Subcontracting:
New businesses often start as subcontractors to established federal contractors. SBA’s SubNet and DSBS databases help find these opportunities.
together we can do this
Copy and send this letter to your members of Congress
Urge your representatives to reject S. 4390 introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah and H.R. 8511, introduced by Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis. Since personal messages are most effective, you are encouraged to add a sentence or two about your business, community, or why this issue matters.
Subject: Please reject S. 4390 / H.R. 8511
Dear [FILL IN THIS BLANK],
My name is [Your Name], and I live in [City, State].
I am writing to urge you to reject S. 4390 and H.R. 8511.
These bills would eliminate federal programs that help women-and minority-owned
small businesses compete for federal contracts and end the 5 percent federally mandated contracting goal for women-owned small businesses. These changes wouldclose thousands of businesses, erase hundreds of thousands of jobs, and stop agencies from tracking who receives federal contracts, removing basic accountability for how tax dollars are spent.
Small businesses create jobs, drive innovation, and keep money in local communities. These bills would make it harder for women and minority owned small business to compete. Federal contracting policy should expand opportunities and jobs, not reduce them.
I ask you to oppose S. 4390 and H.R. 8511 and instead support raising the women-owned small business contracting goal from 5 percent to 15 percent, which would steer about $112 billion in contracts to women-owned firms and create roughly 1.5 million new jobs each year at no new cost to taxpayers.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Business or organization if applicable]
Subject: Please reject S. 4390 / H.R. 8511
Dear [FILL IN THIS BLANK],
My name is [Your Name], and I live in [City, State].
I am writing to urge you to reject S. 4390 and H.R. 8511.
These bills would eliminate federal programs that help women-and minority-owned
small businesses compete for federal contracts and end the 5 percent federally mandated contracting goal for women-owned small businesses. These changes wouldclose thousands of businesses, erase hundreds of thousands of jobs, and stop agencies from tracking who receives federal contracts, removing basic accountability for how tax dollars are spent.
Small businesses create jobs, drive innovation, and keep money in local communities. These bills would make it harder for women and minority owned small business to compete. Federal contracting policy should expand opportunities and jobs, not reduce them.
I ask you to oppose S. 4390 and H.R. 8511 and instead support raising the women-owned small business contracting goal from 5 percent to 15 percent, which would steer about $112 billion in contracts to women-owned firms and create roughly 1.5 million new jobs each year at no new cost to taxpayers.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Business or organization if applicable]
...and Please Call Them
I’m calling to urge [President/Senator/Representative] to reject S. 4390, introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah and H.R. 8511, introduced by Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis, which would eliminate federal contracting programs for women-owned and minority-owned small businesses and end the 5 percent goal for women-owned businesses.
These bills would shut more small businesses out of federal contracts and cost American jobs instead of creating them. Please oppose S. 4390 and H.R. 8511 and support policies that grow jobs by expanding,
not cutting, opportunities for womenowned small businesses, including raising the goal from 5 percent to 15 percent.
Thank you very much
These bills would shut more small businesses out of federal contracts and cost American jobs instead of creating them. Please oppose S. 4390 and H.R. 8511 and support policies that grow jobs by expanding,
not cutting, opportunities for womenowned small businesses, including raising the goal from 5 percent to 15 percent.
Thank you very much
Contact Your Congressional Representatives
Email Your
Representatives
Find your Congressman and their email address or contact form by searching your zip code, here: http://house.gov
Call your
Representatives
Call the number below and connect with one of your representatives by sharing the representative's name or state to get connected. (202)225-3121
Contact Your 2 Senators
Email Your
Senators
Find your Senators and their email address or contact form by selecting your state, here: https://www.senate.gov
Call your
Senators
Call the number below and connect with one of your senators by telling the operator your state and choosing a senator to connect with
Phone: (202) 224-3121
Contact The House Committee on Small Business
Call The House Committee on Small Business
Call the number below, and either leave your message with the operator to be transcribed for the committee, or ask to speak with or leave your message for a specific committee member
Phone: (202) 225-5821
Visit the House Committee on Small Business Website
Website: https://smallbusiness.house.gov/
Call The House Committee on Small Business Democrats
You can call the number below to share that you'd like to lobby the committee, speak to someone on the small business committee, or share a comment. You can also set up a meeting about your small business or group.
