Sec. 2. Establishing the Veteran's Business Outreach Center Program
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/bill/116/s/1998/is/section-2A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Section 32 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 657b ) is amended— by striking subsections
(d)and (f); by redesignating subsections
(e)and
(g)as subsections
(j)and (k), respectively; and by inserting after subsection
(c)the following: In this subsection— the term covered individual means— a member of the Armed Forces, without regard to whether the member is participating in the Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense; an individual who is participating in the Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense; an individual who— served on active duty in any branch of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves; and was discharged or released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable; and a spouse or dependent of an individual described in clause (i), (ii), or (iii); the term private nonprofit organization means an entity that is described in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code; and the term veteran’s business outreach center site means the location of— a veteran’s business outreach center; or 1 or more veteran’s business outreach center, established in conjunction with another veteran’s business outreach center in another location within a State or region— that reach a distinct population that would otherwise not be served; whose services are targeted to veterans; and whose scope, function, and activities are similar to those of the primary veteran’s business outreach center or centers in conjunction with which it was established. The Administration may provide grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperatives with, private nonprofit organizations to establish and operate veteran's business outreach centers for the benefit of covered individuals and small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans. Each veteran's business outreach center established under this subsection shall carry out projects providing— 1-to-1 individual counseling to small businesses, including— financial assistance; management assistance; marketing assistance; transition assistance; Federal-contracting assistance; and export assistance; and small business training and counseling through online and in-person workshops and seminars, including— financial assistance; management assistance; marketing assistance; transition assistance, including the Boots to Business program established under subsection (e); Federal-contracting assistance; and export assistance. A veteran’s business outreach center may enter into a contract with a Federal department or agency to provide specific assistance to veterans and other underserved small business concerns. Performance of a contract described in subparagraph
(A)should not hinder a veteran’s business outreach center in carrying out the terms of the grant received by the veteran’s business outreach center from the Administration. A private nonprofit organization desiring a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the Administrator at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Administrator may require. The Administration shall— subject to clause (ii), develop and publish criteria for the consideration and approval of applications submitted by private nonprofit organizations under this subsection; and evaluate and rank applicants in accordance with predetermined selection criteria that shall be stated in terms of relative importance, which— shall be made publicly available and stated in each solicitation for applications made by the Administration; and shall include— the experience of the applicant in conducting programs or ongoing efforts designed to impart or upgrade the business skills of veteran business owners or potential owners; the present ability of the applicant to commence a project within a minimum amount of time; and the location for the veteran’s business center site proposed by the applicant. A private nonprofit organization that receives a grant under this subsection may submit an application for a renewal of the grant at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Administrator may require. Not later than 60 days after the date of the deadline to submit applications for each fiscal year, the Administrator shall approve or deny any application submitted under this subsection and notify the applicant for each such application. Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator shall make a grant for the Federal share of the cost of activities described in the application to each applicant approved under this subsection. A grant under this subsection shall be for not less than $225,000 and not more than $375,000. A grant under this subsection shall be for a period of 1 year. A grant under this subsection may be renewed for not more than 4 additional 1-year periods. In allocating funds made available for grants under this subsection, the Administrator shall give priority to applicants for a renewal of a grant over new applicants. The Administration shall— develop and implement an annual programmatic and financial examination of each veteran’s business outreach center established pursuant to this subsection, pursuant to which each veteran's business outreach center shall provide to the Administration— an itemized cost breakdown of actual expenditures for costs incurred during the preceding year, breaking out Boots to Business costs from all other programmatic costs; and a programmatic breakdown of veteran’s business outreach center curriculum, program offerings, and outcomes; and analyze the results of each examination described in clause
(i)and, based on that analysis, make a determination regarding the programmatic and financial viability of each veteran’s business outreach center. In determining whether to renew a contract (either as a grant or cooperative agreement) under this subsection with a veteran’s business outreach center, the Administrator— shall consider the results of the most recent examination of the veteran's business outreach center under subparagraph (A); and may withhold such award or renewal, if the Administration determines that— the veteran's business outreach center has failed to provide any information required to be provided under subclause
(I)or
(II)of subparagraph (A)(i), or the information provided by the center is inadequate; or the veteran's business outreach center has failed to provide any information required to be provided by the center for purposes of the report of the Administration under subsection (i)(1), or the information provided by the center is inadequate. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator, acting through the Associate Administrator, may use such expedited acquisition methods as the Administrator determines to be appropriate to carry out this subsection, except that the Administrator shall ensure that all small business sources are provided a reasonable opportunity to submit proposals. A veteran’s business outreach center may not disclose the name, address, or telephone number of any individual or small business concern receiving assistance under this subsection without the consent of the individual or small business concern, unless— the Administrator is ordered to make such a disclosure by a court in any civil or criminal enforcement action initiated by a Federal or State agency; or the Administrator considers such a disclosure to be necessary for the purpose of conducting a financial audit of a veteran’s business outreach center, but a disclosure under this clause shall be limited to the information necessary for such audit. This subsection shall not— restrict Administration access to program activity data; or prevent the Administration from using client information, other than the information described in clause (i), to conduct client surveys. The Administrator shall issue regulations to establish standards for requiring disclosures during a financial audit under subparagraph (A)(ii). There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection— $13,500,000 for fiscal year 2020; $14,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; $14,500,000 for fiscal year 2022; and $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2023. Amounts made available under this paragraph for fiscal year 2020 and each fiscal year thereafter— may only be used for grant awards; and may not be used for costs incurred by the Administration in connection with the management and administration of the program under this subsection. .
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Sec. 2
Establishing the Veteran's Business Outreach Center Program
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