Locating and Engaging Federal Contractors/Subcontractors Section 503 Community of Practice September 10, 2014

Federal Contractor 503 Obligations Affirmative Action requirements apply to all Federal contractors and subcontractors with $10,000 or more in awards Federal contractors/subcontractors with $50,000 or more in Federal contract awards, and 50 or more employees, must prepare and maintain Affirmative Action Programs (AAP) Federal contractors are required to undertake “appropriate outreach and positive recruitment activities….reasonably designed to effectively recruit qualified individuals with disabilities.” Examples of such outreach and recruitment activities include, but are not limited to, enlisting the assistance and support of such groups as: o American Job Centers o State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies o Employment Networks c.pdfhttp:// c.pdf

Objectives Introduce three websites where organizations awarded funding by the Federal government are catalogued for specific business or administrative purposes Explain how these websites can be used to locate and learn about the work of Federal contractors and subcontractors Conduct sample searches on each website Explain that identifying Federal contractors is only the first step in helping Social Security disability beneficiaries to access employment opportunities with Federal contractors Provide tips on what to do after identifying a few Federal contractors for targeted outreach efforts for Section 503 employment purposes

Important Reminder Each website has a specific purpose Although not created to locate Federal contractors for Section 503 employment purposes, each can be used for this purpose Locating Federal contractors is just the first step in helping your Ticket customers take advantage of the changes to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act

Federal Contractor Employment Opportunities In August 2013, approximately 22%, or an estimated 34 million workers, were employed by over 200,000 Federal contractors and subcontractor companies Overall, it is estimated that 2.7 percent of all private sector jobs are directly funded by Federal contracts When the Department of Labor (DOL) published the revised 503 regulations, it estimated that Federal contractors would need to hire close to 600,000 individuals with disabilities to meet the new 7% utilization goal established in the new regulations Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics on line report at: Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, U. S. Department of Labor at: Federal Register at: and-nondiscrimination-obligations-of-contractors-and-subcontractors-regardinghttps:// and-nondiscrimination-obligations-of-contractors-and-subcontractors-regarding

Using Federal Data Banks and Resources

Three Federal Websites Federal Procurement Data System System for Awards Management USA Spending -

The Federal Procurement Data System The Federal Procurement Data System – Next Generation (FPDS- NG) - A government website that provides Federal procurement reports on contracting in all Federal agencies. Houses information on the procurement activities of more than 60 Federal departments Includes information on Federal contracts with an estimated value is $3,000 or more o Every modification to a contract, regardless of dollar value, must be reported to FPDS-NG. o Grants and cooperative agreements are not reported to FPDS- NG Visit:

FPDS-NG (continued) Probably the most highly searchable data base for basic information on all Federal contractors, current and in progress. Can be used to identify employers that have Federal contracts – Once identified, need to visit the company’s website to find information on job openings Review the Successful Search Techniques section prior to using the system

Live Searches - FPDS Search by state for rural and sparsely populated areas. Tennessee: SEARCH Tennessee, 2014, refine by clicking criteria in right column, use: Action Obligation ($), look for awards over $50,000. Nebraska: Nebraska, 2014, Again, refine by clicking criteria in right column, use Action Obligation ($), look for awards over $50,000. Important: Note location of company versus place of performance 10

FPDS – Search by Service/Product Landscaping/Lawn Service SEARCH: Landscaping, MD, 2014, Refine by Action Obligation ($), and, look for awards of over $50,000. Food Service SEARCH: Food Service, CA, 2014, Refine by Action Obligation ($), look for awards over $50,000. Search by Military Installation SEARCH: Fort Meade, MD

System for Award Management (SAM) o A database that combines two prior management information systems into one system The Federal procurement system, and The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance o Federal contractors must register when “doing business” with the government 12

SAM and Employment Networks (ENs) Registration on SAM is Quick and easy Requirement of the EN Request for Quotation Critically important to keep information up-to- date, particularly banking information which is used to make payments to the EN under the Ticket program

