PETALUMA, Calif., Feb. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mother JonesMagazine and Senior Reporter Josh Harkinson received the American SmallBusiness League (ASBL)2016 Journalistic Excellence Award yesterday for their groundbreaking story: Giant Corporations Are Reaping Billions From Federal"Small Business" Contracts. The story exposed the fact that thegovernment has diverted billions in federal small business contracts to Fortune500 firms while fabricating compliance with the 23% small business contractinggoal.

The article revealed thatVerizon Communications received more than $107 million in small businesscontracts in 2015, and that the Small Business Administration (SBA) countedcontracts with 150 Fortune 500 firms towards its small business contractingrequirements in the same year.

Josh Harkinson cites the fact that small businesses are excludedfrom the majority of Federal discretionary spending as further evidence thatthe U.S government favors corporations over small businesses.

Additionally, the article exposed the methods by whichcorporations are receiving small business contracts, bringing to light therevelation that large Corporations are receiving billions in small businesscontracts through small businesses they acquire and don't recertify as largebusinesses. "Corporate behemoths that acquire smaller firms may simplyignore a requirement to recertify the size of the firms they acquire (theVerizon contracts were awarded to a subsidiary, Terremark Federal Group, thatVerizon purchased in 2011)."

Josh Harkinson started writing for Mother Jones in 2006,specializing in tech, labor, drug policy and the environment. His article madea huge splash in congress, indicated after its release by the congressionalextension of the Comprehensive Subcontracting Plan Test Program (CSPTP), a 28 year old Pentagon test program that removesall transparency regarding federal contracting within the program, as well asall penalties for non-compliance with Federal contracting law.

On receiving his award from the ASBL Josh Harkinson stated:"I am honored to accept this award from the American Small BusinessLeague. Through FOIA requests and lawsuits, the ASBL shines a spotlight onfederal small business contracting. This information is of vital importance tojournalists and anyone who wants to understand the often opaque world offederal procurement."

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