[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 96 (Monday, June 11, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3724-S3727]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2783. Mrs. ERNST (for herself, Ms. Cantwell, and Mr. Risch)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2282
proposed by Mr. Inhofe (for himself and Mr. McCain) to the bill H.R.
5515, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2019 for military
activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and
for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe
military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle F of title X, add the following:
SEC. 2. WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTER PROGRAM.
(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the Women's
Small Business Ownership Act of 2018.
(b) Definitions.--In this section--
(1) the terms ``Administration'' and ``Administrator'' mean
the Small Business Administration and the Administrator
thereof, respectively;
(2) the terms ``small business concern'', ``small business
concern owned and controlled by women'', and ``small business
development center'' have the meanings given those terms in
section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632); and
(3) the term ``women's business center'' has the meaning
given that term in section 29(a) of the Small Business Act
(15 U.S.C. 656(a)), as added by subsection (d)(1)(A).
(c) Office of Women's Business Ownership.--Section 29(g) of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656(g)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (B)--
(i) in clause (i), by striking ``in the areas'' and all
that follows through the end of subclause (I), and inserting
the following: ``to address issues concerning the management,
operations, manufacturing, technology, finance, retail and
product sales, international trade, Government contracting,
and other disciplines required for--
``(I) starting, operating, and increasing the business of a
small business concern;''; and
(ii) in clause (ii)--
(I) by striking ``Women's Business Center program'' each
place that term appears and inserting ``women's business
center program'';
(II) in subclause (IX), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(III) in subclause (X), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(IV) by adding at the end the following:
``(XI) work with Administration officials and collaborate
with entities other than the Administration to ensure that
the work of the women's business center program--
``(aa) maximizes taxpayer dollars; and
``(bb) coordinates effectively with and is not duplicative
of the efforts of other Federal Government and private sector
programs.''; and
(B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting before the period at
the end the following: ``, the National Women's Business
Council, and any organization representing the majority of
women's business centers''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Mission.--The mission of the Office of Women's
Business Ownership shall be to assist women entrepreneurs to
start, grow, and compete in global markets by providing
quality support with access to capital, access to markets,
job creation, growth, and counseling and training by--
``(A) fostering participation of women entrepreneurs in the
economy by overseeing a network of women's business centers
throughout States and territories;
``(B) creating public-private partnerships to support women
entrepreneurs and conduct outreach and education to startup
and existing small business concerns owned and controlled by
women; and
``(C) working with other initiatives and programs of the
Administration to ensure women are well-represented and being
served and to identify gaps where participation by women
could be increased.
``(4) Training.--The Administrator shall--
``(A) provide annual programmatic and financial examination
training for women's business center representatives and
district office technical representatives of the
Administration to enable representatives to carry out their
responsibilities;
``(B) in carrying out subparagraph (A), award grants or
enter into contracts or cooperative agreements related to
training; and
``(C) not later than September 30, 2019, develop a plan for
a professional development training program for women's
business centers, including attendance to relevant national
conferences, related to--
``(i) the managing, financing, and operation of small
business concerns;
``(ii) marketing, including the use of social media;
``(iii) management and technology assistance regarding
small business concern participation in international
markets, export promotion, and technology transfer; and
``(iv) delivery or distribution of the services and
information described in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii).
``(5) Program and transparency improvements.--The
Administrator shall maximize the transparency of the women's
business center financial assistance proposal process and the
programmatic and financial examination process by--
``(A) providing public notice of any announcement for
financial assistance under subsection (b) or a grant under
subsection (l);
``(B) in the announcement described in subparagraph (A),
outlining award and program evaluation criteria and
describing the weighting of the criteria for financial
assistance under subsection (b) and grants under subsection
(l); and
``(C) not later than 60 days after the completion of a site
visit to the women's business center (whether conducted for
an audit, performance review, or other reason), when
feasible, providing to each women's business center a copy of
any site visit reports or evaluation reports prepared by
district office technical representatives or officers or
employees of the Administration.
``(6) Accreditation program.--
``(A) Examination.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this paragraph, the Administration shall
develop and implemental a biennial programmatic and financial
examination of each women's business center under this
section.
``(B) Accreditation.--The Administration may provide
financial support, by contract or otherwise, to the
Association of Women's Business Centers for the purpose of
developing a women's business center accreditation program.
