I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1641 

To amend the Small Business Act to clarify the responsibilities of Business 

Opportunity Specialists, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 20, 2017 

Ms. MAXINE WATERS of California (for herself and Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small 

Business 

A BILL 

To amend the Small Business Act to clarify the responsibilities of Business Opportunity Specialists, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. RESPONSIBILITIES OF BUSINESS OPPOR4 TUNITY SPECIALISTS. 

5 Section 4(g) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 

6 633(g)) is amended— 

7 (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ‘‘CER8 TIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR’’; 

9 (2) in paragraph (2)— 


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1 (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) 

2 and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively (and 

3 conforming the margins accordingly); 

4 (B) by amending clause (ii) (as so redesig5 nated) to read as follows: 

6 ‘‘(ii) APPLICATION.—The require7 ments of clause (i) shall be included in any 

8 initial job posting for the position of a 

9 Business Opportunity Specialist and shall 

10 apply to any person appointed as a Busi11 ness Opportunity Specialist after January 

12 3, 2013.’’; and 

13 (C) in clause (i) (as so redesignated), by 

14 striking ‘‘paragraph (1)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub15 paragraph (A)’’; 

16 (3) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 

17 subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively (and con18 forming the margins accordingly); 

19 (4) in subparagraph (A) (as so redesignated), 

20 by striking ‘‘paragraph (2)’’ and inserting ‘‘subpara21 graph (B)’’; and 

22 (5) by inserting before subparagraph (A) (as so 

23 redesignated) the following: 

24 ‘‘(1) DUTIES.—The exclusive duties of a Busi25 ness Opportunity Specialist employed by the AdminVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:57 Mar 23, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1641.IH H1641

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1 istrator and reporting to the senior official appointed 

2 by the Administrator with responsibilities under sec3 tions 8, 15, 31, and 36 (or the designee of such offi4 cial) shall be to implement sections 7, 8, and 45 and 

5 to complete other duties related to contracting pro6 grams under this Act. Such duties shall include— 

7 ‘‘(A) with respect to small business con8 cerns eligible to receive contracts and sub9 contracts pursuant to section 8(a)— 

10 ‘‘(i) providing guidance, counseling, 

11 and referrals for assistance with technical, 

12 management, financial, or other matters 

13 that will improve the competitive viability 

14 of such concerns; 

15 ‘‘(ii) identifying causes of success or 

16 failure of such concerns; 

17 ‘‘(iii) providing comprehensive assess18 ments of such concerns, including identi19 fying the strengths and weaknesses of such 

20 concerns; 

21 ‘‘(iv) monitoring and documenting 

22 compliance with the requirements of sec23 tions 7 and 8 and any regulations imple24 menting those sections; 


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1 ‘‘(v) explaining the requirements of 

2 sections 7, 8, 15, 31, 36, and 45; and 

3 ‘‘(vi) advising on compliance with con4 tracting regulations (including the Federal 

5 Acquisition Regulation) after award of 

6 such a contract or subcontract; 

7 ‘‘(B) reviewing and monitoring compliance 

8 with mentor-protege agreements under section 

9 45; 

10 ‘‘(C) representing the interests of the Ad11 ministrator and small business concerns in the 

12 award, modification, and administration of con13 tracts and subcontracts awarded pursuant to 

14 section 8(a); and 

15 ‘‘(D) reporting fraud or abuse under sec16 tion 7, 8, 15, 31, 36, or 45 or any regulations 

17 implementing such sections. 

18 ‘‘(2) CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.—’’. 

Æ 


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