An SBSA SIN (Small Business Set-Aside Special Item Number) was a specific type of Special Item Number (SIN) within the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program that was exclusively reserved for small business contractors. These SINs were designed to facilitate targeted federal spending in support of small businesses by enabling agencies to issue task orders under a pre-designated set-aside structure — without having to conduct additional market research or apply set-aside procedures independently.
Though SBSA SINs were once a prominent feature of the GSA MAS landscape, they are no longer awarded as of recent solicitation updates. The concept, however, continues to carry relevance both historically and strategically, particularly in the context of how GSA and federal agencies structure opportunities for small business participation in procurement.
What Was an SBSA SIN?
SBSA SINs functioned similarly to standard SINs but were uniquely configured so that only businesses qualifying as “small” under the applicable NAICS code could be awarded under them. Large businesses were not eligible to hold or compete under SBSA SINs. This made the competition within these SINs more accessible to small firms and aligned with government-wide goals to increase small business utilization.
The SBSA designation applied at the SIN level, meaning that a SIN — which typically describes a specific category of goods or services — would be carved out exclusively for small businesses. Examples of previously used SBSA SINs included small-business-only versions of:
- IT services (parallel to SIN 54151S)
- Professional services
- Administrative support
- Training or consulting categories
Each SBSA SIN had its own number and description, even if it was substantively similar to its unrestricted (non-SBSA) counterpart.
Purpose and Benefits of the SBSA SIN Structure
The main purpose of SBSA SINs was to streamline set-aside procurements. Instead of relying on contracting officers to conduct a set-aside determination for each task order, GSA pre-structured the SIN so that:
- Only small businesses were listed under the SIN in GSA eLibrary and GSA Advantage!
- All task orders issued under that SIN were automatically set aside
- Contracting officers did not need to perform the “Rule of Two” analysis or document a small business set-aside determination
- Small businesses competed only against their peers, improving visibility and win rates
This framework simplified agency procurement efforts and encouraged broader small business participation in key service areas, especially where large businesses had historically dominated.
Why SBSA SINs Were Discontinued
While SBSA SINs served an important function, GSA made the decision to stop awarding new contracts under SBSA SINs as part of broader solicitation and program updates. The reasons for their retirement include:
- Redundancy and administrative complexity — Maintaining parallel SIN structures for each business size created confusion for both contractors and buyers.
- MAS Consolidation goals — GSA aimed to streamline the solicitation by reducing the number of SINs and moving toward a unified SIN structure.
- Flexible set-aside mechanisms — FAR 8.405 already gives agencies the authority to set aside orders under unrestricted SINs, making separate SBSA SINs unnecessary.
- Increased use of dynamic set-asides at the task order level, rather than at the contract level.
In short, the capability to reserve orders for small businesses remains — but the structure has shifted to the ordering level, rather than the contract/SIN level.
Impact on Existing Contractors
For contractors who previously held SBSA SINs, GSA provided transitional guidance to:
- Remove or deactivate the SBSA SINs from their contracts via eMod
- Transition to the corresponding unrestricted SINs if eligible
- Ensure small business status is accurately reflected in SAM.gov and GSA eLibrary
- Continue competing for set-aside task orders under standard SINs where agencies apply the set-aside at the order level
Importantly, small businesses still retain a competitive advantage in many federal procurements, but it is now facilitated through contracting officer discretion rather than predefined SBSA SIN designations.
How Set-Asides Work Without SBSA SINs
With the retirement of SBSA SINs, set-aside authority now rests entirely with the ordering agency. Agencies using GSA MAS can still:
- Conduct small business set-asides under any SIN using FAR 8.405-5 procedures
- Use eBuy filters to limit RFQs to small businesses
- Evaluate proposals based on socio-economic designations (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB)
- Fulfill small business goals without relying on SBSA-coded SINs
This approach gives agencies more flexibility and reduces duplication, while still supporting small business participation. For small contractors, the key is to ensure that their certifications and size status are current in SAM.gov and reflected accurately in GSA systems.
Strategic Considerations for Small Businesses
Although SBSA SINs are no longer in use, small businesses can continue to position themselves effectively by:
- Monitoring set-aside task orders on eBuy and SAM.gov
- Marketing their small business status directly to agency buyers
- Participating in Contractor Team Arrangements (CTAs) with other small or large firms
- Responding to RFQs that include evaluation preferences for small or disadvantaged businesses
- Ensuring GSA Advantage! listings highlight their size status
Small businesses should also stay engaged with OSDBU (Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization) offices at their target agencies and participate in GSA-sponsored training and matchmaking events.
Legacy References to SBSA SINs
Although GSA no longer awards SBSA SINs, the term may still appear in:
- Historical contract records or older proposal templates
- Archived solicitation versions
- Training materials or agency guidance documents
- Task orders issued under legacy SBSA SINs still in performance
Contractors and contracting officers should be aware that SBSA SINs are obsolete, and all new offers and modifications must use the current SIN structure published under the latest MAS solicitation refresh.
Conclusion
The SBSA SIN (Small Business Set-Aside Special Item Number) was once a valuable tool in GSA’s effort to promote small business participation in federal procurement. While no longer active or awarded under the current MAS structure, the concept reflects an important chapter in acquisition policy — one focused on simplifying access for small firms and advancing socio-economic goals.
Today, small businesses continue to benefit from set-aside authority at the order level, and GSA has equipped agencies with flexible tools to ensure that small vendors remain central players in the federal marketplace — even without the need for SBSA-designated SINs.