``(C) Renewal of grant.--
``(i) In general.--In renewing a grant with respect to a
women's business center, the Administration shall consider
the results of the examination and accreditation program
conducted under subparagraphs (A) and (B).
``(ii) Accreditation requirement.--On and after the date
that is 180 days after the date of enactment of this
paragraph, the Administration may not renew a grant with
respect to a women's business center unless the women's
business center has been approved under the accreditation
program conducted pursuant to this subsection, except that
the Assistant Administrator may waive the accreditation
requirement, in the discretion of the Assistant
Administrator, upon a showing that the women's business
center is making a good faith effort to obtain
accreditation.''.
(d) Women's Business Center Program.--
(1) Women's business center financial assistance.--Section
29 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)--
(i) by striking paragraph (4);
[[Page S3725]]
(ii) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs
(4) and (5), respectively;
(iii) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) the term `eligible entity' means--
``(A) a private nonprofit organization;
``(B) a State, regional, or local economic development
organization;
``(C) a development, credit, or finance corporation
chartered by a State;
``(D) a junior or community college, as defined in section
312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1058(f));
``(E) any combination of entities listed in subparagraphs
(A) through (D); and
``(F) a small business development center, only if--
``(i) the small business development center is located in a
rural area; and
``(ii) there is no women's business center in that area as
of the date on which the small business development center
submits an application for financial assistance under
subsection (f);
``(3) the term `rural area' has the meaning given the term
in section 7(m)(11);''; and
(iv) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) the term `women's business center' means a project
conducted by an eligible entity under this section.'';
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) as
subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C), respectively, and adjusting
the margins accordingly;
(ii) by striking ``The Administration'' and all that
follows through ``5-year projects'' and inserting the
following:
``(1) In general.--The Administration may provide financial
assistance to an eligible entity to conduct a project under
this section'';
(iii) by striking ``The projects shall'' and inserting the
following:
``(2) Use of funds.--The project shall be designed to
provide training and counseling that meets the needs of
women, especially socially or economically disadvantaged
women, and conduct outreach to and serve small business
concerns owned and controlled by women that are located in a
rural area, and shall''; and
(iv) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Amount of financial assistance.--
``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B),
the amount of financial assistance provided under this
subsection to an eligible entity per project year shall be
not more than $250,000.
``(B) Additional financial assistance.--
``(i) In general.--The Administrator may award financial
assistance under this subsection to an eligible entity in an
amount that is more than $250,000 in a given project year if
the Administrator determines that the eligible entity--
``(I) obtained more than $250,000 in non-Federal
contributions for that project year in accordance with
subsection (c);
``(II) is in good standing with the women's business center
program;
``(III) has met performance goals for the previous project
year, if applicable; and
``(IV) proposes a new project to be carried out with the
additional financial assistance in accordance with this
section.
``(ii) Limitations.--The Administrator may only award
additional financial assistance under clause (i)--
``(I) from unobligated amounts made available to the
Administration to carry out this section; and
``(II) if, in a given fiscal year, the aggregate amount of
additional financial assistance provided to eligible entities
under clause (i) is not more than 1 percent of the amount
appropriated to the Administration to carry out this section
for that fiscal year.
``(4) Consultation with organizations representing women's
business centers.--The Administrator shall seek advice,
input, and recommendations for policy changes from any
organization representing a majority of women's business
centers to develop--
``(A) the training program for women's business centers
under subsection (g)(4)(C); and
``(B) recommendations to improve the policies and
procedures for governing the general operations and
administration of the women's business center program,
including grant program improvements under subsection
(g)(4).'';
(C) in subsection (c)--
(i) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A)--
(I) by striking ``As a condition'' and inserting ``Except
as otherwise provided in this subsection, as a condition'';
and
(II) by striking ``the recipient organization'' and
inserting ``an eligible entity'';
(ii) in paragraph (3), in the second sentence, by striking
``a recipient organization'' and inserting ``an eligible
entity'';
(iii) in paragraph (4)--
(I) by striking ``recipient of assistance'' and inserting
``eligible entity'';
(II) by striking ``during any project, it shall not be
eligible thereafter'' and inserting ``during any project for
2 consecutive years, the eligible entity shall not be
eligible at any time after that 2-year period'';
(III) by striking ``such organization'' and inserting ``the
eligible entity''; and
(IV) by striking ``the recipient'' and inserting ``the
eligible entity''; and
(iv) by adding at end the following:
``(5) Separation of project and funds.--An eligible entity
shall--
``(A) carry out a project under this section separately
from other projects, if any, of the eligible entity; and
``(B) separately maintain and account for any financial
assistance under this section.
