Equitable Contracting and Small Business Advancement Act

Bill: 118-hr-6845
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
Introduced: 2023-12-15
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Latest action: action_date: 2023-12-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-12-15
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Equitable Contracting and Small Business Advancement Act</strong></p><p>This bill requires the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and the Office of Small Business Programs of the Department of Defense to annually provide a joint briefing to Congress&nbsp;on the implementation of the memorandum titled <em>Achieving Small Business Goals through Category Management Practices</em> (January 27, 2023). Among other elements, the briefing must describe the effects of the memorandum on contracting opportunities for small businesses.</p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 6845 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 15, 2023 Mr. Thanedar introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To require officials of the Department of Defense to provide a briefing on the implementation of category management memorandum, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Equitable Contracting and Small Business Advancement Act . 2. Briefing on the implementation of category management memorandum (a) Briefing required Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and the Director of the Office of Small Business Programs of the Department of Defense shall jointly provide to the appropriate congressional committees a briefing on the implementation of the memorandum by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment entitled Achieving Small Business Goals through Category Management Practices and dated January 27, 2023. (b) Contents Each briefing required under subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) The effects of the implementation of the memorandum described in subsection (a) on contracting opportunities for small businesses. (2) The tools and data analysis that are being used to support small business concerns in procurement decisions to increase small business opportunities. (3) The strategic efforts that have been taken to achieve the small business participation goals of the Department of Defense through the use of existing and open market contracts to reach a mix of new entrants, seasoned 8(a) companies, and other small disadvantaged businesses. (4) The opportunities that have been identified to transition from bundled or consolidated contracts without small business participation to contracts with small business participation or to use small business set-aside competition. (5) The metrics the Department of Defense has established to measure the effects of the implementation of the memorandum described in subsection (a) on opportunities for small businesses to contract with the Department. (6) The success stories of small business participation with the Department of Defense that the Department has identified and is sharing in industry engagements. (7) The sufficiency of the educational resources identified in the memorandum described in subsection (a). (8) Any recommendations on additional steps the Department of Defense can take to maximize small business participation with the Department through category management practices. (c) Appropriate congressional committees defined In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (1) the Committees on Armed Services and Small Business of the House of Representatives; and (2) the Committees on Armed Services and on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate.