Small Businesses Won $183 Billion in Federal Contracts. Luther Pierre Helps One Compete
Washington set a record for small-business contracting and missed its HUBZone goal. In Miami, a business development manager sells for a company built for both.
In fiscal year 2024, small businesses won $183.27 billion in federal prime contracts, 28.78% of eligible spending and a record, well past the government’s 23% goal. Behind those numbers are people whose job is to win the work. In Miami, one of them is Luther Pierre, business development manager at Sterile Services Co.
The goals, hit and missed
Congress sets targets for who gets federal contract dollars, and the Small Business Administration grades agencies on them. In 2024 the government beat its 5% goal for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, at 5.15%, or $32.82 billion. It came just short on women-owned small businesses, 4.97% against a 5% goal, and fell further behind on HUBZone firms, businesses in historically underutilized areas: 2.74%, or $17.45 billion, against a goal of 3%.
A company built for those programs
Sterile Services Co., known as SSC, is headquartered in Miami and holds the certifications those goals are written for. Federal contracting data lists its SBA certifications as 8(a), HUBZone, women-owned, economically disadvantaged women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned and veteran-owned. The company supplies industrial, medical, office, janitorial and IT products and runs program management, IT, logistics and facilities services.
The man who makes the sale
Pierre’s part is federal sales and the management of SSC’s GSA Schedule contracts, the pre-negotiated catalogs that federal, state, local and tribal buyers order from, with a focus on products. He joined SSC in 2018 after three years as an account representative at Continental & Global Services, where he worked public bids that included contracts with the Department of Health and the City of Miami. He studied marketing at Florida International University and earned an MBA in sales management from Nova Southeastern University.
A record year on paper still comes down to one bid at a time, and that is the work.
Quick answers
How much federal contracting went to small businesses in 2024?
Small businesses received $183.27 billion in federal prime contracts in fiscal year 2024, 28.78% of the total and a record.
Did the government meet its HUBZone goal?
No. HUBZone small businesses received 2.74% of federal contract dollars in fiscal year 2024, against a 3% goal (SBA).
Who is Luther Pierre?
Luther Pierre is the business development manager at Sterile Services Co. in Miami, Florida, focused on federal sales and GSA Schedule contracts.
Sources: SBA: record $183B in federal contracts to small businesses (FY2024), SBA: contracting goals and certifications, GSA: Multiple Award Schedule, HigherGov: Sterile Services Co, Sterile Services Co.: Our Team, Luther Pierre on LinkedIn