A Supplementary Report on SME SET-ASIDE Programs  

In its endeavor to accede to the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), the
Government of Jordan seeks to work out a SMEs set-aside program that acheives its
development needs while being acceptable to GPA parties. Toward this end, an
international expert has been engaged so as to put forward a suggested SMEs set-aside
program.
SABEQ provided IBLAW with a Report dated 10/19/2007 on "SME Set-Aside
Program" (SME Report). The SME Report recommends that the Government of
Jordan should commission a study aiming at putting forward sound economic and
social justifications for a set-aside program based on particular circumstances of
Jordan. At this stage, the SME Report does not attempt to put forward specific
parameters of determining the status of a Jordanian SME. Nor does it offer a specific
program. Instead, the SME Report lays down a road map towards producing a
convincing, defensible set-aside program that is likely to be accepted by the GPA
parties.