Plain Language in Contracting Act

Bill: 119-hr-787
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. LaLota, Nick [R-NY-1]
Introduced: 2025-01-28
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Public contracts and procurement

Small business
Latest action: action_date: 2025-06-04
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-01-28
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Plain Language in Contracting Act</strong></p><p>This bill requires that notices of contracting opportunities for small businesses are written in a clear, concise, and accessible manner.</p><p>Each notice also must comply with the requirements of the Plain Writing Act of 2010, which are applicable to publications and notices by federal agencies.</p><p>The Small Business Administration must issue rules to implement these requirements.</p>

tv_txt: IIB 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 787 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 4, 2025 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship AN ACT To require plain language and the inclusion of key words in covered notices that are clear, concise, and accessible to small business concerns, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Plain Language in Contracting Act . 2. Accessibility and clarity in covered notices for small business concerns (a) In general Each covered notice shall be written in a manner— (1) such that a small business concern can easily understand the intent of the covered notice; and (2) that— (A) is clear, concise, and well-organized; and (B) to the maximum extent practicable, follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field of the covered notice and the intended audience of the covered notice. (b) Inclusion of key words in covered notices Each covered notice shall, to the maximum extent practicable, include key words in the description of the covered notice such that a small business concern seeking contract opportunities using the single, Government-wide point of entry described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code, can easily identify and understand such covered notice. (c) Rulemaking Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall issue rules to carry out this section. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered notice The term covered notice means a notice pertaining to small business concerns published by a Federal agency on the single Government-wide point of entry described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code. (2) Small Business Act definitions The terms Federal agency and small business concern have the meanings given those terms, respectively, in section 3 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 632 ). 3. No additional funds authorized No additional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements of this Act.

Passed the House of Representatives June 3, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 787 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To require plain language and the inclusion of key words in covered notices that are clear, concise, and accessible to small business concerns, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Plain Language in Contracting Act . 2. Accessibility and clarity in covered notices for small business concerns (a) In general Each covered notice shall be written in a manner— (1) such that a small business concern can easily understand the intent of the covered notice; and (2) that— (A) is clear, concise, and well-organized; and (B) to the maximum extent practicable, follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field of the covered notice and the intended audience of the covered notice. (b) Inclusion of key words in covered notices Each covered notice shall, to the maximum extent practicable, include key words in the description of the covered notice such that a small business concern seeking contract opportunities using the single, Government-wide point of entry described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code, can easily identify and understand such covered notice. (c) Rulemaking Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall issue rules to carry out this section. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered notice The term covered notice means a notice pertaining to small business concerns published by a Federal agency on the single Government-wide point of entry described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code. (2) Small Business Act definitions The terms Federal agency and small business concern have the meanings given those terms, respectively, in section 3 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 632 ). 3. No additional funds authorized No additional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements of this Act.

Passed the House of Representatives June 3, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 23 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 787 [Report No. 119–34] IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 28, 2025 Mr. LaLota (for himself, Mr. Tran , and Mr. Thanedar ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business March 24, 2025 Additional sponsor: Ms. Goodlander March 24, 2025 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 28, 2025 A BILL To require plain language and the inclusion of key words in covered notices that are clear, concise, and accessible to small business concerns, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Plain Language in Contracting Act . 2. Accessibility and clarity in covered notices for small business concerns (a) In general Each covered notice shall be written in a manner— (1) such that a small business concern can easily understand the intent of the covered notice; and (2) that— (A) is clear, concise, and well-organized; and (B) to the maximum extent practicable, follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field of the covered notice and the intended audience of the covered notice. (b) Inclusion of key words in covered notices Each covered notice shall, to the maximum extent practicable, include key words in the description of the covered notice such that a small business concern seeking contract opportunities using the single Government-wide point of entry described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code, can easily identify and understand such covered notice. (c) Rulemaking Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall issue rules to carry out this section. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered notice The term covered notice means a notice pertaining to small business concerns published by a Federal agency on the single Government-wide point of entry described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code. (2) Small Business Act definitions The terms Federal agency and small business concern have the meanings given those terms, respectively, in section 3 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 632 ). 3. Compliance with CUTGO No additional amounts are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act or the amendments made by this Act.

March 24, 2025 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 787 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 28, 2025 Mr. LaLota (for himself, Mr. Tran , and Mr. Thanedar ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business A BILL To require plain language and the inclusion of key words in covered notices that are clear, concise, and accessible to small business concerns, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Plain Language in Contracting Act . 2. Accessibility and clarity in covered notices for small business concerns (a) In general Each covered notice shall be written— (1) in a manner that is clear, concise, and accessible to a small business concern; and (2) in a manner consistent, to the extent practicable, with the Federal plain language guidelines established pursuant to the Plain Writing Act of 2010 ( 5 U.S.C. 301 note). (b) Inclusion of key words in covered notices Each covered notice shall, to the maximum extent practicable, include key words in the description of the covered notice such that a small business concern seeking contract opportunities using the single Government-wide point of entry described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code, can easily identify and understand such covered notice. (c) Rulemaking Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall issue rules to carry out this section. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered notice The term covered notice means a notice pertaining to small business concerns published by a Federal agency on the single Government-wide point of entry described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code. (2) Small Business Act definitions The terms Federal agency and small business concern have the meanings given those terms, respectively, in section 3 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 632 ). 3. Compliance with CUTGO No additional amounts are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act or the amendments made by this Act.