Using SAM to Locate Federal Contractors Service providers can use SAM to perform simple searches to identify organizations receiving Federal funding and/or to determine if a particular company of interest receives Federal funding Additional research on each company’s website will likely be needed

Conducting SAM Searches To conduct a search on the SAM website Go to and click on “Search Records” Click on “Advanced Search - Entity” and make sure “Active Registrations” is checked Click on “Entity Type” if you want to narrow your search to a particular type of business Click on “Location” to identify organizations in a specific city, state, Congressional district or zip code Click on “Socio-Economic Status” if you want to limit your search to Minority owned businesses, Veteran owned businesses, and/or Woman owned businesses Note: Results can be saved in a PDF file, exported to an Excel file or printed

Live Search on SAM.gov Search Criteria Entity Type: Hospitals, Manufacturer of Goods, For Profit Entity Location: Oklahoma City, OK Click on Search To learn more about a specific organization listed in your search results:  Click on View Details  Click on Reps & Certs and then on FAR (Affirmative Action Compliance)  Click on Service Contract Report  Click on Core Data for location information and look for URL, or do a web search for the organization  Click on POC for information on key points of contact

Live Search on SAM.gov Search Criteria Entity Type: Education Institution Location: Colorado Click on Search To learn more about a particular organization listed in your search results:  Click on View Details  Click on Reps & Certs and then on FAR (Affirmative Action Compliance)  Click on Service Contract Report  Click on Core Data for location information and look for URL, or do a web search for the organization  Click on POC for information on key points

USASpending.gov Promoted as a source for identifying “government spending at your fingertips” Repository for data on different types of contracts, grants, loans and other spending mechanisms used across all Federal agencies o Includes information on both prime contractors and subcontractors o Highlights trends associated with spending in each state 18

Using USA Spending to Locate Federal Contractors USASpending.gov includes information on the following contractors: o New contracts over $20 million o New contracts with a prime contract value greater than $550,000 o New contracts with prime contract value of $25,000 or more o Subcontractors of Federal contracts where the subcontracts are valued at $25,000 or more 19

USA Spending Search Options The USA Spending website offers two advanced search options o General Search o Prime Award Advanced Search Sub-Award Advanced Search o Information on subcontractors to prime contractors

USA Spending (continued) Search options include, but are not limited to Location (state), Spending Type (ENs will want to check contracts) Recipient (if looking for information on a specific company) Department or Agency providing the funding (uses codes) Fiscal Year Place of Performance (zip code/state/Congressional district/county) Recipient Location (city/zip code/state/Congressional district/county)

USA Spending (continued) Search results include information on, among other things: The recipient, contractor, and/or grantee name The Federal agency or department funding the contract, and The product or service associated with the contract A brief description of the purpose of the contract The date the contract was signed The obligation amount

Conducting Searches on USA Spending Visit: Start with Map for Place of Performance State Then Refine Search Using Right Column -- o Contracts o Fiscal Year o Product/Service o P lace of Performance Sample Search: Arizona Refine by: C ontracts, FY2014, Product/Service

Next Steps

Conduct Research on Identified Contractors Review the Federal Contractors’ website Look for general business information Select a few Federal contractors for more extensive research o Research their websites and create files with notes on key contact, types of jobs offered and associated qualifications, application process, etc.

Create Your Marketing Pitch/Strategy Develop an introductory , letters, flyer or brochure Create a minute introduction that include o A description of your organization, the services your EN provides, and the value of those services o A explanation of who you serve o Information on specific resources and/or services available through your EN, e.g., expertise on job accommodations, benefits counseling, etc. Review the new OSM resource: “Tips for Discussing Section 503 with Federal Contractors” o Visit and click on “Section 503” in the left navigationhttps://yourtickettowork.com o Look for the “Tips” under “Finding Federal Contractors”

Initiating Contact with Selected Federal Contractors Contact the Affirmative Action Officer or Human Resources Director/Manager for the employers identified for your targeted marketing Briefly explain who you are and request a date and time for a meeting (in person or by phone) Offer to send marketing materials prior to the meeting 27

Prepare for the Meeting Review the contractor’s file before the meeting Prepare a list of questions (e.g., special requirements – skills testing, medical exams, security clearance, skills testing, drug testing, etc. Be prepared to discuss Section 503 and how your organization can assist this particular Federal contractor to meet its 503 obligations.