``(6) Exception for eligible entities from rural areas.--
Paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) shall not apply to an eligible
entity that is located in a rural area.
``(7) Fundraising.--The executive director or program
manager of an eligible entity designated under subsection
(f)(1)(A)(i) may dedicate not more than 5 percent of the
working hours of the executive director or program manager to
fundraise for the non-Federal contribution required under
this subsection.'';
(D) in subsection (e)--
(i) by striking ``applicant organization'' and inserting
``eligible entity'';
(ii) by striking ``a recipient organization'' and inserting
``an eligible entity''; and
(iii) by striking ``site'';
(E) by striking subsection (f) and inserting the following:
``(f) Applications and Criteria for Initial Financial
Assistance.--
``(1) Application.--Each eligible entity desiring financial
assistance under subsection (b) shall submit to the
Administrator an application that contains--
``(A) a certification that the eligible entity--
``(i) has designated an executive director or program
manager, who may be compensated using financial assistance
under subsection (b) or other sources, to manage the women's
business center for which assistance under subsection (b) is
sought;
``(ii) as a condition of receiving financial assistance
under subsection (b), agrees--
``(I) to receive a site visit at the discretion of the
Administrator as part of the final selection process;
``(II) to undergo an annual programmatic and financial
examination; and
``(III) to remedy any problems identified pursuant to the
site visit or examination under subclause (I) or (II); and
``(iii) meets the accounting and reporting requirements
established by the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget;
``(B) information demonstrating that the eligible entity
has the ability and resources to meet the needs of the market
to be served by the women's business center for which
financial assistance under subsection (b) is sought,
including the ability to obtain the non-Federal contribution
required under subsection (c);
``(C) information relating to the assistance to be provided
by the women's business center for which financial assistance
under subsection (b) is sought in the area in which the
women's business center is located;
``(D) information demonstrating the experience and
effectiveness of the eligible entity in--
``(i) conducting financial, management, and marketing
assistance programs, as described in subsection (b)(2), which
are designed to teach or upgrade the business skills of women
who are business owners or potential business owners;
``(ii) providing training and services to a representative
number of women who are socially or economically
disadvantaged; and
``(iii) working with resource partners of the
Administration and other entities, such as universities; and
``(E) a 5-year plan that describes the ability of the
women's business center for which financial assistance under
subsection (b) is sought--
``(i) to serve women who are business owners or potential
business owners by conducting training and counseling
activities; and
``(ii) to provide training and services to a representative
number of women who are socially or economically
disadvantaged.
``(2) Review and approval of applications for initial
financial assistance.--
``(A) In general.--The Administrator shall--
``(i) review each application submitted under paragraph
(1), based on the information described in such paragraph and
the criteria set forth under subparagraph (B) of this
paragraph; and
``(ii) to the extent practicable, as part of the final
selection process, conduct a site visit to each women's
business center for which financial assistance under
subsection (b) is sought.
``(B) Selection criteria.--
``(i) In general.--The Administrator shall evaluate
applicants for financial assistance under subsection (b) in
accordance with selection criteria that are--
``(I) established before the date on which applicants are
required to submit the applications;
``(II) stated in terms of relative importance; and
``(III) publicly available and stated in each solicitation
for applications for financial assistance under subsection
(b) made by the Administrator.
``(ii) Required criteria.--The selection criteria for
financial assistance under subsection (b) shall include--
``(I) the experience of the applicant in conducting
programs or ongoing efforts designed to teach or enhance the
business skills of women who are business owners or potential
business owners;
``(II) the ability of the applicant to begin a project
within a minimum amount of time, as established under the
program announcement or by regulation;
``(III) the ability of the applicant to provide training
and services to a representative
[[Page S3726]]
number of women who are socially or economically
disadvantaged;
``(IV) the ability of the applicant to successfully
complete participation in the training program developed
under subsection (g)(4)(C);
``(V) the ability of the applicant to successfully acquire
accreditation under the accreditation program developed under
subsection (g)(6);
``(VI) whether the women's business center proposed by the
applicant will be sustainable for more than a 5-year period;
and
``(VII) the location for the women's business center
proposed by the applicant, including whether the applicant is
located in an area in which--
``(aa) women are underserved; or
``(bb) significant groups of women are underserved due to
language or other social, cultural, and economic barriers.