Phone: (202) 225-4038
Visit The House Committee on Small Business Democrats
Contact The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Republican/Majority Office
(202) 224-5175
Democratic/Minority Office
(202) 224-0507
THE FUTURE WE’RE BUILDING
What Drives us
Federal Contracts Shape Opportunity
Federal contracting is one of the largest drivers of wealth and growth in the U.S. economy. It decides who scales, who survives, and who stays small.
Exclusion Has a Cost
When women are excluded, we don’t just lose businesses. We lose jobs. We lose innovation. We lose economic momentum.
Investment Drives Growth
Reversing this injustice is not charity. It’s strategy. Women-owned businesses are proven drivers of inclusive hiring, local reinvestment, and long-term value creation. Funding them isn’t a risk — it’s a missed opportunity waiting to be corrected.
THE FUTURE WE’RE BUILDING
What Drives us
Federal contracting is one of the largest drivers of wealth and growth in the U.S. economy. It decides who scales, who survives, and who stays small.
When women are excluded, we don’t just lose businesses. We lose jobs. We lose innovation. We lose economic momentum.
Reversing this injustice is not charity. It’s strategy. Women-owned businesses are proven drivers of inclusive hiring, local reinvestment, and long-term value creation. Funding them isn’t a risk — it’s a missed opportunity waiting to be corrected.
THE FUTURE WE’RE BUILDING
Why This Moment Matters
This isn’t new — but it’s newly urgent.
talk isn’t enough
After decades of inaction, people are finally talking about equity, fairness, and the role public money plays in shaping opportunity. But talk isn’t enough.
create winners
The federal government is the largest buyer of goods and services in the world. That spending creates winners — and leaves others behind. If women aren’t given a fair shot at those dollars, nothing about “equal opportunity” is real.
Join this fight
Joining this fight isn’t symbolic. It’s structural. It’s about forcing the largest economic engine in the country to treat women like they belong at the table.
Let your network know the facts,
which include:
- There are about 36.2 million small businesses in the United States,
representing 99.9% of all businesses. (Source) - Small businesses employ more than 60 million people and have accounted for the
majority of net job creation in recent years. (Source) - Women own over 42% of all businesses in America but firms owned by men receive over 95% of federal contract dollars under the current 5% goal for Women-Owned Small Businesses. (Source)
- The federal goal of awarding 5 percent of contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses has been met only twice in more than 30 years. (Source)
- Every 1 percentage-point increase in federal contract dollars to small businesses creates about 100,000 new jobs, and raising the women-owned small business goal from 5 percent to 15 percent would create roughly 1.5 million new jobs annually without new spending. (Source)
Sign up for updates
Follow the Don’t Cheat Women campaign on LinkedIn to receive explainers, scripts and timely information you can use in conversations with colleagues, clients and policymakers.
Together we can support women-owned small businesses, create new jobs and build
a stronger, more resilient U.S. economy.
OUR ADVOCATES, OUR STRENGTH
Here’s more you can do
Send the same kind of message to the members of the House and the Senate small businesses committees, especially the Chairmen.
Send the same kind of message to Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the Small Business Administration (sba.gov/ about-sba/organization/contact-sba).
Send the same kind of message to President Trump at the White House (whitehouse.gov/contact).
Inform the following types of organizations about this issue and ask that they, too, contact everyone above.
A women’s business group in your local community.
A women’s business group at your statewide level.
A local media outlet (newspaper or TV or radio station).
A statewide media outlet (newspaper or TV or radio station).
Make a new habit. Once or twice a week, bring up this issue in conversation. Tell people to visit DontCheatWomen.com and contact everyone on this page.
Together, we can make a difference.
Together, we can get for women-owned small businesses the fairness and the prosperity they deserve.
OUR PURPOSE, YOUR IMPACT
Here’s more you can do:
1. Send the same kind of message to the members of the House and the Senate small businesses committees, especially the Chairmen.
2. Send the same kind of message to Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the Small Business Administration (sba.gov/ about-sba/organization/contact-sba).