During the Meeting Briefly explain what you do and the population your EN serves Describe the mutual benefit of a partnership o Social Security disability beneficiaries represent an untapped pool of qualified job-seekers o EN prescreens job-seekers to refer those most qualified o EN stays involved to ensure long-term employment success (ongoing support services) Offer suggestions on how the Federal contractor can work with your EN to meet its Section 503 Affirmative Action obligations

Possible Topics for Partnering Strategies ENs active in Section 503 recruitment activities have identified the following ideas for partnering with Federal contractors Establish an agreed upon process for sending/receiving information on job openings Agree on a process for referring candidates who may or may not choose to disclose a disability prior to hire Determine if and how you will post job opportunities or share information on job opportunities with your Ticket customers Plan methods for recruiting beneficiaries to fill open positions when no one on your caseload is qualified for a position 30

Ideas for Placement Success Methods used to match Federal Contractors’ open positions with qualified Social Security beneficiaries Website opportunities, e.g., announcements about the availability of certain types of job openings, interest forms to screen job-seekers Marketing efforts, e.g., mailings, robo-calls, community bulletin boards, geographically targeted mailings using the Beneficiary Referral CD Resources for information sharing, e.g., the National Employment Network Association (NENA), blogs, groups, s, websites Consider developing tools, best practices, processes and partnerships that allow your EN to coordinate its efforts with other service providers (State VR agencies, American Job Centers, other ENs  Expand the pool of qualified Ticket Holder job applicants  Share job leads 31

Other Ideas ENs Use to Support Their 503 Efforts Include the organization’s name, primary contact’s name, title, address, phone number and address on all marketing materials Develop targeted marketing materials, e.g., targeted flyers or brochures developed specifically for Section 503 recruitment Include marketing information for employers on your organization’s website Consider providing an employer interest form on your website 32

Before Referring an Applicant Prepare Ticket Holders for Section 503 participation Identify key areas of interest and skill sets Provide information about Section 503 and standard Section 503 forms employers use Share the importance of work-related soft skills Prepare for interviews - Discuss voluntary self- disclosure vs. nondisclosure o Check out the April 2 nd and July 9 th Section 503 CoP forums that dealt with self-disclosure (Go to the “Information Center” on and look for “Events Archive”) 33

Tracking Referrals and Applicants Create a standard process for making and tracking referrals and applicants Maintain an ongoing list to reflect o Each beneficiary and the applications that person submitted o The date and outcome of each application submitted o Date hired, if applicable o If not hired, feedback obtained from the potential employer 34

Join Us for the October Section 503 CoP Next month’s CoP will be an overview of key websites that have been identified as good places to search for jobs and to post resumes Will highlight the National Labor Exchange’s website ( and State workforce job banks as tools for both finding Federal contractors and locating job openingshttp://us.jobs/ Will also highlight a few websites listed on the OSM resource, Job Banks and Job Posting Services: Resources for Service Providers and Employments (updated July 28, 2014) o Visit look for the Section 503 page in the “Information Center” and then click on “503 Resources”

Additional Information/Resources For additional information on how to take advantage of the new Section 503 rules to find employment opportunities for Social Security disability beneficiaries, visit the Your Ticket to Work website:  Click on the “Information Center” and then on “Events Archive”  Look for archives of the “503 Readiness Training” series and the “503 Community of Practice” series 36

Questions and Ideas from the Audience 37