(a) The contracting officer shall set aside an individual acquisition or class of acquisitions for competition among small business when-
(1) It is determined to be in the interest of maintaining or mobilizing the Nation’s full productive capacity, war or national defense programs, or
(2) Assuring that a fair proportion of Government contracts in each industry category is placed with small business concerns; and the circumstances described in 19.502-2 or 19.502-3(a) exist.
(b) This requirement does not apply to purchases of $3,000 or less ($15,000 or less for acquisitions as described in 13.201(g)(1)), or purchases from required sources of supply under Part 8 (e.g., Committee for Purchase from People Who are Blind or Severely Disabled, and Federal Supply Schedule contracts).
