Small Business Development Center Improvement Act of 1984
PL 98-395 (S.1429), enacted 08/21/1984

98 STAT. 1366 
PUBLIC LAW 98-395—AUG. 21, 1984 
Public Law 98-395 
98th Congress 
Aug. 21, 1984 
[S. 1429] 
Small Business 
Development 
Center 
Improvement 
Act 
of 1984. 
15 u s e 631 note. 
15 u s e 648. 
An Act 
m^n^gi 
To amend the Small Business Act to extend and strengthen the Small Business 
Development Center Program, 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. This Act may be cited as the "Small Business Develop-
ment Center Improvement Act of 1984". 
SEC. 2. Section 21 of the Small Business Act is amended as follows: 
(1) by adding at the end of paragraph (1) of subsection (a) the 
following: "The term of such grants shall be made on a calendar 
year basis or to coincide with the Federal fiscal year."; 
(2) by striking paragraph (2) of subsection (a) and inserting 
the following: 
"(2) The Small Business Development Center Program shall be 
under the general management and oversight of the Administra-
tion, but with recognition that a partnership exists under this 
section between the Administration and the applicant for the deliv-
ery of assistance to the small business community. Services shall be 
provided pursuant to a negotiated cooperative agreement with full 
participation of both parties. 
"(3) Except as provided in paragraph (4), the Administration shall 
require, as a condition to any grant (or amendment or modification 
thereof) made to an applicant under this section that an additional 
amount (excluding any fees collected from recipients of such assist-
ance) equal to the amount of such grant be provided from sources 
other than the Federal Government: Provided, That the additional 
amount shall not include any amount of indirect costs or in-kind 
contributions paid for under any Federal program, nor shall such 
indirect costs or in-kind contributions exceed 50 per centum of the 
non-Federal additional amount: Provided further, That no recipient 
of funds under this section shall receive a grant which would exceed 
its pro rata share of a $65,000,000 program based upon the popula-
tion to be served by the Small Business Development Center as 
compared to the total population in the United States, or $200,000, 
whichever is greater. 
"(4) In lieu of the matching funds required in paragraph (3), the 
Administration shall require as a condition of any grant (or amend-
ment or modification thereof) made to an applicant under this 
section, that a matching amount (excluding any fees collected from 
recipients of such assistance) equal to the amount of such grant be 
provided from sources other than the Federal Government, to be 
comprised of not less than 50 per centum cash and not more than 50 
per centum of indirect costs and in-kind contributions as follows: 
"(A) for grants for performance commencing on or after 
October 1, 1987 if the applicant is located in a State which 
received its grant for performance under this section on or 
before August 1,1984; 
PUBLIC LAW 98-395—AUG. 21, 1984 
98 STAT. 1367 
"(B) for grants for performance commencing on or after Octo-
ber 1, 1988 if the applicant is located in a State which receives 
its initial grant for performance under this section commencing 
after August 1,1984 and prior to October 1,1986; and 
"(C) for grants for performance commencing on or after Octo-
ber 1, 1986 if the applicant is located in a State which receives 
its initial grant for performance under this section commencing 
after October 1,1986: 
Provided, That this matching amount shall not include any indirect 
costs or in-kind contributions derived from any Federal program: 
Provided further, That no recipient of funds under this section shall 
receive a grant which would exceed its pro rata share of a 
$65,000,000 program based upon the population to be served by the 
Small Business Development Center as compared to the total popu-
lation in the United States, or $200,000 whichever is greater."; 
(3) by striking from paragraph (1) of subsection Ot)) "During 
fiscal years 1981, 1982, and 1983, financial" and by inserting in 
lieu thereof "Financial"; 
(4) by inserting after the period at the end of the first sen-
tence of paragraph (2) of subsection (c) the following: "The 
Public 
facilities and staff of each Small Business Development Center 
availability. 
shall be located in such places as to provide maximum accessi-
bility and benefits to the small businesses which the center is 
intended to serve."; 
(5) by amending subparagraph (2)(A) of subsection (c) to read 
as follows: 
"(A) a full-time staff, including a full-time director who 
shall have the authority to make expenditures under the 
center's budget and who shall manage the program 
activities;"; 
(6) by striking subsection (e) and inserting in lieu thereof the 
following: 
"(e) The National Science Foundation is authorized and directed 
to cooperate with the Administration and with the Small Business 
Development Centers in developing and establishing programs to 
support the centers."; 
(7) by striking from the second sentence of paragraph (2) of 
subsection (h) the word "quarterly" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"semiannually"; 
(8) by striking from paragraph (1) of subsection (i) the word 
"may" and inserting in lieu thereof "shall"; and 
(9) by striking subsection (j) and inserting in lieu thereof the 
following: 
"(j) Within six months of the date of enactment of the Small 
Study. 
Business Development Center Improvement Act of 1984, the Admin- Ante, p. 
istration shall develop and implement a program proposal for onsite 
evaluation of each Small Business Development Center. Such eval-
uation shall be conducted at least once every two years and shall 
provide for the participation of a representative of at least one other 
Small Business Development Center on a cost-reimbursement 
basis.". 
SEC. 3. Section 20 of the Small Business Act is amended as follows: 
15 use 631 note. 
(1) by inserting the following after the second sentence in 
subsection (a): "For fiscal year 1986 and every year thereafter, 
there are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as 
may be necessary and appropriate to be available solely (1) to 
carry out the provisions and purposes of the Small Business 
National Science 
Foundation. 
1366. 
98 STAT. 1368 
PUBLIC LAW 98-395—AUG. 21, 1984 
Ante, p. 1366. 
Development Center Program in section 21, but not to exceed 
the level as specified in subsection (a) of such section, (2) to pay 
the expenses of the National Small Business Development 
Center Advisory Board as provided in section 21(h), and (3) to 
reimburse centers for participation in evaluations as provided 
in section 21(j)."; and 
(2) by adding the following new subsection: 
Appropriations 
"(t) There are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 
authorization. 
1985, $30,000,000 to be available solely (1) to carry out the provisions 
and purposes of the Small Business Development Center Program in 
section 21, (2) to pay the expenses of the National Small Business 
Development Center Advisory Board as provided in subsection 21(h), 
and (3) to reimburse centers for participation in evaluations as 
provided in subsection 21(j)." 
SEC. 4. Section 204 of the Small Business Development Center Act 
97 Stat. 1125. 
of 1980 (Public Law 96-302), as amended, is further amended by 
15 use 648 note. Striking "January 1, 1985" and by inserting in lieu thereof 
"October 1, 1990". 
15 use 636. 
SEC. 5. Section 7(dXl) of the Small Business Act is amended to 
read as follows: 
"(d)(1) The Administration shall not fund any Small Business 
Development Center or any variation thereof, except as authorized 
in section 21 of this Act.". 
Approved August 21, 1984. 
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LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1429 (H.R. 4013) (HE. 5334): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 98-739 accompanying H.R. 5334 (Comm. on Small Business) 
and No. 98-955 (eomm. of eonference). 
SENATE REPORT No. 98-309 (Comm. on Small Business). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 129 (1983): Nov. 17, considered and passed Senate. 
Vol. 130 (1984): May 14, H.R. 5334 considered and passed House; S. 1429, 
amended, peissed in lieu. 
Aug. 6, Senate agreed to conference report. 
Aug. 8, House agreed to conference report.