Women's Small Business Procurement Parity Act

Bill: 113-s-2481
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2014-06-17
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Government information and archives

Minority and disadvantaged businesses

Public contracts and procurement

Small business

Women in business
Latest action: action_date: 2014-06-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Summaries:
action_date: 2014-06-17
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Women's Small Business Procurement Parity Act - Amends the Small Business Act to revise procurement program requirements for women-owned small businesses.</p> <p>Authorizes a contracting officer to award a sole source contract under this Act to small businesses owned and controlled by women if each of the businesses is at least 51% owned by one or more women who are economically disadvantaged (and such ownership is determined without regard to any community property law), and if:</p> <ul> <li>the small business is in an industry in which it is underrepresented, as determined by the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA);</li> <li> the contracting officer determines that it is a responsible contractor;</li> <li> the anticipated award price of the contract, including options, is not more than: (1) $6.5 million, in the case of a contract opportunity assigned a North American Industry Classification System code for manufacturing; or (2) $4 million, in the case of any other contract opportunity; and</li> <li>the contract award can be made at a fair and reasonable price.</li> </ul> <p>Authorizes a contracting officer to award a sole source contract to a small business owned and controlled by women meeting the same criteria in an industry in which such businesses are substantially underrepresented if the small business also meets specified certification requirements.</p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2481 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 17, 2014 Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Ms. Cantwell , and Mrs. Gillibrand ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship A BILL To amend the Small Business Act to provide authority for sole source contracts for certain small business concerns owned and controlled by women, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Women’s Small Business Procurement Parity Act . 2. Sole source contracts for certain small business concerns owned and controlled by women (a) In general Section 8(m) of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 637(m) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking paragraph (3) and inserting paragraph (4) ; (2) in paragraph (5), by striking (2)(F) each place it appears and inserting (2)(E) ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (7) Authority for sole source contracts for economically disadvantaged small business concerns owned and controlled by women in underrepresented industries A contracting officer may award a sole source contract under this subsection to a small business concern owned and controlled by women that meets the requirements under paragraph (2)(A) if— (A) the small business concern owned and controlled by women is in an industry in which small business concerns owned and controlled by women are underrepresented, as determined by the Administrator; (B) the contracting officer determines that the small business concern owned and controlled by women is a responsible contractor with respect to performance of the contract opportunity; (C) the anticipated award price of the contract, including options, is not more than— (i) $6,500,000, in the case of a contract opportunity assigned a North American Industry Classification System code for manufacturing; or (ii) $4,000,000, in the case of any other contract opportunity; and (D) in the estimation of the contracting officer, the contract award can be made at a fair and reasonable price. (8) Authority for sole source contracts for small business concerns owned and controlled by women in substantially underrepresented industries A contracting officer may award a sole source contract under this subsection to a small business concern owned and controlled by women that meets the requirements under paragraph (2)(E) if— (A) the small business concern owned and controlled by women is in an industry in which small business concerns owned and controlled by women are substantially underrepresented, as determined by the Administrator; (B) the contracting officer determines that the small business concern owned and controlled by women is a responsible contractor with respect to performance of the contract opportunity; (C) the anticipated award price of the contract, including options, is not more than— (i) $6,500,000, in the case of a contract opportunity assigned a North American Industry Classification System code for manufacturing; or (ii) $4,000,000, in the case of any other contract opportunity; and (D) in the estimation of the contracting officer, the contract award can be made at a fair and reasonable price. . (b) Reporting on goals for sole source contracts for small business concerns owned and controlled by women Section 15(h)(2)(E)(viii) of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 644(h)(2)(E)(viii) ) is amended— (1) in subclause (IV), by striking and at the end; (2) by redesignating subclause (V) as subclause (VIII); and (3) by inserting after subclause (IV) the following: (V) through sole source contracts awarded under section 8(m)(7); (VI) through sole source contracts awarded under section 8(m)(8); (VII) by industry for contracts described in subclause (III), (IV), (V), or (VI); and . (c) Deadline for report on underrepresented industries accelerated Section 29(o)(2) of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 656(o)(2) ) is amended— (1) by striking 5 years after the date of enactment of this subsection and inserting January 2, 2015 ; and (2) by striking 5-year period and inserting 2-year or 5-year period, as applicable, .