Section 19.502-1 - Requirements for setting aside acquisitions(a) The contracting officer shall set aside an individual acquisition or class of acquisitions for competition among small businesses 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 is placed with small business concerns; and the circumstances described in 19.502-2 or 19.502-3(a) exist.(b) The requirement in paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to purchases at or below the micro-purchase threshold, or purchases from required sources under part 8 (e.g., Committee for Purchase From People Who are Blind or Severely Disabled).63 FR 70270, 12/18/1998, as amended at 67 FR 56121, 8/30/2002; 68 FR 4050, 1/27/2003; 69 FR 8314, 2/23/2004; 69 FR 16150, 3/26/2004; 71 FR 57367, 9/28/2006; 80 FR 38298, 7/2/2015; 85 FR 11761, 3/30/2020; 85 FR 27090, 6/5/2020