1.This Act may be cited as
the SCORE Program Improvement Act of
2012
.
2.In this Act—
(1)the terms Administration and
Administrator mean the Small Business Administration and the
Administrator thereof, respectively;
(2)the term
SCORE means the Service Corps of Retired Executives established
under section 8(b)(1) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1));
(3)the term
SCORE Advisory Board means the SCORE Advisory Board established
under section 101 of this Act;
(4)the term
SCORE chapter means a chapter of the Service Corps of Retired
Executives; and
(5)the term
small business concern has the meaning given that term under
section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
<enum>I</enum><header>SCORE Advisory
Board</header>
<section id="IDCA51A5031111442A88715C31794A9B28"><enum>101.</enum><header>Establishment
of Advisory Board</header>
<subsection id="ID9094F1A9C08E470F98EFD4A6441E648B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>There
is established the SCORE Advisory Board.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="IDE532E66A39BA47A4B3C6C106FE7AFC3E"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Membership</header>
<paragraph id="ID98E88B9CDDD64A25924F418989203619"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Composition</header><text>The
SCORE Advisory Board shall be composed of 6 members, who shall be appointed
from among individuals having outstanding qualifications and known to be
familiar with and sympathetic to the needs and problems of small business
concerns.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id744EF633D2C24017AA66F6C3B23A6515"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Limitations</header><text>Of
the individuals appointed under paragraph (1)—</text>
<subparagraph id="id89C4A8C5772F411EBC616D778056FC3B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>not more than 3
may be members of a SCORE chapter; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id1C1076F2B546460887A2FE1CBF237662"><enum>(B)</enum><text>3 shall be owners
or employees of small business concerns or members of an association that
represents small business concerns.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="ID4217AF69D0CB4807A61C9A1A978EFD7C"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Prohibition</header><text>The
members of the SCORE Advisory Board may not be employees of the Federal
Government.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="ID4F911B8DB59248E29F059E5131713461"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Date</header><text>The
appointments of the members of the SCORE Advisory Board shall be made not later
than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID9D5EBC32A06E4DD2AD34FAF74C8D025A"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Terms</header>
<paragraph id="idD3A09390612540049DF91D3CA4F091CA"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Except as provided in paragraph (2), a member of the
SCORE Advisory Board shall be appointed for a term of 3 years.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idA2864B316D79436ABE3466758EC2A70F"><enum>(2)</enum><header>First
members</header><text>Of the members first appointed to the SCORE Advisory
Board—</text>
<subparagraph id="ID73F965CF6C95477994F65DBE6B20F4A5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>2 shall be
appointed for a term of 4 years, of whom 1 shall be a member described in
subsection (b)(2)(A) and 1 shall be a member described in subsection
(b)(2)(B);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="IDB9FA1B70EB0B463584E8A7796D9CD278"><enum>(B)</enum><text>2 shall be
appointed for a term of 3 years, of whom 1 shall be a member described in
subsection (b)(2)(A) and 1 shall be a member described in subsection (b)(2)(B);
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID8A2AF533E6414911A83FC6A79B90BEC9"><enum>(C)</enum><text>2 shall be
appointed for a term of 2 years, of whom 1 shall be a member described in
subsection (b)(2)(A) and 1 shall be a member described in subsection
(b)(2)(B).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID25DA34B68BA54CB1BEFE4A40AFF5F8FD"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Vacancies</header>
<paragraph id="IDC5A15D7DC0124B7FA613EC881645F7CE"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>A vacancy on the SCORE Advisory Board shall be filled in
the manner in which the original appointment was made and shall be subject to
any conditions which applied with respect to the original appointment.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="IDBA415A58E29D469982D18D070173F48D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Filling
unexpired term</header><text>An individual chosen to fill a vacancy shall be
appointed for the unexpired term of the member replaced.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="ID713A12DE7D79416DBEBDD4057F256299"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Initial
meeting</header><text>Not later than 60 days after the date on which all
members of the SCORE Advisory Board have been appointed, the SCORE Advisory
Board shall hold its first meeting.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID67F067576FFC463A842A5F7DA6A093C8"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Meetings</header><text>The
SCORE Advisory Board shall meet—</text>
<paragraph id="id567254C44450438C8D348C6AFBD597F4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>not less
frequently than semiannually; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id758468442F134DA28D42F155FD806B14"><enum>(2)</enum><text>at the call of
the Chairman.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="ID7A3C368FA83449AD90220C7B181165BB"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Quorum</header><text>A
majority of the members of the SCORE Advisory Board shall constitute a quorum,
but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID79CF96D103FD4274ADF268D788E44827"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Chairman</header><text>The
SCORE Advisory Board shall select a Chairman from among its members.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="ID1BEFE42505154C978032F979F250D7A9"><enum>102.</enum><header>Duties of the
SCORE Advisory Board</header>
