What You’ll Learn

In this article, you’ll learn how to navigate and use the main tools in SBCX. You’ll see how to:

• Use your personalized dashboard to access reviews, reports, and the small business directory.
    
• Search the Small Business Directory by keyword, NAICS, UEI, and more, plus save and export results.
    
• View vendor profiles, including capabilities, past performance, and communication history.
    
• Search, filter, and export Forecast Opportunities.
   
• Complete Small Business Reviews, including approving, revising, or reassigning reviews.
    
• Conduct Subcontracting Plan Reviews, evaluate offeror responses, and manage multi-level approvals.
    
• Use built-in communication tools to coordinate with vendors and reviewers.
    
• Invite businesses to SBCX and manage their access.
    

Whether you’re researching vendors, managing acquisition reviews, or updating forecasts, this guide covers the core SBCX tools available to government users.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Overview

2. Small Business Directory

3. Vendor Profiles

4. Forecast Opportunities

5. Small Business Reviews

6. Subcontracting Plan Requests

Communication Tools

Subcontracting Plan Reviews

7. Admin Tools

Invite a Business

1. Overview

SBCX (Small Business Customer Experience) is a centralized platform from the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) at HHS. It gives you one place to handle all small business engagement needs—from forecasting to subcontracting plans.

• Personalized dashboard
• Manage small business reviews and directory
• Search and export reports

Figure 1. SBCX for Government Users

Need access to more features? Contact us

2. Small Business Directory

The Small Business Directory helps you find vendors by:

• Keyword, NAICS, Company Name, UEI, Business Category
  

• Export search results

• Save and reuse searches
  

Figure 2. Small Business Directory

Note: You must be logged in to see full profiles.
Learn more about Vendor Profiles 

3. Vendor Profiles

Each vendor profile has up to 5 tabs:

Figure 3. A Small Business Vendor Profile

4. Forecast Opportunities

All users can search the HHS Forecast Database by:

• Title
  

• NAICS
  

• Operating Division
  

Apply filters like:

• Contract Type
  

• Division

• Contract Range

Export results to Excel

Figure 4. Opportunity Forecast page.

 Note: Users with permission can add, review, and publish new opportunities.

5. Small Business Reviews

This tool is for government users. Depending on your role, you may be able to: 

• Search by control number
  

• View your reviews or all in your division
  

• Approve, revise, or assign reviews
  

Figure 5. Small Business Reviews Interface

Review records are grouped under 3 tabs:

1. Documents – uploaded files
2. Summary – acquisition/project/market research details
3. Status – workflow and approval history
   

Figure 6. Small Business Review Workflow Page

If you're an approver, you may be prompted to select a next reviewer.

Figure 7. Small Business Review Actions

Next Actions:

• Approve
  

• Request Revision
  

• Request a Comment
  

• Assign to another reviewer

Learn about Review Roles and Access 

6. Subcontracting Plan Requests

You can complete the full Subcontracting Plan Review process in SBCX:

• View plans in progress
• Review offeror responses
  
• Submit evaluations

Figure 8. Subcontracting Plan Reviews

Communication Tools

• Use the Organization link to check progress.
• Use the Notes tab to message vendors and reviewers. You can also send plans back for clarification.

Figure 9. Subcontracting Plan Communication Tools

Subcontracting Plan Review

Each evaluation has 5 steps:

1. Subcontracting Goals – Flag unacceptable answers, view auto-calculated totals
   
2. Requirements – Accept or reject plan details
   
3. Determination – Final answers
   
4. Signature & Submission – Route to the next reviewer
   
5. Save & Complete – Submit or save progress
   

Three levels of review:

• CO (Contracting Officer)
  

• SBS (Small Business Specialist)
  

• SBA (Procurement Center Rep)

Download PDF versions after approval.

Watch Subcontracting Plan Reviews on YouTube 

7. Admin Tools

Figure 10. Admin Tools

Invite a Business

To invite a vendor to SBCX:

1. Go to Admin → Invite Business
   
2. Enter the UEI and SAM.gov POC email
   
3. Confirm and submit
   

The SAM POC can activate and manage staff accounts.

Learn about User Administration

Need Help?

If you're having trouble or don’t see what you need:

Submit a help desk ticket or email us at: client.support@apexlogic.com