The federal government made progress toward but again fell short of its stated small business contracting goals this past year, according to new government data.

The U.S. Small Business Administration on Tuesday reported that 22.25 percent of federal prime contracting dollars, or $89.9 billion, went to small businesses in fiscal year 2012, higher than last year’s mark of 21.65 percent but still shy of the goal of 23 percent set by Congress.

It is the 12th consecutive year officials have missed the target.

In addition, the government came up short on its goal for contracts let to women-owned businesses (5 percent of contracting dollars) and firms in traditionally underserved and underemployed areas (5 percent). Officials came up just shy of their subcontracting goal, too (33.60 percent went to small firms, short of the 36 percent target).

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