``(iii) Priority.--The Administrator shall give priority to
applications submitted by applicants that are located in a
rural area.
``(C) Proximity.--If the principal place of business of an
applicant for financial assistance under subsection (b) is
located less than 50 miles from the principal place of
business of a women's business center that received funds
under this section on or before the date of the application,
the applicant shall not be eligible for the financial
assistance, unless the applicant--
``(i) submits a detailed written justification of the need
for an additional women's business center in the area in
which the applicant is located, including information
demonstrating that the applicant is not providing services
that are redundant or duplicative of those provided by that
existing or current women's business center;
``(ii) submits a detailed plan for how the applicant plans
to reach clients outside of the geographic area in which the
existing or current women's business center is located; and
``(iii) demonstrates that the applicant has a pre-existing
presence in other parts of the geographic area in which the
existing or current women's business center is located.
``(D) Record retention.--
``(i) In general.--The Administrator shall maintain a copy
of each application submitted under this subsection for not
less than 5 years.
``(ii) Paperwork reduction.--The Administrator shall take
steps to reduce, to the maximum extent practicable, the
paperwork burden associated with carrying out clause (i).'';
(F) in subsection (j)(2)--
(i) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(ii) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(G) an analysis of the effectiveness of the women's
business center in serving business concerns that are located
in a rural area.''; and
(G) in subsection (m)--
(i) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
``(3) Application and approval for renewal grants.--
``(A) Solicitation of applications.--The Administrator
shall solicit applications and award grants under this
subsection for the first fiscal year beginning after the date
of enactment of the Women's Small Business Ownership Act of
2018, and every third fiscal year thereafter.
``(B) Contents of application.--Each eligible entity
desiring a grant under this subsection shall submit to the
Administrator an application that contains--
``(i) a certification that the applicant--
``(I) is an eligible entity;
``(II) has designated an executive director or program
manager to manage the women's business center operated by the
applicant; and
``(III) as a condition of receiving a grant under this
subsection, agrees--
``(aa) to receive a site visit as part of the final
selection process, at the discretion of the Administrator;
and
``(bb) to remedy any problem identified pursuant to the
site visit under item (aa);
``(ii) information demonstrating that the applicant has the
ability and resources to meet the needs of the market to be
served by the women's business center for which a grant under
this subsection is sought, including the ability to obtain
the non-Federal contribution required under paragraph (4)(C);
``(iii) information relating to assistance to be provided
by the women's business center in the geographic area served
by the women's business center for which a grant under this
subsection is sought;
``(iv) information demonstrating that the applicant is not
providing services redundant or duplicative of those provided
by a women's business center receiving funds under this
subsection that is located less than 50 miles from the
principal place of business of the applicant;
``(v) information demonstrating that the applicant has
worked with resource partners of the Administration and other
entities;
``(vi) a 3-year plan that describes the services provided
by the women's business center for which a grant under this
subsection is sought--
``(I) to serve women who are business owners or potential
business owners by conducting training and counseling
activities; and
``(II) to provide training and services to a representative
number of women who are socially or economically
disadvantaged; and
``(vii) any additional information that the Administrator
may reasonably require.
``(C) Review and approval of applications for grants.--
``(i) In general.--The Administrator--
``(I) shall review each application submitted under
subparagraph (B), based on the information described in such
subparagraph and the criteria set forth under clause (ii) of
this subparagraph; and
``(II) as part of the final selection process, may, at the
discretion of the Administrator, conduct a site visit to each
women's business center for which a grant under this
subsection is sought, in particular to evaluate the women's
business center using the selection criteria described in
clause (ii)(II).
``(ii) Selection criteria.--
``(I) In general.--The Administrator shall evaluate
applicants for grants under this subsection in accordance
with selection criteria that are--
``(aa) established before the date on which applicants are
required to submit the applications;
``(bb) stated in terms of relative importance; and
``(cc) publicly available and stated in each solicitation
for applications for grants under this subsection made by the
Administrator.
