[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 246 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 246
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 15, 2019
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business
and Entrepreneurship
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Small Business Act to require senior procurement
executives, procurement center representatives, and the Office of Small
and Disadvantaged Business Utilization to assist small business
concerns participating in the Small Business Innovation Research
Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Stimulating Innovation through
Procurement Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF SENIOR PROCUREMENT EXECUTIVE.
Section 9(e) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(e)) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (12)(B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (13)(B), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(13) the term `senior procurement executive' means an
official designated under section 1702(c) of title 41, United
States Code, as the senior procurement executive of a Federal
agency participating in a SBIR or STTR program.''.
SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF SENIOR PROCUREMENT EXECUTIVES IN SBIR AND STTR.
(a) In General.--Section 9(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
638(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (8), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (9), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(10) to coordinate, where appropriate, with the senior
procurement executive of the relevant Federal agency to assist
small business concerns participating in a SBIR or STTR program
with commercializing research developed under such a program
before such small business concern is awarded a contract from
such Federal agency.''.
(b) Technical Amendment.--Section 9(b)(3) of the Small Business Act
(15 U.S.C. 638(b)(3)) is amended by striking ``and'' at the end.
SEC. 4. MODIFICATIONS RELATING TO PROCUREMENT CENTER REPRESENTATIVES
AND OTHER ACQUISITION PERSONNEL.
(a) SBIR Amendment.--Section 9(j) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 638(j)) is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(4) Modifications relating to procurement center
representatives.--Upon the enactment of this paragraph, the
Administrator shall modify the policy directives issued
pursuant to this subsection to require procurement center
representatives (as described in section 15(l)) to assist small
business concerns participating in the SBIR program with
researching solicitations for the award of a Federal contract
(particularly with the Federal agency that has a funding
agreement with the concern) and to provide technical assistance
to such concerns to submit a bid for an award of a Federal
contract. The procurement center representatives shall
coordinate with the appropriate senior procurement executive
and the appropriate Director of the Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business Utilization established pursuant to
section 15(k) for the agency letting the contract.''.
(b) STTR Amendment.--Section 9(p)(2) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 638(p)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (E)(ii), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(2) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(G) procedures to ensure that procurement center
representatives (as described in section 15(l))--
``(i) assist small business concerns
participating in the STTR program with
researching applicable solicitations for the
award of a Federal contract (particularly with
the Federal agency that has a funding agreement
with the concern);
``(ii) provide technical assistance to such
concerns to submit a bid for an award of a
Federal contract; and
``(iii) coordinate with the appropriate
senior procurement executive and the
appropriate Director of the Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business Utilization established
pursuant to section 15(k) for the Federal
agency letting the contract in providing the
assistance described in clause (i).''.
SEC. 5. AMENDMENT TO DUTIES OF PROCUREMENT CENTER REPRESENTATIVES.
Section 15(l)(2) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(l)(2)) is
amended--
(1) in subparagraph (I), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (J) as subparagraph (L);
and
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (I) the following new
subparagraphs:
``(J) assist small business concerns participating
in a SBIR or STTR program under section 9 with
researching applicable solicitations for the award of a
Federal contract to market the research developed by
such concern under such SBIR or STTR program;
``(K) provide technical assistance to small
business concerns participating in a SBIR or STTR
program under section 9 to submit a bid for an award of
a Federal contract, including coordination with the
appropriate senior procurement executive and the
appropriate Director of the Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business Utilization established pursuant
to subsection (k) for the agency letting the contract;
and''.
SEC. 6. AMENDMENT TO THE DUTIES OF THE DIRECTOR OF SMALL AND
DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS UTILIZATION FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES.
Section 15(k) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(k)) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (19), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (20), by striking the period at the end
and inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
``(21) shall assist small business concerns participating
in a SBIR or STTR program under section 9 with researching
applicable solicitations for the award of a Federal contract
(particularly with the Federal agency that has a funding
agreement, as defined under section 9, with the concern) to
market the research developed by such concern under such SBIR
or STTR program; and
``(22) shall provide technical assistance to small business
concerns participating in a SBIR or STTR program under section
9 to submit a bid for an award of a Federal contract, including
coordination with procurement center representatives and the
appropriate senior procurement executive for the agency letting
the contract.''.
Passed the House of Representatives January 14, 2019.
Attest:
KAREN L. HAAS,
Clerk.