, or 1,000 as defined in FAR 19.102. Services: based on averaged annual volume of sales for the past three years Per FAR 19.102. (NOTE: If firm total employment is between 500 and 1,000 contact Small Business Administration for assistance for determining proper SIC code size standard.)

• Small Disadvantaged Business Concern (SDB): A firm which meet the above criteria as a Small Business, and which is at least 51 percent owned by one or more socially or economically disadvantaged individuals; and whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more of such individuals. Socially and economically disadvantaged individuals include:

  • Black American, Hispanic American, Native American (American Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts, or Native Hawaiians), Asian-Pacific American (persons with origins from Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, China, Taiwan, Laos, Cambodia (Kampuchea), Vietnam, Korea, The Philippines, U.S. Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Republic of Palau), Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Samoa, Macao, Hong Kong, Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu, or Nauru), Subcontinent Asian (Asian-Indian) American (persons with origins from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, The Maldives Islands, or Nepal). Individual/concern, other than one of the preceding.

  • Historically Black Colleges-Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) are classified as Small Disadvantaged concerns.

• Women-Owned Small Business Concern (WOSB): A firm which meets the above criteria as a Small Business and which is at least 51 percent owned by one or more women or, in the case of any publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one or more women; and whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more women.

• HUBZone Small Business Concern (HZSB): A small business concern that appears on the List of Qualified HUBZone Small Business Concerns maintained by the SBA.

Q: What is the first step an SB, SDB, WOSB, or HZSB should take when pursuing business opportunities with Harris?

A: Complete and return the Prospective Supplier Profile Form. The purpose of this form is to provide basic information on suppliers interested in doing business with Harris. The completed form will assist Harris in evaluating suppliers for potential recommendation and selection.

Q: Who should a candidate supplier contact at Harris?

A: Harris Small Business Liaison Officer:

Rhonda Sammon
PO Box 37, M/S 16-E4552
Melbourne, FL 32902-0037
321-729-2093
321-729-2097 (FAX)
Direct inquiries to Harris Small Business Program Office listed above.

Q: After completing the Prospective Supplier Profile and contacting the SBLO, what is the next step for the supplier?

A: Follow up! Network! All potential suppliers must cultivate a good relationship with Harris. This relationship may be with the SBLO, the potential buyer, or the engineer responsible for generating requirements for the product or service provided.