(a) The Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Act of 1997 (15 U.S.C. 631 note) created the HUBZone Program.

(b) The purpose of the HUBZone Program is to provide Federal contracting assistance for qualified small business concerns located in historically underutilized business zones, in an effort to increase employment opportunities, investment, and economic development in those areas.

(a) Status as a HUBZone small business concern is determined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) in accordance with 13 CFR part 126.

(b) If SBA determines that a concern is a HUBZone small business, it will designate the concern as a HUBZone small business in the Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) at https://web.sba.gov/pro-net/search/dsp_dsbs.cfm. SBA's designation also appears in SAM. Only firms designated in DSBS and SAM as HUBZone small business concerns are eligible for HUBZone preferences. HUBZone preferences are not contingent on the place of performance.

(c) A joint venture may be considered a HUBZone small business concern if—

(1) The joint venture qualifies as small under 19.301-1(a)(2)(i);

(2) At least one party to the joint venture is a HUBZone small business concern; and

(3) The joint venture complies with 13 CFR 126.616(a) through (c).

(d) To be eligible for a HUBZone contract under this section, a HUBZone small business concern must be a HUBZone small business concern at the time of its initial offer.

This subpart does not apply to—

(a) Requirements that can be satisfied through award to—

(1) Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (see subpart 8.6); or

(2) AbilityOne participating non-profit agencies for the blind or severely disabled (see subpart 8.7);

(b) Orders under indefinite-delivery contracts (see subpart 16.5). (But see 16.505(b)(2)(i)(F) for discretionary set-asides of orders);

(c) Orders against Federal Supply Schedules (see subpart 8.4). (But see 8.405-5 for discretionary set-asides of orders);

(d) Requirements currently being performed by an 8(a) participant or requirements SBA has accepted for performance under the authority of the 8(a) program, unless SBA has consented to release the requirements from the 8(a) program; or

(e) Requirements for commissary or exchange resale items.

(a) The contracting officer—

(1) Shall comply with 19.203 before deciding to set aside an acquisition under the HUBZone Program;

(2) May set aside acquisitions exceeding the micro-purchase threshold for competition restricted to HUBZone small business concerns when the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section can be satisfied; and

(3) Shall consider HUBZone set-asides before considering HUBZone sole-source awards (see 19.1306) or small business set-asides (see subpart 19.5).

(b) To set aside an acquisition for competition restricted to HUBZone small business concerns, the contracting officer must have a reasonable expectation that—

(1) Offers will be received from two or more HUBZone small business concerns; and

(2) Award will be made at a fair market price.

(c) If the contracting officer receives only one acceptable offer from a HUBZone small business concern in response to a set aside, the contracting officer should make an award to that concern. If the contracting officer receives no acceptable offers from HUBZone small business concerns, the HUBZone set-aside shall be withdrawn and the requirement, if still valid, set aside for small business concerns, as appropriate (see 19.203).

(d) The procedures at 19.202-1 and at 19.402 apply to this section.

(1) When the SBA intends to appeal a contracting officer's decision to reject a recommendation of the SBA procurement center representative (or, if a procurement center representative is not assigned, see 19.402(a)) to set aside an acquisition for competition restricted to HUBZone small business concerns, the SBA procurement center representative shall notify the contracting officer, in writing, of its intent within 5 business days of receiving the contracting officer's notice of rejection.

(2) Upon receipt of notice of SBA's intent to appeal, the contracting officer shall suspend action on the acquisition until the head of the contracting activity issues a written decision on the appeal, unless the head of the contracting activity makes a written determination that urgent and compelling circumstances, which significantly affect the interests of the Government, exist.

(3) Within 15 business days of SBA's notification to the contracting officer, SBA must file its formal appeal with the head of the agency, or the appeal will be deemed withdrawn. The head of the agency shall reply to SBA within 15 business days of receiving the appeal. The decision of the head of the agency shall be final.

(a) A contracting officer shall consider a contract award to a HUBZone small business concern on a sole-source basis (see 6.302-5(b)(5)) before considering a small business set-aside (see 19.203 and subpart 19.5), provided none of the exclusions at 19.1304 apply; and—

(1) The contracting officer does not have a reasonable expectation that offers would be received from two or more HUBZone small business concerns;

(2) The anticipated price of the contract, including options, will not exceed—

(i) $7 million for a requirement within the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes for manufacturing; or

(ii) $4.5 million for a requirement within all other NAICS codes;

(3) The requirement is not currently being performed by an 8(a) participant under the provisions of subpart 19.8 or has been accepted as a requirement by SBA under subpart 19.8.

(4) The HUBZone small business concern has been determined to be a responsible contractor with respect to performance; and

(5) Award can be made at a fair and reasonable price.

(b) The SBA has the right to appeal the contracting officer's decision not to make a HUBZone sole-source award (see 13 CFR 126.610).

(a) The price evaluation preference for HUBZone small business concerns shall be used in acquisitions conducted using full and open competition. The preference shall not be used—

(1) Where price is not a selection factor so that a price evaluation preference would not be considered (e.g., Architect/Engineer acquisitions);

(2) Where all fair and reasonable offers are accepted (e.g., the award of multiple award schedule contracts); or

(3) For the reserved portion of a solicitation for a multiple-award contract (see 19.503).

(b) The contracting officer shall give offers from HUBZone small business concerns a price evaluation preference by adding a factor of 10 percent to all offers, except—

(1) Offers from HUBZone small business concerns that have not waived the evaluation preference; or

(2) Otherwise successful offers from small business concerns.

(c) The factor of 10 percent shall be applied on a line item basis or to any group of items on which award may be made. Other evaluation factors, such as transportation costs or rent-free use of Government property, shall be added to the offer to establish the base offer before adding the factor of 10 percent.

(d) When the two highest rated offerors are a HUBZone small business concern and a large business, and the evaluated offer of the HUBZone small business concern is equal to the evaluated offer of the large business after considering the price evaluation preference, the contracting officer shall award the contract to the HUBZone small business concern.

(a) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-3, Notice of HUBZone Set-Aside or Sole-Source Award, in solicitations and contracts for acquisitions that are set aside or awarded on a sole-source basis to, HUBZone small business concerns under 19.1305 or 19.1306. This includes multiple-award contracts when orders may be set aside for HUBZone small business concerns as described in 8.405-5 and 16.505(b)(2)(i)(F) or when orders may be issued directly to one HUBZone small business concern in accordance with 19.504(c)(1)(ii).

(b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-4, Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns, in solicitations and contracts for acquisitions conducted using full and open competition.

(c) For use of clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, see the prescription at 19.507(e).

(d) For use of clause 52.219-33, Nonmanufacturer Rule, see the prescription at 19.507(h).