I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1902 
To establish in the Department of Commerce the Minority Business Develop-
ment Program to provide qualified minority businesses with technical 
assistance and contracting opportunities, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 13, 2011 
Mr. RUSH (for himself, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. CLAY, Ms. RICHARDSON, and Ms. 
CLARKE of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee 
on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish in the Department of Commerce the Minority 
Business Development Program to provide qualified mi-
nority businesses with technical assistance and con-
tracting opportunities, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Minority Business De-
velopment Improvements Act of 2011’’. 
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SEC. 2. MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. 
The Director of the Minority Business Development 
Agency shall establish the Minority Business Development 
Program (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Pro-
gram’’) to assist qualified minority businesses. The Pro-
gram shall provide to such businesses the following: 
(1) Technical assistance. 
(2) Contract procurement assistance. 
SEC. 3. QUALIFIED MINORITY BUSINESS. 
(a) CERTIFICATION.—For purposes of the Program, 
the Director may certify as a qualified minority business 
any entity that satisfies each of the following: 
(1) Not less than 51 percent of the entity is di-
rectly and unconditionally owned or controlled by 
historically disadvantaged individuals. 
(2) Each officer or other individual who exer-
cises control over the regular operations of the entity 
is a historically disadvantaged individual. 
(3) The net worth of each principal of the enti-
ty is not greater than $2,000,000. (The equity of a 
disadvantaged owner in a primary personal residence 
shall be considered in this calculation.) 
(4) The principal place of business of the entity 
is in the United States. 
(5) Each principal of the entity maintains good 
character in the determination of the Director. 
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(6) The entity engages in competitive and bona 
fide commercial business operations in not less than 
one sector of industry that has a North American 
Industry Classification System code. 
(7) The entity submits reports to the Director 
at such time, in such form, and containing such in-
formation as the Director may require. 
(8) Any additional requirements that the Direc-
tor determines appropriate. 
(b) TERM OF CERTIFICATION.—A certification under 
this section shall be for a term of 10 years and may not 
be renewed. 
SEC. 4. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the Program, the 
Director may provide to qualified minority businesses 
technical assistance with regard to the following: 
(1) Writing business plans. 
(2) Marketing. 
(3) Management. 
(4) Securing sufficient financing for business 
operations. 
(b) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Director may enter 
into agreements with persons to provide technical assist-
ance under this section. 
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(c) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated $200,000,000 to the Di-
rector to carry out this section. Such sums shall remain 
available until expended. 
SEC. 5. SET-ASIDE CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director may enter into 
agreements with the United States Government and any 
department, agency, or officer thereof having procurement 
powers for purposes of providing for the fulfillment of pro-
curement contracts and providing opportunities for quali-
fied minority businesses with regard to such contracts. 
(b) QUALIFICATIONS ON PARTICIPATION.—The Di-
rector shall by rule establish requirements for participa-
tion under this section by a qualified minority business 
in a contract. 
(c) ANNUAL LIMIT ON NUMBER OF CONTRACTS PER 
QUALIFIED MINORITY BUSINESS.—A qualified minority 
business may not participate under this section in con-
tracts in an amount that exceeds $10,000,000 for goods 
and services each fiscal year. 
(d) LIMITS ON CONTRACT AMOUNTS.— 
(1) GOODS AND SERVICES.—Except as provided 
in paragraph (2), a contract for goods and services 
under this section may not exceed $6,000,000. 
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