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, Dec. 18, 1998, as amended at 67 FR 56121 , Aug. 30, 2002; 68 FR 4050 , Jan. 27, 2003; 69 FR 8314 , Feb. 23, 2004; 69 FR 16150 , Mar. 26, 2004; 71 FR 57367 , Sept. 28, 2006; 80 FR 38298 , July 2, 2015; 85 FR 11761 , Feb. 27, 2020; 85 FR 27090 , May 6, 2020 85 FR 11761 , 3/30/2020; 85 FR 27090 , 6/5/2020