STEP Improvement Act of 2022
Bill: S.5221 | Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne (D-NH)
Policy area: Commerce

Summary:
STEP Improvement Act of 2022
This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 the Small Business Administration's (SBA) State Trade Expansion Program, which provides foreign trade assistance to small businesses, and it revises provisions related to the administration of the program.
Specifically, the SBA must establish a time frame for, and provide certain information related to, the application process, and it must conduct an annual survey to solicit feedback on the program. The SBA must collect data on certain performance metrics such as the (1) total number of small businesses assisted by the program, (2) total dollar amount of export sales by participating small businesses, and (3) number of small businesses that have created new jobs through their participation in the program.
The bill also requires applicants for participation to include a budget plan that outlines their intended use of funds awarded under the program.

To reauthorize the State Trade Expansion Program of the Small Business 
                Administration, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``STEP Improvement Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. STATE TRADE EXPANSION PROGRAM.

    (a) Application Requirements.--Section 22(l)(3) of the Small 
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(l)(3)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (D)--
                    (A) in clause (i), by inserting ``, including a 
                budget plan for use of funds awarded under this 
                subsection'' before the period at the end; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iii) Timing.--The Associate 
                        Administrator shall--
                                    ``(I) publish information on how to 
                                apply for a grant under this 
                                subsection, including specific 
                                calculations and other determinations 
                                used to award such a grant, not later 
                                than March 31 of each year;
                                    ``(II) establish a deadline for the 
                                submission of applications that is not 
                                earlier than 60 days after the date on 
                                which the information is published 
                                under subclause (I) and that is not 
                                later than May 31; and
                                    ``(III) announce grant recipients 
                                not later than August 31 of each 
                                year.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) Application information.--The Associate 
                Administrator shall clearly communicate to applicants 
                and grant recipients any information about State Trade 
                Expansion Program, including--
                            ``(i) for each unsuccessful applicant for a 
                        grant awarded under this subsection, 
                        recommendations to improve a subsequent 
                        application for such a grant; and
                            ``(ii) for each successful applicant for 
                        such a grant, an explanation for the amount 
                        awarded, if different from the amount requested 
                        in the application.
                    ``(F) Budget plan revisions.--
                            ``(i) In general.--A State receiving a 
                        grant under this subsection may revise the 
                        budget plan of the State submitted under 
                        subparagraph (D) after the disbursal of grant 
                        funds if--
                                    ``(I) the revision complies with 
                                allowable uses of grant funds under 
                                this subsection; and
                                    ``(II) such State submits 
                                notification of the revision to the 
                                Associate Administrator.
                            ``(ii) Exception.--If a revision under 
                        clause (i) reallocates 10 percent or more of 
                        the amounts described in the budget plan of the 
                        State submitted under subparagraph (D), the 
                        State may not implement the revised budget plan 
                        without the approval of the Associate 
                        Administrator, unless the Associate 
                        Administrator fails to approve or deny the 
                        revised plan within 20 days after receipt of 
                        such revised plan.''.
    (b) Survey.--Section 22(l) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
649(l)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (9) as 
        paragraphs (8) through (10), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
            ``(7) Survey.--The Associate Administrator shall conduct an 
        annual survey of each State that received a grant under this 
        subsection during the preceding year to solicit feedback on the 
        program and develop best practices for grantees.''.
    (c) Annual Report.--Paragraph (8)(B) of section 22(l) of the Small 
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(l)), as redesignated by subsection (b), is 
amended--
            (1) in clause (i)--
                    (A) in subclause (III), by inserting ``, including 
                the total number of eligible small business concerns 
                assisted by the program (disaggregated by socially and 
                economically disadvantaged small business concerns, 
                small business concerns owned and controlled by women, 
                and rural small business concerns)'' before the 
                semicolon at the end;
                    (B) in subclause (IV), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (C) in subclause (V)--
                            (i) by striking ``description of best 
                        practices'' and inserting ``detailed 
                        description of best practices''; and
                            (ii) by striking the period at the end and 
                        inserting a semicolon; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
                                    ``(VI) an analysis of the 
                                performance metrics described in clause 
                                (iii), including a determination of 
                                whether or not any goals relating to 
                                such performance metrics were met, and 
                                an analysis of the survey described in 
                                paragraph (7); and
                                    ``(VII) a description of lessons 
                                learned by grant recipients under this 
                                subsection that may apply to other 
                                assistance provided by the 
                                Administration.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iii) Performance metrics.--Annually, the 
                        Associate Administrator shall collect data on 
                        eligible small business concerns assisted by 
                        the program for the following performance 
                        metrics:
                                    ``(I) Total number of such 
                                concerns, disaggregated by socially and 
                                economically disadvantaged small 
                                business concerns, small business 
                                concerns owned and controlled by women, 
                                and rural small business concerns.
                                    ``(II) Total dollar amount of 
                                export sales by eligible small business 
                                concerns assisted by the program.
                                    ``(III) Number of such concerns 
                                that have not previously participated 
                                in an activity described in paragraph 
                                (2).
                                    ``(IV) Number of such concerns 
                                that, because of participation in the 
                                program, have accessed a new market.
                                    ``(V) Number of such concerns that, 
                                because of participation in the 
                                program, have created new jobs.
                                    ``(VI) Number of such concerns 
                                participating in foreign trade missions 
                                or trade show exhibitions, 
                                disaggregated by socially and 
                                economically disadvantaged small 
                                business concerns, small business 
                                concerns owned and controlled by women, 
                                and rural small business concerns.''.
    (d) Expansion of Definition of Eligible Small Business Concern.--
Section 22(l)(1)(A) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(l)(1)(A)) 
is amended--
            (1) in clause (iii)(II), by adding ``and'' at the end;
            (2) by striking clause (iv); and
            (3) by redesignating clause (v) as clause (iv).
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--Paragraph (10) of section 
22(l) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(l)), as redesignated by 
subsection (b), is amended by striking ``fiscal years 2016 through 
2020'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2023 through 2026''.
    (f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Associate Administrator for International 
Trade of the Small Business Administration shall submit to Congress a 
report on the State Trade Expansion Program established under section 
22(l) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(l)) that includes a 
description of--
            (1) the process developed for review of revised budget 
        plans submitted under subparagraph (F) of section 22(l)(3) of 
        the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(l)(3)), as added by this 
        Act;
            (2) any changes made to streamline the application process 
        to remove duplicative requirements and create a more 
        transparent process;
            (3) the process developed to share best practices by States 
        described in paragraph (8)(B)(i)(V) of section 22(l) of the 
        Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(l)), as redesignated by this 
        Act, particularly for first-time grant recipients under the 
        State Trade Expansion Program or grant recipients that are 
        facing problems using grant funds; and
            (4) the process developed to communicate, both verbally and 
        in writing, relevant information about the State Trade 
        Expansion Program to all grant recipients in a timely manner.
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