Small businesses won a record $93.3 billion in federal prime contracts in Fiscal Year 2008, an increase of almost $10 billion from 2007, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration's third annual small business procurement scorecard.

However, small business contracts as a percentage of total contracting fell short of the government's goal. Small business contracts represented 21.5% of all government contracting, missing the 23% goal as mandated by Congress. Small businesses won 22% of federal contracts in fiscal 2007.

"This record $93.3 billion in contracts to small businesses is significant, however, across the federal government we are committed to ensuring that the 23% goal is met and even exceeded going forward," SBA Administrator Karen Mills said in an August 21 press release. "Especially during these tough economic times, federal contracts for small businesses can be just the opportunity they need to continue to grow and create jobs. At the same time, the federal government gets access to some of the most innovative and best products and services."

Small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned businesses, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses increased their share of federal contracting dollars by at least $1 billion to $3 billion. Of the 24 agencies that SBA rates, 13 met small business contracting goals, 22 achieved small disadvantaged business goals, 14 met women-owned business targets, nine accomplished HUBZone goals, and four met service-disabled veteran business benchmarks. One agency, the General Services Administration, met or exceeded its goals in all five of the categories reviewed.

"President Obama has made a commitment to ensuring that small businesses have greater access to federal contracting opportunities, and it is a commitment shared across this administration," Mills said. "We have already begun taking aggressive steps to connect small businesses with contracting opportunities, as well as increase our outreach to federal agency procurement officers to make sure they get the information and tools they need to help them connect with these good, innovative small companies.

The SBA goaling reports are available here.