Maximizing Small Business Competition Act of 2016
Floor Speech
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Mr. KELLY of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, small business are mom-and-pop stores. They are contractors. They are all kinds of people across my district located on Main Street. They are families, they are veterans, and they are individuals in the First District of Mississippi and all across this great Nation.
Small businesses are the heart and soul of local and rural economies, especially in places in rural districts like my district.
H.R. 4332, Maximizing Small Business Competition Act of 2016, is part of an ongoing effort of the Small Business Committee to provide opportunities for small businesses and to promote greater accountability from the Federal Government.
The purpose of the SBA procurement center representatives is to review contracts across the government and make sure they are structured in a way that maximizes opportunities for small businesses to compete.
Unfortunately, the SBA changed their rules to say that, if a contract was restricted to small businesses in whole or in part, procurement center representatives would no longer review the contract.
This rule change has given agencies a way to get around small business administrative review. This rule change has led to contracts being consolidated or bundled, thus limiting opportunity for hundreds of small businesses to compete for work with the Federal Government.
H.R. 4332, the Maximizing Small Business Competition Act of 2016, provides a solution. This legislation makes clear that Small Business Administration procurement center representatives have the ability to review contracts, regardless of whether they are designated for award to small businesses, if the procurement center representative believes the requirement can be structured to improve small-business competition.
This legislation helps to ensure that there are not missed opportunities for small businesses contracting with the Federal Government.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the assistance and leadership shown by my chairman, Chairman Chabot, and the bipartisan working relationship with Ranking Member Velazquez in bringing this bill to the floor. I appreciate my colleagues' consideration and support of H.R. 4332.
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