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Office of the Deputy Secretary

Welcome to the U.S. Department of Education Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) site. ED is committed to providing all categories of small business an opportunity to participate in both prime and subcontracts. OSDBU serves as an educator and advocate for small business engagement with ED.
About

Vision
Our vision: Achieving educational excellence through strategic partnerships with small business and stakeholders.
Mission
Our mission: Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) works as an advocate to maximize participation of small businesses in Department contracts, through outreach to the business community and partnerships with Department offices to develop and implement acquisition strategies for achieving ED’s mission. Key roles:
- Provide guidance and technical assistance to the small business community, such as,
- procedures for doing business with ED and its prime contractors
- marketing to ED program managers
- Conduct outreach to the business community and internal stakeholders
- Establish strategic partnerships to support small business participation
- Provide training and technical support
- Establish and monitor small business goals
Education
About The U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education establishes federal policy and administers and coordinates most federal assistance to education. It assists the president in executing his education policies for the nation and in implementing laws enacted by Congress.
The Department’s mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.
For general inquires and questions about the Department of Education, please contact the U.S. Department of Education.
Visit frequently asked questions FAQs.
Contracting with the Department
OSDBU works with all program offices within the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to connect small businesses with contract opportunities. Each fiscal year, a Forecast of ED Contract Opportunities is developed, which lists all contracts that each program office plans to offer, contingent on the availability of funds. The Forecast is intended to assist vendors in identifying and preparing for contract opportunities. Find a link to the Forecast below:
If you are a business owner/employee who is interested in a procurement on the forecast, you may contact the contracting officer listed on the Forecast. Additionally, you may contact OSDBU for assistance regarding questions about the procurement process or additional information about program offices. A list of program offices is available below, under the subheading titled "Program Offices.
For more information on how to conduct business with the Department, please see the document below. In this document you will find:
- A description of each program office and its functions
- An overview of each small/disadvantaged business category (small businesses, 8(a) firms, women-owned small businesses, HUBZone small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small-businesses, and small/small and disadvantaged subcontractors) and information on relevant opportunities
- Information on other relevant agencies/departments (e.g. SBA, GSA)
- Information on how/where to submit an unsolicited proposal
Doing Business with the U.S. Department of Education, (PDF, 150KB)
Program Offices
Federal Student Aid (FSA)
Institute of Education Sciences (IES)
National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB)
Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE)
Office of Civil Rights (OCR)
Office of Communications and Outreach (OCO)
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE)
Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA)
Office of General Counsel (OGC)
Office of Indian Education (OIE)
Office of Inspector General (OIG)
Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs (OLCA)
Office of Planning Evaluation and Policy Development (OPEPD)
Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE)
Office of Secretary (OS)
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
Office of the Secretary
Office of the Deputy Secretary (ODS)
Office of the Under Secretary (OUS)
Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO
Office of Finance and Operations (OFO)
Small Business Goals
ED's goals are based on estimated obligations of $2.6 billion
FY19
Category | Est. $ | Goal |
---|---|---|
Small Business | $760M | 29% |
Women-Owned Small Business | $130M | 5% |
Small Disadvantaged Business | $130M | 5% |
Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business | $80M | 3% |
HUBZone Business | $80M | 3% |
Top Spending Categories
- Professional Services (Over 2 billion dollars)
- Such as NAICS code 522390 (Other Activities Related to Credit Intermediation)
- IT (Over 300 million dollars)
- Such as NAICS 541512 (Computer Systems Design Services)
- Research and Development (Over 90 million dollars)
- Such as NAICS 541720 (Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities)
Past Performance
OSDBU is dedicated to providing an excellent customer service experience and to meeting its statutory expectations. As evidence of this, see our most recent SBA Small Business Procurement Scorecard” below:
US Department of Education Small Business Achievements and Goals, (PDF, 83KB )
Resources

Contract opportunities with ED
- ED SBCX is a new ED database for businesses to upload their information and highlight their interest in particular procurements. This information will be available to all program offices in ED to assist in their market research.
- Contracts and Acquisition Management. On this page you will find ED's Forecast of Contract Opportunities and a list of active department contracts.
Finding contract opportunities with the U.S. Government
- GSA Acquisition Gateway
- OSDBU Interagency Council. This site includes a list of federal OSDBU offices and links to their respective websites.
- Contract Opportunities. (formerly known as FedBizOpps). Here you can find contract solicitations and information to bid on government contracts.
- Federal Procurement Data System. FPDS is another location to find federal contracts.
- Register with the System for Award Management. SAM allows agencies to efficiently award contracts to businesses.
Building your business and working with the U.S. Government
- Locate your nearest Procurement Technical Assistance Center and develop a relationship with your Procurement Center Representative.
- Identify your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code and obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number.
- Consult with the Small Business Administration and check out the SBA Learning Center.
Statutes and Regulations
- Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
- Small Business Act (SBA)
- Education Acquisition Regulation(EDAR)
Contact US
For questions/concerns about procurement opportunities, events, and all other matters pertaining to our office, please utilize the following modes of contact:
Phone and Email
Please send capability statements to our office email. When contacting the office, make sure to mention any particular procurements of interest. We typically respond to phone calls and emails within two business days. Our office does engage in one-on-one meetings with vendors, so feel free to highlight interest in this as well.
- Telephone: (202) 245-6300
- Email: small.business@ed.gov
Mailing Address
Office for Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
Office of the Deputy Secretary
U.S. Department of Education
Potomac Center Plaza, Room 10115
550 12th St. SW Washington, DC 20202
(202) 245-6300
Office Staff
Title | Name |
---|---|
Acting Director, OSDBU | Phillip Juengst |
Small Business Specialist | Marcella Coverson |
Small Business Specialist | Melanie Carter |
Small Business Specialist | Javette Johnson |
Program Manager | Debra Suarez |
Office Assistant | Gabriella Epstein |
Office Assistant | Josue Lemus |