739 
the area in which the women’s business center is 
located; 
‘‘(D) information demonstrating the experi-
ence and effectiveness of the eligible entity in— 
‘‘(i) conducting the services described 
under subsection (a)(5); 
‘‘(ii) providing training and services 
to a representative number of women who 
are socially or economically disadvantaged; 
and 
‘‘(iii) working with resource partners 
of the Administration and other entities, 
such as universities; and 
‘‘(E) a 5-year plan that describes the ability 
of the eligible entity to provide the services de-
scribed under subsection (a)(3), including to a 
representative number of women who are socially 
or economically disadvantaged. 
‘‘(2) REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF APPLICATIONS 
FOR INITIAL GRANTS.— 
‘‘(A) REVIEW AND SELECTION OF ELIGIBLE 
ENTITIES.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator 
shall review applications to determine 
whether the applicant can meet obligations 
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to perform the activities required by a grant 
under this section, including— 
‘‘(I) the experience of the appli-
cant in conducting activities required 
by this section; 
‘‘(II) the amount of time needed 
for the applicant to commence oper-
ations should it be awarded a grant; 
‘‘(III) the capacity of the appli-
cant to meet the accreditation stand-
ards established by the Administrator 
in a timely manner; 
‘‘(IV) the ability of the applicant 
to sustain operations for more than 5 
years (including its ability to obtain 
sufficient non-Federal funds for that 
period); 
‘‘(V) the location of the women’s 
business center and its proximity to 
other grant recipients under this sec-
tion; and 
‘‘(VI) the population density of 
the area to be served by the women’s 
business center. 
‘‘(ii) SELECTION CRITERIA.— 
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741 
‘‘(I) GUIDANCE.—The Adminis-
trator shall issue guidance (after pro-
viding an opportunity for notice and 
comment) to specify the criteria for re-
view and selection of applicants under 
this subsection. 
‘‘(II) MODIFICATIONS PROHIBITED 
AFTER ANNOUNCEMENT.—With respect 
to a public announcement of any op-
portunity to be awarded a grant under 
this section made by the Administrator 
pursuant to subsection (l)(1), the Ad-
ministrator may not modify guidance 
issued pursuant to subclause (I) with 
respect to such opportunity unless re-
quired to do so by an Act of Congress 
or an order of a Federal court. 
‘‘(III) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.— 
Nothing in this clause may be con-
strued as prohibiting the Adminis-
trator from modifying the guidance 
issued pursuant to subclause (I) (after 
providing an opportunity for notice 
and comment) as such guidance ap-
plies to an opportunity to be awarded 
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742 
a grant under this section that the Ad-
ministrator has not yet publicly an-
nounced pursuant to subsection (l)(1). 
‘‘(B) RECORD RETENTION.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator 
shall maintain a copy of each application 
submitted under this subsection for not less 
than 5 years. 
‘‘(ii) PAPERWORK
REDUCTION.—The 
Administrator shall take steps to reduce, to 
the maximum extent practicable, the paper-
work burden associated with carrying out 
clause (i).’’. 
(f) 
NOTIFICATION
REQUIREMENTS
UNDER
THE 
WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER PROGRAM.—Section 29 of the 
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656) is amended by insert-
ing after subsection (k) the following: 
‘‘(l) NOTIFICATION
REQUIREMENTS
UNDER
THE 
WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER PROGRAM.—The Adminis-
trator shall provide— 
‘‘(1) a public announcement of any opportunity 
to be awarded grants under this section, and such an-
nouncement shall include the standards by which such 
award will be made, including the guidance issued 
pursuant to subsection (f)(2)(A)(ii); 
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743 
‘‘(2) the opportunity for any applicant for a 
grant under this section that failed to obtain such a 
grant a debriefing with the Assistant Administrator 
to review the reasons for the applicant’s failure; and 
‘‘(3) with respect to any site visit or evaluation 
of an eligible entity receiving a grant under this sec-
tion that is carried out by an officer or employee of 
the Administration (other than the Inspector Gen-
eral), a copy of the site visit report or evaluation, as 
applicable, within 30 calendar days after the comple-
tion of such visit or evaluation.’’. 
(g) CONTINUED FUNDING
FOR CENTERS.—Section 
29(m) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656(m)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(3) APPLICATION AND APPROVAL FOR CONTINU-
ATION GRANTS.— 
‘‘(A) SOLICITATION OF APPLICATIONS.—The 
Administrator shall solicit applications and 
award continuation grants under this subsection 
for the first fiscal year beginning after the date 
of enactment of this paragraph, and every third 
fiscal year thereafter. 