``(II) Required criteria.--The selection criteria for a
grant under this subsection shall include--
``(aa) the total number of entrepreneurs served by the
applicant;
``(bb) the total number of new startup companies assisted
by the applicant;
``(cc) the percentage of clients of the applicant that are
socially or economically disadvantaged;
``(dd) the percentage of individuals in the community
served by the applicant who are socially or economically
disadvantaged;
``(ee) the successful participation of the applicant in the
training program developed under subsection (g)(4)(C);
``(ff) the successful accreditation of the applicant under
the accreditation program developed under subsection (g)(6);
and
``(gg) any additional criteria that the Administrator may
reasonably require.
``(iii) Conditions for continued funding.--In determining
whether to make a grant under this subsection, the
Administrator--
``(I) shall consider the results of the most recent
evaluation of the women's business center for which a grant
under this subsection is sought, and, to a lesser extent,
previous evaluations; and
``(II) may withhold a grant under this subsection, if the
Administrator determines that the applicant has failed to
provide the information required to be provided under this
paragraph, or the information provided by the applicant is
inadequate.
``(iv) Priority.--The Administrator shall give priority to
applications submitted by applicants that are located in a
rural area.
``(D) Notification.--Not later than 60 days after the date
of each deadline to submit applications under this paragraph,
the Administrator shall approve or deny each submitted
application and notify the applicant for each such
application of the approval or denial.
``(E) Record retention.--
``(i) In general.--The Administrator shall maintain a copy
of each application submitted under this paragraph for not
less than 5 years.
``(ii) Paperwork reduction.--The Administrator shall take
steps to reduce, to the maximum extent practicable, the
paperwork burden associated with carrying out clause (i).'';
and
(ii) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following:
``(5) Award to previous recipients.--There shall be no
limitation on the number of times the Administrator may award
a grant to an applicant under this subsection.''.
(2) Technical and conforming amendments.--Section 29 of the
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656) is amended--
(A) in subsection (h)(2), by striking ``to award a contract
(as a sustainability grant) under subsection (l) or'';
(B) in subsection (j)(1), by striking ``The
Administration'' and inserting ``Not later than November 1 of
each year, the Administrator'';
(C) in subsection (k)--
(i) by striking paragraphs (1) and (4);
(ii) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4);
(iii) by inserting before paragraph (2) the following:
``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated
to the Administration to carry out this section, to remain
available until expended, $21,750,000 for each of fiscal
years 2019 through 2023.'';
(iv) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (B) and
inserting the following:
``(B) Exceptions.--Of the amount made available under this
subsection for a fiscal year, the following amounts shall be
available for selection panel costs, costs associated with
developing and maintaining a training program, costs
associated with maintaining an accreditation program, post-
award conference costs, and costs related to monitoring and
oversight:
``(i) For fiscal year 2019, 2.65 percent.
``(ii) For each of fiscal years 2020 through 2023, 2.5
percent.''; and
(v) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
``(3) Continuing grant and cooperative agreement
authority.--
[[Page S3727]]
``(A) Prompt disbursement.--Upon receiving funds to carry
out this section for a fiscal year, the Administrator shall,
to the extent practicable, promptly reimburse funds to any
women's business center awarded financial assistance under
this section if the center meets the eligibility requirements
under this section.
``(B) Suspension or termination.--If the Administrator has
entered into a grant or cooperative agreement with a women's
business center under this section, the Administrator may not
suspend or terminate the grant or cooperative agreement,
unless the Administrator--
``(i) provides the women's business center with written
notification setting forth the reasons for that action; and
``(ii) affords the women's business center an opportunity
for a hearing, appeal, or other administrative proceeding
under chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code.'';
(D) in subsection (m)--
(i) in paragraph (2), by striking ``subsection (b) or (l)''
and inserting ``this subsection or subsection (b)''; and
(ii) in paragraph (4)(D), by striking ``or subsection
(l)''; and
(E) by redesignating subsections (m), (n), and (o), as
amended by this section, as subsections (l), (m), and (n),
respectively.
(3) Effect on existing grants.--
(A) Terms and conditions.--A nonprofit organization
receiving a grant under section 29(m) of the Small Business
Act (15 U.S.C. 656(m)), as in effect on the day before the
date of enactment of this Act, shall continue to receive the
grant under the terms and conditions in effect for the grant
on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, except
that the nonprofit organization may not apply for a renewal
of the grant under section 29(m)(5) of the Small Business Act
(15 U.S.C. 656(m)(5)), as in effect on the day before the
date of enactment of this Act.
