Small Business Links

Q #1 How do I get my company on your bid list?

A #1 Due to the high volume of individual requisitions, INL does not maintain a standard bid list. Instead, bid lists are developed by the procurement agent to secure adequate competition while targeting socioeconomic and buy Idaho initiatives specific to the individual requirement.

Q #2 How do I register my company for subcontracting opportunities?

A #2 The Idaho National Laboratory does not have a registration process for subcontracting opportunies. However, the INL does utilize the Central Contract Restration (CCR) database and the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Pro-Net Procurement Marketing and Access Database to research and verify subcontractors.

Q #3 Does INL give preference to Idaho businesses?

A #3 As a contractual obligation with the Department of Energy to support "Buy Idaho" initiatives, BEA will seek to secure competition from within the State of Idaho as its preference. This contractual obligation is outlined in the INL Small Business Subcontracting Plan; refered to as the Idaho Business Concerns Goal. If adequate resources are not available from within the State, or as special circumstances necessitate, BEA will expand its search to suppliers within its assigned Small Business Administration Region 10, which includes Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, with further expanded searches to follow as applicable.

Q #4 What is the Quality Supplier List?

A #4 An internally-generated database containing first-tier suppliers who, through a formal evaluation process, have been qualified to provide quality significant materials and/or services to INL. Quality significant means that the procured materials or services may or will have a direct impact on the safe and reliable operation of a nuclear or radiological facility.

Q #5 How do I get my company listed on the Quality Supplier List?

A #5 To be listed on the Quality Supplier List is not a matter of simply requesting to "sign-up" or "register." The Quality Supplier List is restricted to those suppliers of quality significant materials and/or services only, who have been evaluated and qualified on the basis of immediate need. Evaluation and qualification is performed after the supplier has already been identified as the preferred offeror/bidder through the solicitation process. As a general rule, a pending award initiates the process to become qualified, thus listed on the Quality Supplier List, if approved. For additional details, refer to INL's Supplier Management Program (ISMP) Program Description Document.

Q #6 Is a supplier required to be on the Quality Supplier List in order to receive solicitations?

A #6 No.

Q #7 I just learned of a request for proposal being issued for materials or services my company offers, however, I did not receive a solicitation. Why?

A #7 As an M&O Contractor for the Department of Energy, it is BEA’s responsibility to ensure “adequate” competition, rather than “full and open competition.” As a result of government streamlining and emphasis on commercial practices, it is not deemed efficient to solicit and review proposals from an unlimited number of suppliers, when reasonableness of price may be determined through a smaller sampling of qualified suppliers. See INL’s Supply Chain Management pages for more information.

Q #8 What do you buy?

A #8 As a multi-program research and development laboratory, INL purchases a broad spectrum of goods and services ranging from all forms of commercially available items to complex engineered hardware and equipment, advanced instrumentation and technical support services to industrial tools and office supplies.

Q #9 What is the definition of a small business?

A #9 Small businesses are defined by their primary industry classification or NAICS (North American Industy Classification System) code established by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Small Business Administration has established size standards for all NAICS code. The size standard amy be based on employee and/or revenue. Refer to the SBA size standard home page and the NAICS home page for further information.

Q #10 What is INL?

A #10 Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is one of the U.S. Department of Energy's multiprogram national laboratories. With 3,500 scientists, researchers and support staff, the laboratory works with national and international governments, universities and industry partners to discover new science and develop technologies that underpin the nation's nuclear and renewable energy, national security and environmental missions. Its core competencies reflect more than half a century of nuclear energy development and decades of experience in basic and applied science research and applied engineering For more information on the INL's core compentecies.