3. Send the same kind of message to President Trump at the White House (whitehouse.gov/contact).
4. Inform the following types of organizations about this issue and ask them to spread the word and contact their representatives and senators.
A women’s business group in your local community.
A women’s business group in your state.
A local media outlet (newspaper, TV, radio, or podcast).
A statewide media outlet (newspaper, TV, radio, or podcast)
A national media outlet (newspaper, TV, radio, or podcast)
5. Make a new habit. Once or twice a week, bring up this issue in conversation. Tell people to visit DontCheatWomen.com and contact everyone on this page.
Together we can make a difference.
Together we can get for women-owned small businesses the fairness and the prosperity they deserve.
“I’ve built my business from the ground up—but when it comes to federal contracts, it feels like the doors are locked. We deserve the same opportunities as everyone else.”
Camila Reyes
Founder, Everbloom Interiors
“I didn’t even know women like me could apply for federal contracts until I heard about this campaign. Now I’m ready to go after what’s mine—with confidence.”
Tasha Green
CEO, Green Spark Logistics
“For too long, the system told us to stay small. But women-owned businesses are the future of this economy, and it's time policies reflected that.”
Dr. Leena Patel
Co-Founder, Pulse Health Solutions
EXPOSING THE REALITY
How to Apply for Federal Contracts
When we search on the Small Business Administration’s website, sba.gov, it’s not easy to find what federal contracts small businesses can apply for, nor how they should be applied for.
So, we asked an AI platform, perplexity.ai, “how can small businesses find and apply for small business contracts?” and got the following information. Everything from here to the end of this page is from perplexity.ai. We wanted to give you some place to start. We hope to improve this information over time. If you know or discover anything useful, please send it our way, at info@asbl.com. Thank you very much.
Don’t Cheat Women
So, we asked an AI platform, perplexity.ai, “how can small businesses find and apply for small business contracts?” and got the following information. Everything from here to the end of this page is from perplexity.ai. We wanted to give you some place to start. We hope to improve this information over time. If you know or discover anything useful, please send it our way, at info@asbl.com. Thank you very much.
Don’t Cheat Women
ENOUGH TALK. TIME FOR ACTION.
Best Websites for Learning How to Apply for Federal Small Business Contracts - according to perplexity.ai
Several official U.S. government websites provide clear, step-by-step guidance for Americans—especially small business owners—who want to learn how to apply for federal contracts. These resources are widely recognized as the most authoritative and user-friendly starting points:
1. U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
The SBA’s Federal Contracting section is the most comprehensive and accessible resource for small businesses. It offers a detailed contracting guide, explains the basic requirements, and provides a step-by-step overview of the process—from determining if your business is ready, to registering, finding opportunities, and submitting bids.
The SBA also explains special programs for disadvantaged, women-owned, veteran-owned, and HUBZone businesses, and offers links to further training and local assistance.
2. System for Award Management (SAM.gov)
SAM.gov is the official portal where all federal contract opportunities over $25,000 are posted. Small businesses must register here to be eligible for federal contracting. The site allows users to search for opportunities, track changes, and access award data. SAM.gov also provides tutorials and help guides for new users.
3. General Services Administration (GSA)
The GSA’s “Sell to Government” and “Small Business” pages offer practical guides on how to do business with the federal government, including how to get on GSA schedules, which can streamline access to government buyers.
The GSA also provides training, events, and forecast tools for upcoming opportunities.
4. Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Small Business Programs
The DoD provides a step-by-step guide (business.defense.gov) specifically for businesses interested in defense contracts, including links to free local support through APEX Accelerators and Small Business Development Centers.
5. U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Their guides (uschamber.com) summarize the process, highlight essential steps (such as finding your NAICS code and registering in SAM), and explain the importance of subcontracting as a pathway to prime contracts.
EXPOSING THE REALITY
Additional Tips
1
2
Training and Events:
Many agencies and SBA offices offer free workshops, webinars, and networking events for small businesses.
3
Local Support:
SCORE, SBDCs, and APEX Accelerators provide personalized help, often at no cost.
We are done accepting the silence. Done accepting the scraps. Done waiting for fairness to come by accident.
Let’s fix what’s broken — together.
Together, we can achieve economic fairness for women-
owned small businesses and unleash prosperity for the middle class.
