[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7087 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7087

   To amend the Small Business Act to establish a mentorship program 
designed to help minority and women-owned small businesses build their 
capacities and access to contracting opportunities in the construction 
                               industry.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 25, 2008

  Ms. Clarke introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Small Business

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Small Business Act to establish a mentorship program 
designed to help minority and women-owned small businesses build their 
capacities and access to contracting opportunities in the construction 
                               industry.

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

SECTION 1. MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL 
              BUSINESSES WITH RESPECT TO CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES IN 
              CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

    The Small Business Act is amended by redesignating section 44 as 
section 45 and by inserting after section 43 the following new section:

``SEC. 44. MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL 
              BUSINESSES WITH RESPECT TO CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES IN 
              CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

    ``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall establish a program for 
the purpose of assisting eligible small business concerns build their 
capacities and access to contracting opportunities in the construction 
industry.
    ``(b) Grants to State and Local Governments.--The Administrator may 
make grants to State and local government entities to assist such 
entities--
            ``(1) to establish or expand mentorship programs designed 
        to carry out the purposes of this section,
            ``(2) to identify problems and solutions regarding eligible 
        small business concerns in the construction industry, and
            ``(3) to establish performance goals with respect to the 
        mentoring program.
    ``(c) Other Assistance.--The Administrator shall provide support 
and resources to entities receiving assistance under this section, 
including training and marketing materials and assistance in joint 
marketing and outreach campaigns.
    ``(d) Free Courses.--At a minimum, mentoring programs receiving 
assistance under this section shall provide free courses to learn about 
managing the full project life-cycle, bidding opportunities on the 
Federal, State, and local levels, and guidance in bidding on 
construction projects and meeting the requirements of awarded 
contracts.
    ``(e) Eligible Small Business Concerns.--For purposes of this 
section, the term `eligible small business concern' means--
            ``(1) any small business concern owned and controlled by 
        women (as defined in section 8(m)), and
            ``(2) any small business concern owned and controlled by 
        socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (as defined 
        in section 8(a)(4)).
    ``(f) Annual Reports.--Entities receiving assistance under this 
section shall report annually to the Administrator on their activities 
under this section.''.
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