A bill to amend section 9 of the Small Business Act to provide for the establishment of volunteer mentoring programs.

SECTION 1. VOLUNTEER MENTORING PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--Section 9 of the Small Business Administration Act 
(15 U.S.C. 638) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(u) Volunteer Mentoring Programs.--
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection--
                    ``(A) the term `eligible association' means a 
                national or regional association, organization, 
                coalition, or other entity (including an individual) 
                that represents small business concerns participating 
                in SBIR or STTR programs under this section;
                    ``(B) the term `qualified mentoring organization' 
                means a small business concern that has successfully 
                completed 1 or more SBIR or STTR funding agreements 
                under this section; and
                    ``(C) the term `low participation area' means an 
                area within a State that, in the determination of the 
                Administrator, receives a disproportionately low number 
                of SBIR awards, as compared with other areas in the 
                State or in the United States.
            ``(2) Grant authority.--In order to assist small business 
        concerns in successfully completing the SBIR and STTR programs 
        under this section, the Administration may award, on 
        competitive basis, a grant to 1 or more eligible associations 
        for use in accordance with paragraph (5).
            ``(3) Applications.--In order to be eligible to receive a 
        grant under this subsection, an eligible association shall 
        submit to the Administration an application in such form and 
        containing such information as the Administration may require.
            ``(4) Amount of assistance.--The amount of a grant to an 
        eligible association under this subsection shall be equal to 
        not less than $50,000 and not more than $200,000. An eligible 
        association that has received a grant under this subsection may 
        reapply for 1 or more additional grants under this subsection, 
        as may be necessary to carry out the program established and 
        implemented with the initial grant in accordance with paragraph 
        (5).
            ``(5) Use of assistance.--Amounts made available under a 
        grant awarded under this subsection--
                    ``(A) shall be used by the eligible association to 
                establish and carry out a program under which 1 or more 
                qualified mentoring organizations provide technical 
                assistance (which may include marketing, proposal 
                writing, government accounting, government audits, 
                facilities and equipment, project management, human 
                resources, phase III partners, commercialization, and 
                venture capital networking) to small business concerns 
                located in low participation areas in order to advise 
                and guide them through the SBIR and STTR program 
                processes from application to award and successful 
                completion of each phase of the program; and
                    ``(B) may be used to reimburse qualified mentoring 
                organizations participating in the program--
                            ``(i) for necessary out-of-pocket expenses 
                        incident to the provision of services by 
                        employees of such organizations under the 
                        program; and
                            ``(ii) while employees of such 
                        organizations are providing such services away 
                        from their homes or regular places of business, 
                        for travel expenses (including per diem in lieu 
                        of subsistence) as authorized by section 5703 
                        of title 5, United States Code, for individuals 
                        serving without pay, and for reasonable 
                        communications expenses (including telephone 
                        calls and facsimiles).
            ``(6) Status of employees of qualified mentoring 
        organizations.--An employee of a qualified mentoring 
        organization, while carrying out activities under a program 
        carried out with grant awarded under this subsection--
                    ``(A) shall be deemed to be a Federal employee for 
                purposes of the Federal tort claims provisions in title 
                28, United States Code; and
                    ``(B) for purposes of subchapter I of chapter 81 of 
                title 5, United States Code (relative to compensation 
                to Federal employees for work injuries) shall be deemed 
                to be a civil employee of the United States within the 
                meaning of the term ``employee'' as defined in section 
                8101 of title 5, United States Code, and the provisions 
                of that subchapter shall apply to such employee, except 
                that in computing compensation benefits for disability 
                or death, the monthly pay of such employee shall be 
                deemed to be that received under the entrance salary 
                for a grade GS-11 employee.
            ``(7) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $1,000,000 for 
        each fiscal year.''.
    (b) Regulations.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business 
        Administration shall issue final regulations to implement 
        section 9(u) of the Small Business Act, as added by this 
        section.
            (2) Maximum amount.--Not later than 18 months after the 
        date on which regulations are issued under paragraph (1), the 
        Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall submit 
        to the Committees on Small Business of the House of 
        Representatives and the Senate a report, which shall include 
        recommendations regarding any change in the maximum grant 
        amount under section 9(u)(4) of the Small Business Act, as 
        added by this section.

Summary: Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the Small Business Administration (SBA), in order to assist small businesses in successfully completing the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, to award, on a competitive basis, a grant to one or more eligible associations to establish and carry out a program under which one or more qualified mentoring organizations provide technical assistance to small businesses located in low participation areas in order to advise and guide them through the SBIR and STTR processes from application and award through successful program completion. Authorizes appropriations for such grants. Requires a report from the SBA Administrator to the small business committees regarding recommended changes in maximum grant amounts .