(B) Length of renewal grant.--The Administrator may award a
grant under section 29(l) of the Small Business Act, as so
redesignated by paragraph (2)(E) of this section, to a
nonprofit organization receiving a grant under section 29(m)
of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656(m)), as in effect on
the day before the date of enactment of this Act, for the
period--
(i) beginning on the day after the last day of the grant
agreement under such section 29(m); and
(ii) ending at the end of the third fiscal year beginning
after the date of enactment of this Act.
(e) Matching Requirements Under Women's Business Center
Program.--
(1) In general.--Section 29(c) of the Small Business Act
(15 U.S.C. 656(c)), as amended by subsection (d)(1)(C), is
amended--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``As a condition'' and
inserting ``Subject to paragraph (6), as a condition''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(8) Waiver of non-federal share.--
``(A) In general.--Upon request by an eligible entity, and
in accordance with this paragraph, the Administrator may
waive, in whole or in part, the requirement to obtain non-
Federal funds under this subsection for counseling and
training activities of the eligible entity carried out using
financial assistance under this section for a fiscal year.
The Administrator may not waive the requirement for an
eligible entity to obtain non-Federal funds under this
paragraph for more than a total of 2 consecutive fiscal
years.
``(B) Considerations.--In determining whether to waive the
requirement to obtain non-Federal funds under this paragraph,
the Administrator shall consider--
``(i) the economic conditions affecting the eligible
entity;
``(ii) the impact a waiver under this paragraph would have
on the credibility of the women's business center program
under this section;
``(iii) the demonstrated ability of the eligible entity to
raise non-Federal funds; and
``(iv) the performance of the eligible entity.
``(C) Limitation.--The Administrator may not waive the
requirement to obtain non-Federal funds under this paragraph
if granting the waiver would undermine the credibility of the
women's business center program under this section.
``(9) Solicitation.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, an eligible entity may--
``(A) solicit cash and in-kind contributions from private
individuals and entities to be used to carry out the
activities of the eligible entity under the project conducted
under this section; and
``(B) use amounts made available by the Administration
under this section for the cost of such solicitation and
management of the contributions received.
``(10) Excess non-federal dollars.--The amount of non-
Federal dollars obtained by an eligible entity that is above
the amount that is required to be obtained by the eligible
entity under this subsection and is not used as matching
funds for purposes of implementing the women's business
center program under this section shall not be subject to the
requirements of part 200 of title 2, Code of Federal
Regulations, or any successor thereto.''.
(2) Regulations.--
(A) In general.--The Administrator shall--
(i) except as provided in subparagraph (B), and not later
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, publish
in the Federal Register proposed regulations by the
Administrator to carry out the amendments made to section 29
of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656) by this section;
and
(ii) accept public comments on such proposed regulations
for not less than 60 days.
(B) Existing proposed regulations.--Subparagraph (A)(i)
shall not apply to the extent proposed regulations by the
Administrator have been published on the date of enactment of
this Act that are sufficient to carry out the amendments made
to section 29 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656) by
this section.
(f) Pilot Program.--
(1) Definition of covered entity.--In this subsection, the
term ``covered entity'' means a private entity that
specializes in matching entrepreneurs with successful mentors
using an algorithm and methodology that removes any
demographic bias.
(2) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish a
program under which the Administrator shall enter into a
contract with a covered entity to implement an online
mentoring program to connect owners of small business
concerns owned and controlled by women that are located
throughout the United States with relevant mentors to assist
in building successful small business concerns.
(3) Eligible activities.--Under the program established
under this subsection, the covered entity with which the
Administrator contracts under paragraph (2) shall--
(A) enroll owners of small business concerns owned and
controlled by women in the program, match those owners with
mentors, and track the progress of those concerns;
(B) develop an online marketing campaign to attract owners
of small business concerns owned and controlled by women and
mentors to participate in the program; and
(C) grow and scale the program to reach increasing numbers
of owners of small business concerns owned and control by
women.
(4) Duration.--The program established under this
subsection shall terminate on the date that is 2 years after
the date on which the Administrator establishes the program.
(5) Appropriations.--For each of fiscal years 2019 and
2020, out of any unobligated balances made available to the
Administration under the heading ``ENTREPRENEURIAL
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS'', the Administrator shall allocate
$1,500,000 to carry out the program established under this
subsection.
____________________