ABSTRACT
A distinctive, if not unique, characteristic of federal public procurement in the United States is the national commitment to socio-economic goals, and the methods in which the federal government attempts to meet or exceed these goals. The concept of socio-economic policies and goals is not itself unique to the United States. The European Union, and many of the European Union member states, for example, have established policies for, and to promote, small businesses, and like the United States, are signatories to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Bologna Charter on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) Policies. 2
