Federal

COLLABORATE Act

Source: Congress.gov · 909 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill requires two federal agencies to work together on helping small businesses get government contracts. The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration must create a written agreement that coordinates the help offered by small business development centers and APEX Accelerators (centers that provide contracting assistance to small businesses).

Who It Affects

Small businesses seeking government contracts, the Department of Defense, the Small Business Administration, small business development centers, and APEX Accelerators.

Key Provisions

• Two federal officials must enter into an interagency agreement (a formal written partnership) to coordinate contracting and procurement assistance offered by small business development centers and APEX Accelerators. (Sec. 2(a)) • The agreement must ensure that only trained employees provide government contracting and procurement assistance at these centers. (Sec. 2(b)(1)) • The agreement must prevent small businesses from receiving duplicate assistance or conflicting information from these centers and must clearly state which center provides which services. (Sec. 2(b)(2)) • The agreement must create a framework allowing these centers to work together in providing contracting and procurement assistance to small businesses when appropriate. (Sec. 2(b)(3)) • The Small Business Administration must report to Congress on the progress of creating this agreement. (Sec. 2(c))

What Changes

If this becomes law, the Department of Defense and the Small Business Administration must coordinate their contracting assistance programs so small businesses receive consistent, non-duplicative help.

Important Definitions

• APEX Accelerator: a center that provides contracting assistance (help getting government contracts) through an agreement with the Office of Small Business Programs • Small business development center: a center that provides assistance to small businesses • Small business concern: a business classified as small under the Small Business Act

Effective Date

Not specified in bill text

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 986 To require the Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to enter into an agreement to coordinate govern- ment contracting assistance offered by small business development cen- ters and APEX Accelerators, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 10, 2023 Mr. PAPPAS (for himself and Ms. SALAZAR) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Small Business, for a period to be subsequently de- termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To require the Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to enter into an agreement to coordinate government contracting assist- ance offered by small business development centers and APEX Accelerators, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Coordinating Our 4 Local Liaisons And Bringing Out Related Agency Tech- 5 nical Expertise Act’’ or the ‘‘COLLABORATE Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Apr 28, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H986.IH H986 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 986 IH SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT ON GOVERNMENT CON- 1 TRACTING ASSISTANCE. 2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 3 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De- 4 fense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for 5 Acquisition and Sustainment, and the Administrator of 6 the Small Business Administration shall— 7 (1) enter into an interagency agreement to co- 8 ordinate the government contracting and procure- 9 ment assistance offered to small business concerns 10 by small business development centers and APEX 11 Accelerators; and 12 (2) jointly submit to the Committees on Armed 13 Services and Small Business of the House of Rep- 14 resentatives and the Committees on Armed Services 15 and Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the 16 Senate such interagency agreement. 17 (b) CONTENTS.—The interagency agreement re- 18 quired under subsection (a) shall— 19 (1) ensure that government contracting and 20 procurement assistance provided by covered centers 21 is provided by employees of the covered center who 22 have training on government contracting and pro- 23 curement; 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Apr 28, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H986.IH H986 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 986 IH (2) provide for the allocation of resources and 1 responsibilities between small business development 2 centers and APEX Accelerators to— 3 (A) prevent small business concerns from 4 receiving duplicative assistance or contradictory 5 or confusing information from covered centers; 6 (B) ensure that the activities of a covered 7 center, including any assistance or other serv- 8 ices provided by such covered center, are attrib- 9 uted only to such covered center; and 10 (C) clarify the responsibilities of employees 11 of small business development centers and the 12 responsibilities of employees of APEX Accelera- 13 tors when a small business development center 14 and APEX Accelerator share a location; and 15 (3) provide a framework enabling small busi- 16 ness development centers and APEX Accelerators to 17 coordinate the provision of government contracting 18 and procurement assistance to small business con- 19 cerns, as appropriate. 20 (c) PROGRESS REPORT.—Not later than one year 21 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Adminis- 22 trator of Small Business Administration shall submit to 23 Congress a report on the efforts of the Administrator and 24 the Secretary of Defense with respect to the establishment 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Apr 28, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H986.IH H986 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HR 986 IH of the interagency agreement required under subsection 1 (a). 2 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 3 (1) APEX ACCELERATOR.—The term ‘‘APEX 4 Accelerator’’ means a center operating under a coop- 5 erative agreement with the Office of Small Business 6 Programs to provide procurement technical assist- 7 ance pursuant to the authority provided in chapter 8 388 of title 10, United States Code. 9 (2) COVERED CENTER.—The term ‘‘covered 10 center’’ means a small business development center 11 or an APEX Accelerator. 12 (3) OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS.— 13 The term ‘‘Office of Small Business Programs’’ 14 means the office established within the Office of the 15 Secretary of Defense under section 15(k) of the 16 Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(k)). 17 (4) SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN.—The term 18 ‘‘small business concern’’ has the meaning given 19 such term under section 3 of the Small Business Act 20 (15 U.S.C. 632). 21 (5) SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CEN- 22 TER.—The term ‘‘small business development cen- 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Apr 28, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H986.IH H986 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 5 •HR 986 IH ter’’ has the meaning given such term in section 3 1 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632). 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Apr 28, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H986.IH H986 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB

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