Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2015

To amend the Small Business Act to provide for improvements to small business development centers. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2015 2. Use of authorized entrepreneurial development programs The Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 631 et seq. 48. Use of authorized entrepreneurial development programs (a) Expanded support for entrepreneurs (1) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator shall only use the programs authorized in sections 7(j), 7(m), 8(a), 8(b)(1), 21, 22, 29, and 32 of this Act, and sections 358 and 389 of the Small Business Investment Act to deliver entrepreneurial development services, entrepreneurial education, support for the development and maintenance of clusters, or business training. (2) Exception This section shall not apply to— (A) services provided to assist small business concerns owned by an Indian tribe (as such term is defined in section 8(a)(13)); (B) activities and programs in support of a member of the Armed Forces, including National Guard and Reserve components, a veteran, or a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces or a veteran; (C) the Microenterprise Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Program established under subtitle C of title I of the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994 ( 15 U.S.C. 6901 et seq. (D) the State Trade and Export Promotion Grant Program established under section 1207 of the Small Business Export Enhancement and International Trade Act of 2010 ( 15 U.S.C. 649b (E) the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program established under section 34 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 657d (b) Annual report Beginning on the first December 1 after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall annually report to the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate on all entrepreneurial development activities undertaken in the current fiscal year. This report shall include— (1) a description and operating details for each program and activity; (2) operating circulars, manuals, and standard operating procedures for each program and activity; (3) a description of the process used to award grants under each program and activity; (4) a list of all awardees, contractors, and vendors (including organization name and location) and the amount of awards for the current fiscal year for each program and activity; (5) the amount of funding obligated for the current fiscal year for each program and activity; and (6) the names and titles for those individuals responsible for each program and activity. . 3. Marketing of services Section 21 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 648 (o) No prohibition of marketing of services The Administrator shall not prohibit applicants receiving grants under this section from marketing and advertising their services to individuals and small businesses. . 4. Data collection Section 21(a)(3)(A) of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 648(a)(3)(A) (1) by striking as provided in this section and as provided in this section, (2) by inserting before the period at the end the following: , and (iv) governing data collection activities related to applicants receiving grants under this section 5. Fees from private partnerships and cosponsorships Section 21(a)(3)(C) of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 648(a)(3)(C) (C) Participation in private partnerships and cosponsorships with the Administration shall not limit small business development centers from collecting fees or other income related to the operation of such private partnerships and cosponsorships. . 6. Equity for small business development centers Section 21(a)(4)(C)(v)(I) of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 648(a)(4)(C)(v) (1) in item (aa), by striking ; and (2) by striking item (bb). 7. Assistance to out-of-State small businesses Section 21(b)(3) of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 648(b)(3) (1) by striking (3) At the discretion (3) Assistance to out-of-state small businesses (A) In general At the discretion ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (B) Disaster recovery assistance (i) In general At the discretion of the Administrator, the Administrator may authorize a small business development center to provide advice, information, and assistance, as described in subsection (c), to a small business concern located outside of the State, without regard to geographic proximity to the small business development center, if the small business concern is located in an area for which the President has declared a major disaster under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5170 (ii) Term (I) In general A small business development center may provide advice, information, and assistance to a small business concern under clause (i) for a period of not more than 2 years after the date on which the President declared a major disaster under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5170 (II) Extension The Administrator may, at the discretion of the Administrator, extend the period described in subclause (I). (III) Continuity of services A small business development center that provides counselors to an area described in clause (i) shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure continuity of services in any State in which the small business development center otherwise provides services. (IV) Access to disaster recovery facilities For purposes of this subparagraph, the Administrator shall, to the maximum extent practicable, permit the personnel of a small business development center to use any site or facility designated by the Administrator for use to provide disaster recovery assistance. . 8. Confidentiality requirements Section 21(a)(7)(A) of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 648(a)(7)(A) under this section to any State, local or Federal agency, or third party 9. Limitation on award of grants to small business development centers Section 21 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 648 (p) Limitation on award of grants (1) In general Except for not-for-profit institutions of higher education, and notwithstanding any provision of law, the Administrator may not award grants (including contracts and cooperative agreements) under this section to any entity other than those that received grants (including contracts and cooperative agreements) under this section prior to September 30, 2015, and that seek to renew such grants (including contracts and cooperative agreements) after such date. (2) Rule of construction This subsection shall not be construed to prohibit a grant recipient under this section from entering into a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement with any other entity. .

Summary: Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) Amends the Small Business Act with respect to the authority of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to use certain SBA programs, including the small business development center (SBDC) program, to provide grants, financial assistance, loans, export assistance, and subcontracting opportunities on federal contracts to specified small businesses, organizations, state governments, universities, companies, and other entities that assist smaller enterprises. Declares that the SBA shall only use such programs to deliver entrepreneurial development services, entrepreneurial education, support for the development and maintenance of clusters, or business training. Makes such program requirements inapplicable to: services provided to assist small businesses owned by an Indian tribe; activities and programs in support of members of the Armed Forces (including the Army National Guard, the Army Reserve, the Navy Reserve, the Marine Corps Reserve, the Air National Guard, the Air Force Reserve, and the Coast Guard), a veteran, or a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces or a veteran; or the Microenterprise Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Program, the State Trade and Export Promotion Grant Program, and the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program. (Sec. 3) Bars the SBA from prohibiting grant recipients under the SBDC program from marketing and advertising their services to individuals and small businesses. (Sec. 4) Directs the SBA to consult with SBDC associations to develop documents governing data collection activities related to grant recipients. (Sec. 5) Prohibits participation in private partnerships and cosponsorships with the SBA from limiting SBDCs from collecting fees or other income related to the operation of such partnerships and cosponsorships. (Sec. 6) Removes a limitation on the amount of funds the SBA may use to pay the examination expenses of the SBDC accreditation program. (Sec. 7) Authorizes the SBA to permit a SBDC to provide advice, information, and assistance to small businesses outside the SBDC's state, without regard to geographic proximity, if the small business is in a declared major disaster area. (Sec. 8) Revises privacy requirements under the program to specify that SBDCs (including consortia and affiliated contractors or agents) are prohibited, subject to existing exceptions, from disclosing certain identifying information of any individual or small business receiving assistance to any state, local, or federal agency or third party. (Sec. 9) Prohibits the SBA from awarding grants (including contracts and cooperative agreements) under the SBDC program to any entity other than those that: (1) received such grants before September 30, 2015; and (2) seek to renew them after such date. Exempts not-for-profit institutions of higher education from such prohibition.