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‘‘(B) CONTENTS OF APPLICATION.—Each el-
igible entity desiring a grant under this sub-
section shall submit to the Administrator an ap-
plication that contains— 
‘‘(i) a certification that the appli-
cant— 
‘‘(I) is an eligible entity; 
‘‘(II) has designated an executive 
director or program manager to man-
age the women’s business center oper-
ated by the applicant; and 
‘‘(III) as a condition of receiving 
a grant under this subsection, agrees— 
‘‘(aa) to receive a site visit as 
part of the final selection process, 
at the discretion of the Adminis-
trator; and 
‘‘(bb) to remedy any problem 
identified pursuant to the site 
visit under item (aa); 
‘‘(ii) information demonstrating that 
the applicant has the ability and resources 
to meet the needs of the market to be served 
by the women’s business center for which a 
grant under this subsection is sought, in-
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cluding the ability to obtain the non-Fed-
eral contribution required under paragraph 
(4)(C); 
‘‘(iii) information relating to assist-
ance to be provided by the women’s business 
center in the geographic area served by the 
women’s business center for which a grant 
under this subsection is sought; 
‘‘(iv) information demonstrating that 
the applicant has worked with resource 
partners of the Administration and other 
entities; 
‘‘(v) a 3-year plan that describes the 
services provided by the women’s business 
center for which a grant under this sub-
section is sought— 
‘‘(I) to serve women who are busi-
ness owners or potential business own-
ers by conducting training and coun-
seling activities; and 
‘‘(II) to provide training and 
services to a representative number of 
women who are socially or economi-
cally disadvantaged; and 
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‘‘(vi) any additional information that 
the Administrator may reasonably require. 
‘‘(C) REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF APPLICA-
TIONS FOR GRANTS.— 
‘‘(i) 
IN
GENERAL.—The 
Adminis-
trator— 
‘‘(I) shall review each application 
submitted under subparagraph (B), 
based on the information described in 
such subparagraph and the criteria set 
forth under clause (ii) of this subpara-
graph; and 
‘‘(II) as part of the final selection 
process, may conduct a site visit to 
each women’s business center for which 
a grant under this subsection is sought 
to evaluate the women’s business center 
using the selection criteria described in 
clause (ii)(II). 
‘‘(ii) SELECTION CRITERIA.— 
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—The Adminis-
trator shall evaluate applicants for 
grants under this subsection in accord-
ance with selection criteria that are— 
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747 
‘‘(aa) established before the 
date on which applicants are re-
quired to submit the applications; 
‘‘(bb) stated in terms of rel-
ative importance; and 
‘‘(cc) publicly available and 
stated in each solicitation for ap-
plications for grants under this 
subsection made by the Adminis-
trator. 
‘‘(II) REQUIRED
CRITERIA.—The 
selection criteria for a grant under this 
subsection shall include— 
‘‘(aa) the total number of en-
trepreneurs served by the appli-
cant; 
‘‘(bb) the total number of 
new startup companies assisted by 
the applicant; 
‘‘(cc) the percentage of clients 
of the applicant that are socially 
or economically disadvantaged; 
‘‘(dd) the percentage of indi-
viduals in the community served 
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748 
by the applicant who are socially 
or economically disadvantaged; 
‘‘(ee) the successful accredita-
tion of the applicant under the ac-
creditation 
program 
developed 
under subsection (g)(5); and 
‘‘(ff) any additional criteria 
that the Administrator may rea-
sonably require. 
‘‘(iii) CONDITIONS
FOR
CONTINUED 
FUNDING.—In determining whether to make 
a grant under this subsection, the Adminis-
trator— 
‘‘(I) shall consider the results of 
the most recent evaluation of the wom-
en’s business center for which a grant 
under this subsection is sought, and, to 
a lesser extent, previous evaluations; 
and 
‘‘(II) may withhold a grant under 
this subsection, if the Administrator 
determines that the applicant has 
failed to provide the information re-
quired to be provided under this para-
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749 
graph, or the information provided by 
the applicant is inadequate. 
‘‘(D) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 60 cal-
endar days after the date of each deadline to sub-
mit applications under this paragraph, the Ad-
ministrator shall approve or deny each sub-
mitted application and notify the applicant for 
each such application of the approval or denial. 
‘‘(E) RECORD RETENTION.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator 
shall maintain a copy of each application 
submitted under this paragraph for not less 
than 5 years. 
‘‘(ii) PAPERWORK
REDUCTION.—The 
Administrator shall take steps to reduce, to 
the maximum extent practicable, the paper-
work burden associated with carrying out 
clause (i).’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(5) AWARD TO PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS.—There 
shall be no limitation on the number of times the Ad-
ministrator may award a grant to an applicant 
under this subsection.’’. 
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(h) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
Section 29 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (h)(2), by striking ‘‘to award a 
contract (as a sustainability grant) under subsection 
(l) or’’; 
(2) in subsection (j)(1), by striking ‘‘The Admin-
istration’’ and inserting ‘‘Not later than November 1 
of each year, the Administrator’’; 
(3) in subsection (k)— 
(A) by striking paragraphs (1) and (4); 
(B) by inserting before paragraph (2) the 
following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Administration to carry out this 
section, 
to 
remain 
available 
until 
expended, 
$21,750,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 
2021.’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (2), by striking subpara-
graph (B) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTIONS.—Of the amount made 
available under this subsection for a fiscal year, 
the following amounts shall be available for selec-
tion panel costs, costs associated with maintain-
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