The Journal

Reporting on supplier diversity.

Working coverage of certifications, corporate procurement, federal contracting, financing, and the operators making each work for diverse-owned businesses. Every piece checked against primary sources.

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Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to find WOSB and EDWOSB subcontractors

Your subcontracting plan commits you to a 5% women-owned spend goal, and eSRS counts only certified firms. Here's how to source WOSBs …

Dec 12, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to find SDVOSB subcontractors for a federal contract

Self-certification for SDVOSBs is gone. Here's where to source Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned subcontractors that actually count toward your subcontracting goals, and how to …

Dec 11, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to find HUBZone subcontractors (and hit the 3% goal)

HUBZone is the smallest pool and the most volatile certification in your subcontracting plan, which is why the 3% goal trips up …

Dec 10, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to find 8(a) and small disadvantaged business subcontractors

8(a) and SDB credit hinges on sourcing the right firms and proving status. Here's where to find them, what the certification changes …

Dec 9, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to file the Summary Subcontract Report (SSR) in SAM.gov (formerly eSRS)

The SSR is the annual roll-up of your subcontracting plan performance, and the SBA scorecard runs on it. Here's who files, when, …

Dec 8, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to file the Individual Subcontract Report (ISR) in SAM.gov (formerly eSRS)

The ISR is where your subcontracting plan goals meet your actuals, and where contracting officers decide whether you get acknowledged or sent …

Dec 5, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 9 min

FAR 52.219-9 explained: the subcontracting plan clause for primes

If your contract crosses the threshold, you owe the government a subcontracting plan with goals you have to report against. Here's what …

Dec 4, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 9 min

Writing diverse and small supplier requirements into your RFPs

Building small and diverse supplier expectations into a solicitation is a sourcing and compliance problem, not a slogan. Here's how to write …

Dec 3, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

Commercial vs individual subcontracting plans: which to use

If you sell commercial products or services across many federal contracts, a commercial subcontracting plan can replace a stack of individual plans …

Dec 2, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to build a supplier inclusion program in 2026

The 2025 DEI rollback hit voluntary corporate programs, not your federal subcontracting obligations. Here's how to build a program around compliance and …

Dec 1, 2025 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 9 min

How to build a diverse supplier pipeline that actually converts

Most diverse supplier pipelines stall as a spreadsheet nobody buys from. Here is a repeatable sourcing process tied to your subcontracting plan …

Dec 1, 2025 · Mario Bailey

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