Transparency and Predictability in Small Business Opportunities Act
Transparency and Predictability in Small Business Opportunities Act
Plain Language Summary
# Summary: Transparency and Predictability in Small Business Opportunities Act (HR 789) **What it does:** This bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to create rules that make federal contract processes more transparent for small businesses. Specifically, when the government cancels a federal contract opportunity that small businesses were eligible to bid on, agencies must now publicly explain why it was cancelled, whether they plan to reissue it, and when. If the contract won't be reissued, the SBA must help small businesses that already prepared bids find similar contracting opportunities elsewhere. **Who it affects:** The bill primarily benefits small business owners by giving them clearer information about what happened to contract opportunities they invested time and resources bidding on. It also affects federal agencies, which will need to follow new disclosure rules and provide assistance to small businesses.
Larger corporations are largely unaffected since the rules only apply to contracts designated for small businesses. **Current status:** The bill passed the House of Representatives. It now moves to the Senate for consideration. If passed there and signed by the President, these transparency rules would take effect.
CRS Official Summary
Transparency and Predictability in Small Business Opportunities ActThis bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to issue rules for disclosing information about federal contract solicitations for which small businesses were eligible and that were issued and cancelled.Under the rules for such a solicitation, an agency must provide (1) a justification for the cancellation, (2) information about any plans to reissue the solicitation and any associated time frames, and (3) information about any plans to include the requirements of the solicitation in another contract or task order of the agency.Additionally, for such solicitations that an agency does not intend to reissue, the SBA must provide procedures for the agency to refer a small business that prepared a bid for such covered solicitation to the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization for assistance in identifying similar contracting opportunities.
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.