<subsection id="idD0A619ED6ACE44928A43921D63923F85"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Duties</header><text>The
SCORE Advisory Board shall—</text>
<paragraph id="id346B9DA54B034CE5B4ED82ACD03EAAC3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>review and
monitor plans and programs developed in the public and private sector which
affect SCORE chapters;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idE7565435B4AF44229D66DE8CEA1B8819"><enum>(2)</enum><text>provide advice on
improving coordination between plans and programs described in paragraph
(1);</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id62368998F2BB4DCD8CEB633E4FCB4C53"><enum>(3)</enum><text>advise SCORE
chapters on the use of Federal funds allocated to SCORE;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id5E26E19B1EA84094860D4D139E474CD6"><enum>(4)</enum><text>develop and
promote initiatives, policies, programs, and plans designed to assist with the
mentoring services offered by SCORE chapters throughout the United States;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idA718D859135545778B97CFC0F97FE626"><enum>(5)</enum><text>advise the
Administrator on the development and implementation of an annual comprehensive
plan under subsection (b).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID5ACA7C0C1D834A10AC71A79903A1D294"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Development of
plan</header><text>The Administrator shall develop and implement an annual
comprehensive plan for joint efforts by the public and private sectors to
facilitate the formation and development of mentoring by SCORE
volunteers.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id43289E3D0D4E44FDB2E63FA35121BD31"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Annual
report</header><text>Not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal year,
the SCORE Advisory Board shall submit to the President, the Committee on Small
Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate, and the Committee on Small
Business of the House of Representatives a report that contains—</text>
<paragraph id="id6538D1EE4BD94C728E62463F5F4A3EEC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the minutes of
each meeting of the SCORE Advisory Board during the fiscal year to which the
report relates;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id77AB3A1286C24C438C8A96F04507F1B3"><enum>(2)</enum><text>a detailed
description of the activities of the SCORE Advisory Board during the fiscal
year to which the report relates, including how the SCORE Advisory Board
carried out the duties described in subsection (a);</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id5DE1D54DD0E24275B0BF6C19267A02D0"><enum>(3)</enum><text>recommendations
for promoting SCORE chapters and mentoring services; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idB3912894A5A041218972221AB74BADF3"><enum>(4)</enum><text>any concurring or
dissenting views of the Administrator.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="IDBF35816E08534CFC835DB84FCD77111A"><enum>103.</enum><header>Powers of the
SCORE Advisory Board</header>
<subsection id="ID78DA905C4EAE49B0AF74CB57183B6E1A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Hearings</header><text>The
SCORE Advisory Board may hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and
places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the SCORE Advisory
Board considers advisable to carry out this Act.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id600CEC696FE64055B120EC0983C34119"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Task
groups</header><text>The SCORE Advisory Board may establish a temporary task
group to carry out any duty of the SCORE Advisory Board described in section
4.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID575D757C021D4B048F3625D80002BDAA"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Information
from federal agencies</header><text>The SCORE Advisory Board may secure
directly from any Federal department or agency such information as the SCORE
Advisory Board considers necessary to carry out this Act. Upon request of the
Chairman of the SCORE Advisory Board, the head of such department or agency
shall furnish such information to the SCORE Advisory Board.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID697F1CDBA8724CB4AD225E5D97B10BD6"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Postal
services</header><text>The SCORE Advisory Board may use the United States mails
in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and
agencies of the Federal Government.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="IDCC4D9C4DC9ED4F319C2D4949548B9F15"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Gifts</header><text>The
SCORE Advisory Board may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of
services or property.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="ID5B2226B82D614F6AA60C08533C1FED30"><enum>104.</enum><header>SCORE Advisory
Board personnel matters</header>
<subsection id="IDF9E4CF3EA6AC4F01B81923D97C022F5A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Compensation</header><text>Members
of the SCORE Advisory Board shall not be compensated for services performed on
behalf of the SCORE Advisory Board.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID8AB9CAB7544542CBBCD32562861B7980"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Travel
expenses</header><text>The members of the SCORE Advisory Board shall be allowed
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized
for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United
States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the
performance of services for the SCORE Advisory Board.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" id="IDA9D71553FE6B470ABBF61FBF5DCE8D94"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Detail of
government employees</header><text>Any Federal Government employee may be
detailed to the SCORE Advisory Board without reimbursement, and such detail
shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or
privilege.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="ID8E18677BEB06432BA5DE4BCFA806C638"><enum>105.</enum><header>Inapplicability
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act to the SCORE Advisory Board</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee
Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply with respect to the SCORE Advisory
Board.</text>
</section><section id="id80BD56C83CDA4182B40B092E518089A7"><enum>106.</enum><header>Funding</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The expenses of the SCORE Advisory Board,
including expenses relating to personnel, as described in section 104, shall be
paid by SCORE, from amounts made available to SCORE to carry out section
8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)).</text>
</section><enum>II</enum><header>Financial
reforms</header>
<section id="id9CDF9648D90E4132B4D5AAB9B4BEE87E"><enum>201.</enum><header>Reauthorization</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 20 of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 631 note) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="idb595de5c-db6c-41a1-aaf7-d9d69cd46b22"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by
redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (f); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id2f37a73e-62fb-41a8-90a2-f529f161e9a4"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id154210ADDF414F4BBA1F28F46EBCE66D" style="OLC">
<subsection id="idc9ddd1c0-e506-4713-bd5d-e357479cc117"><enum>(g)</enum><header>SCORE
program</header><text>The Administrator may make grants and enter into
cooperative agreements to carry out the SCORE program authorized by section
8(b)(1) in a total amount that does not exceed $7,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2013, 2014, and
2015.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></section><section id="id39AE132262F0495DBFAB6C4D9BCB1B7F"><enum>202.</enum><header>Chief
executive officer of SCORE</header>
<subsection id="idE345B7D0EC4B446A9F2D6E29C797B5C9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Limitation on
amount of salary</header><text>The rate of basic pay of the chief executive
officer of SCORE may not exceed the maximum rate of basic pay established under
section 5382 of title 5, United States Code, for a position in the Senior
Executive Service.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="idE77BCD77D7BF4D53981F3ED605166EEA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Federal share
of salary</header><text>For any year during which the chief executive officer
of SCORE serves in a leadership capacity on a foundation affiliated with SCORE,
the Federal share of the basic pay of the chief executive officer of SCORE may
not exceed 80 percent.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="id6F46A98D05404FC59E130F1347F6196A"><enum>203.</enum><header>Allocation
committee</header>
<subsection id="id3D0E8C3AD893407983016E156B3F5951"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">SCORE shall establish a committee to
determine the amount allocated each year to each SCORE chapter.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id0E1E25548F2F40C4A920ACEDAF53AB4C"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Members</header><text>The
members of the committee established under subsection (a) shall include—</text>
<paragraph id="id8BEE718AE8D2439CA54B8769EBE6F235"><enum>(1)</enum><text>1 member of the
staff of SCORE who is not the chief executive officer of SCORE; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id59BBADFD87964697A78419F292BF4168"><enum>(2)</enum><text>not fewer than 4
members of the SCORE Advisory Board.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id361DFF0F35E44D939A81540F915CD59C"><enum>204.</enum><header>Allocation of
amounts</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">SCORE shall establish
a method for allocating amounts received by SCORE from the Federal Government,
which shall—</text>
<paragraph id="idDD2CF8ED9E604BE0ADB36B2184F6F41B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>ensure that not
less than 50 percent of the amounts are allocated to SCORE chapters; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idCF420330F96A461FB353603BEDCEE6F7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>be subject to the
approval of the Administrator and the committee established under section
203.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="id97A4D85EE5ED40038AF7B15874444A71"><enum>205.</enum><header>GAO study and
report</header>
<subsection id="idE7F68B27E2FB4975BDDCA44A812F361A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Study</header><text>The
Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study of the
technology activities of SCORE that includes an examination of each expenditure
by SCORE for technology activities and the result of each such
expenditure.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="idABBDC9858ADB46C98B3C7223259483D2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller
General shall submit to Congress and the Administrator a report that
contains—</text>
<paragraph id="id7BC2AC8D48BA43EE939E2B46791019E6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a detailed
description of the amounts SCORE has expended for technology activities,
including how SCORE expended Federal funds to carry out and sustain technology
initiatives during the 4-year period ending on the date of enactment of this
Act;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id34B951982A6F4C86BF4411733C8DF377"><enum>(2)</enum><text>a determination
of whether SCORE has expended Federal funds efficiently and effectively to
carry out technology activities;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id3DCDA77CF88E4F70BAE87D8355056064"><enum>(3)</enum><text>an evaluation
of—</text>
<subparagraph id="id77DADFF1F0784C1A82C2F8CCAE3DA9D7"><enum>(A)</enum><text>how well SCORE
has met objectives relating to technology spending; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id53BC89DBA4244F66B47758D39A30BEDF"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the policy that
resulted in the establishment of objectives relating to technology spending;
and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id24D41EEE4C39402B84170C25740BE4A2"><enum>(4)</enum><text>recommendations
for actions by SCORE to achieve objectives relating to technology spending
while safeguarding Federal funds.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section>