[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 77 (Wednesday, April 22, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 22434-22436]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09391]


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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

13 CFR Part 131

RIN 3245-AG02


Office of Women Owned Business: Women's Business Center Program

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration.

ACTION: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is issuing this 
Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to solicit comments on 
issues involving the Women's Business Center (WBC) Program. SBA is 
evaluating the policies and procedures governing the management and 
oversight of the program and believes that public input could enhance 
its efforts to provide clear comprehensive and consistent guidance to 
the WBC grantees. Among other things, the ANPRM seeks public feedback 
on: (1) The standards and procedures for evaluating applications for 
new or renewal application for WBC grant; (2) procedures and 
requirements for resolving findings and disputes resulting from 
financial exams,

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programmatic reviews, accreditation reviews, and other SBA oversight 
activities; and (3) the form and function of the required WBC 
information clearinghouse. SBA expects this effort will remove any 
ambiguity and uncertainty in the program and result in improved 
delivery of services to the small business clients WBCs serve 
throughout the country.

DATES: Comments must be received by June 22, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by RIN 3245-AG02 by one 
of the following methods:
    (1) Federal Rulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments;
    (2) Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: U.S. Small Business Administration, 
Attn: Bruce Purdy, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of 
Women's Business Ownership (DAA/OWBO), 409 3rd Street SW., Washington, 
DC 20416, via facsimile (202) 481-0554; or
    (3) Email to [email protected]. SBA will post all comments to this 
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on www.regulations.gov. If you 
wish to submit confidential business information (CBI) as defined in 
the User Notice at www.regulations.gov, you must submit such 
information to the U.S. Small Business Administration, Attn: Bruce 
Purdy, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Women's 
Business Ownership (DAA/OWBO), 409 3rd Street SW., Washington, DC 
20416, via facsimile (202) 481-0554, or submit them via email to 
[email protected]. Highlight the information that you consider to be CBI and 
explain why you believe SBA should hold this information as 
confidential. SBA will review your information and determine whether it 
will make the information public.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bruce Purdy, DAA/OWBO, U.S. Small 
Business Administration, 490 3rd Street SW., Washington, DC 20416, 
telephone number (202) 205-7532 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Office of Women's Business Ownership (OWBO) and the Women's 
Business Center program were created under the authority of Title II of 
the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-533) and the 
Women's Business Development Act of 1991 (Pub. L. 102-191). The program 
authority is now codified in Section 29 of the Small Business Act 15 
U.S.C. 656. The initial Demonstration Training Program, later renamed 
the Women's Business Center Program and the Office of Women's Business 
Ownership were created in response to Congress's desire to remove 
barriers to the creation and development of small businesses owned and 
controlled by women and to stimulate the economy by aiding and 
encouraging the growth and development of such businesses. The specific 
objectives of the demonstration were to provide long term training and 
counseling to potential and current women business owners including 
those who are socially and economically disadvantaged.
    Since its creation, the Women's Business Center program has changed 
through a number of public laws that have turned the program from a 
demonstration program into a permanent program. The program has grown 
and evolved to provide a variety of services to the many entrepreneurs 
ranging from those interested in starting a business to those looking 
to expand an existing business.
    Over the last several years, SBA has incorporated processes to 
monitor the WBC program, including conducting financial examinations 
required by statute. However, as the program was still a demonstration 
program until 2007, regulations have never been drafted and issued for 
the program.
    According to section 29(a)(4) of the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 
656(a)(4), a women's business center must reach a distinct population 
that would otherwise not be served; whose services are targeted to 
women; and whose scope, function, and activities are similar to those 
of the primary women's business center or centers in conjunction with 
which it was established.
    The SBA is seeking comments on how to define ``distinct population 
that would otherwise not be served'' and ``whose services are targeted 
to women'' with respect to this statutory requirement. Currently, the 
SBA defines ``a distinct population that would otherwise not be 
served'' as economically and socially disadvantaged women. SBA defines 
``services targeted to women'' as a Women's Business Center having a 
majority of their clients as women.
    In addition, the Small Business Act at section 29(c)(2), 15 U.S.C. 
656(c)(2), states that Women's Business Center Program grantees shall 
not have more than one-half of the non-Federal sector matching 
assistance be in the form of in-kind contributions that are budget line 
items only. The SBA is seeking comments on how to define what is 
acceptable for activities that fall under ``in-kind'' and what 
guidelines grantees should use in determining reasonable costs 
associated with in-kind activities and acceptable guidelines for 
documenting in-kind match. Currently, the SBA finds donated time by 
subject matter experts (e.g., lawyers, accountants) conducting training 
or counseling and real estate donations (e.g., donated office space) as 
legitimate in-kind activities. The SBA is also seeking comments on 
guidelines for determining what should or should not be a ``budget line 
item.''
    The Small Business Act at section 29(f), 15 U.S.C. 656(f), also 
states that selection criteria used in deciding whether to award an 
initial Women's Business Center grant are: (1) The experience of the 
applicant in conducting programs or ongoing efforts designed to impart 
or upgrade the business skills of women business owners or potential 
owners; (2) the present ability of the applicant to commence a project 
within a minimum amount of time; (3) the ability of the applicant to 
provide training and services to a representative number of women who 
are both socially and economically disadvantaged; and (4) the location 
for the women's business center site proposed by the applicant. Based 
on these statutory criteria, the SBA is seeking comments on what 
guidelines SBA should use in evaluating ``the experience of the 
applicant'' and ``the proposed location for the women's business 
center.'' Additionally, the SBA is seeking comments on how to define 
what an appropriate ``minimum amount of time'' would be to commence 
operating as a Women's Business Center following receipt of an award.
    According to section 29(g)(2)(B)(i), 15 U.S.C. 656(g)(2)(B)(i), one 
of the responsibilities of the Office of Women's Business Ownership is 
to ``maintain a clearinghouse to provide for the dissemination and 
exchange of information between women's business centers.'' The SBA is 
seeking comments on how to maintain this clearinghouse and in what form 
the clearinghouse should exist.
    Section 29(l)(2)(a)(ii), 15 U.S.C. 656(l)(2)(a)(ii), the Small 
Business Act states that in order for a non-profit organization to 
renew its original grant, the applicant must certify that the 
organization ``employs a full-time executive director or program 
manager to manage the center.'' The SBA is seeking comments on how to 
define ``full-time'' for purposes of managing the center. This same 
section states that the applicant must submit information about its 
``ability to fundraise.'' The SBA is seeking comments on what factors 
and types of information the

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SBA should collect to make a determination on the applicant's ability 
to fundraise.
    Finally, in addition to the specific issues raised above, SBA 
invites comments on other aspects of the WBC program that the public 
believes should be evaluated and revised where possible. We ask that 
you provide a brief justification for any suggested changes.

Maria Contreras-Sweet,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2015-09391 Filed 4-21-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8025-01-P