II 111th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1489 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 21, 2009 Ms. Snowe 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 create parity among small business contracting programs, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Small Business Contracting Programs Parity Act of 2009.

2.

Definitions

In this Act— (1)the terms Administration and Administrator mean the Small Business Administration and the Administrator thereof, respectively; and (2)the terms HUBZone small business concern, small business concern , small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, and small business concern owned and controlled by women have the same meanings as in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).

3.

Contracting improvements

(a)

Contracting opportunities

Section 31(b)(2)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657a(b)(2)(B)) is amended by striking shall and inserting may. (b)

Contracting goals

Section 15(g)(1) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(g)(1)) is amended in the fourth sentence by inserting and subcontract after not less than 3 percent of the total value of all prime contract. (c)

Mentor-protege programs

The Administrator may establish mentor-protege programs for small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, small business concerns owned and controlled by women, and HUBZone small business concerns modeled on the mentor-protege program of the Administration for small business concerns participating in programs under section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)).