H.R. 1481 — Introduced in House

I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1481 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 19, 2015 Mr. Chabot introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business A BILL To amend the Small Business Act to strengthen the small business industrial base, and for other purposes. 1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Small Contractors Improve Competition Act of 2015. (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Title I—Goaling for small business concerns Sec. 101. Amendment to Governmentwide goal for small business participation in procurement contracts. Sec. 102. Including subcontracting goals in agency responsibilities. Sec. 103. Scorecard program for evaluating Federal agency compliance with small business contracting goals. Title II—Bundling and consolidation of contracting requirements for small business concerns Sec. 201. Data quality improvement. Sec. 202. Notice and justification requirements for bundling or consolidation of contract requirements. Title III—Enhancing competition in contracting for small business concerns Sec. 301. Joint venturing and teaming. Sec. 302. Limitations on reverse auctions. Sec. 303. Revision to the nonmanufacturer rule. Title IV—Small Business Act personnel amendments Sec. 401. Establishment of an Office of Hearings and Appeals in the Small Business Administration. Sec. 402. Training requirements for Procurement Center Representatives. Sec. 403. Training requirements for Business Opportunity Specialists. Title V—Size standards for small business concerns Sec. 501. Petitions for reconsideration of size standards for small business concerns. I Goaling for small business concerns 101. Amendment to Governmentwide goal for small business participation in procurement contracts Section 15(g)(1)(A)(i) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(g)(1)(A)(i) is amended by adding at the end the following: In meeting this goal, the Government shall ensure the participation of small business concerns from a wide variety of industries and from a broad spectrum of small business concerns within each industry. 102. Including subcontracting goals in agency responsibilities Section 1633(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 112–239; 126 Stat. 2076; 15 U.S.C. 631 note) is amended by striking assume responsibility for of the agency's success in achieving small business contracting goals and percentages and inserting assume responsibility for the agency's success in achieving each of the small business prime contracting and subcontracting goals and percentages. 103. Scorecard program for evaluating Federal agency compliance with small business contracting goals (a) Establishment (1) In general Not later than September 30, 2016, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, in consultation with the Federal agencies, shall— (A) develop a methodology for calculating a score to be used to evaluate the compliance of each Federal agency with meeting the goals established pursuant to section 15(g)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(g)(1)(B)); and (B) develop a scorecard based on such methodology. (2) Agency annual goal In developing the methodology for calculating a score described in paragraph (1)(A), the Administrator shall consider each annual goal established by each Federal agency pursuant to section 15(g)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(g)(1)(B)). (3) Use of scorecard Beginning in fiscal year 2017, the Administrator shall establish and carry out a program to use the scorecard developed under paragraph (1) to evaluate whether each Federal agency is creating the maximum practicable opportunities for the award of prime contracts and subcontracts to small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small business concerns owned and controlled by women, by assigning a score to each Federal agency. If the Administrator fails to establish and carry out this program before the end of fiscal year 2017, the Administrator may not exercise the authority under section 7(a)(25)(A) until such time as the program is implemented. (4) Contents of scorecard The scorecard developed under paragraph (1) shall include, for each Federal agency, the following information: (A) A determination of whether the Federal agency met the each of the prime contract goals established pursuant to section 15(g)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(g)(1)(B)) with respect to small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small business concerns owned and controlled by women. (B) A determination of whether the Federal agency met the each of the subcontract goals established pursuant to section 15(g)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(g)(1)(B)) with respect to small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small business concerns owned and controlled by women. (C) The number of small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small business concerns owned and controlled by women awarded prime contracts in each North American Industrial Classification System code during the fiscal year and a comparison to the number awarded contracts during the prior fiscal year, if available. (D) The number of small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small business concerns owned and controlled by women awarded subcontracts in each North American Industrial Classification System code during the fiscal year and a comparison to the number awarded contracts during the prior fiscal year, if available. (E) Any other factors that the Administrator deems important to achieve the maximum practicable utilization of small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small business concerns owned and controlled by women. (5) Weighted factors In using the scorecard to evaluate and assign a score to a Federal agency, the Administrator shall base— (A) Fifty percent of the score on the dollar value of prime contracts described in paragraph (4)(A); and (B) Fifty percent of the score on the information provided in subparagraphs (B) through (E) of paragraph (4), weighted in a manner determined by the Administrator to encourage the maximum practicable opportunity for the award of prime contracts and subcontracts to small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small business concerns owned and controlled by women. (6) Publication The scorecard used by the Administrator under this section shall be submitted to the President and Congress along with the report submitted under section 15(h)(2) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(h)(2)). (7) Report After the Administrator submits the scorecard for fiscal year 2018, but not later than March 31, 2019, the Administrator shall report to the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate. Such report shall include the following: (A) Any increase in the dollar amount of prime contracts and subcontracts awarded to small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small business concerns owned and controlled by women. (B) Any increase in the dollar amount of prime contracts and subcontracts awarded to small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small business concerns owned and controlled by women in each North American Industrial Classification System code. (C) Any increase to the number of small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small business concerns owned and controlled by women receiving contracts in each North American Industrial Classification System code. (D) The recommendation of the Administrator on continuing, modifying, expanding, or terminating the program established under this section. (8) GAO report on scorecard methodology Not later than September 30, 2018, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate a report that— (A) evaluates whether the methodology used to calculate a score under this section accurately and effectively— (i) measures the compliance of each Federal agency with meeting the goals established pursuant to section 15(g)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(g)(1)(B)); and (ii) encourages Federal agencies to expand opportunities for small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small business concerns owned and controlled by women to compete for and win Federal procurement contracts across North American Industrial Classification System Codes; and (B) if warranted, makes recommendations on how to improve such methodology to improve its accuracy and effectiveness. (9) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Administrator The term Administrator means the Administrator of the Small Business Administration. (B) Federal agency The term Federal agency has the meaning given the term agency by section 551(1) of title 5, United States Code, but does not include the United States Postal Service or the Government Accountability Office. (C) Scorecard The term scorecard shall mean any summary using a rating system to evaluate a Federal agency’s efforts to meet goals established under section 15(g)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(g)(1)(B)) that— (i) includes the measures described in paragraph (4); and (ii) assigns a score to each Federal agency evaluated. (D) Small Business Act definitions (i) In general The terms small business concern, small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concern, and small business concern owned and controlled by women shall have the meanings given such terms under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632). (ii) Small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals The term small business concern owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals has the meaning given that term under section 8(d)(3)(C) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(3)(C)). II Bundling and consolidation of contracting requirements for small business concerns 201. Data quality improvement (a) In general Section 15(s) of the Small Business Act (15. U.S.C. 644(s)) is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (6); and (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new paragraphs: (4) Implementation Not later than the first day of fiscal year 2017, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall implement the plan described in this subsection. If the Administrator fails to implement the plan by such date, the Administrator may not exercise the authority under section 7(a)(25)(A) until the plan is implemented. (5) Certification The Administrator shall annually provide to the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate certification of the accuracy and completeness of data reported on bundled and consolidated contracts. . (b) GAO study (1) Study Not later than the first day of fiscal year 2018, the Comptroller General of the United States shall initiate a study on the effectiveness of the plan described in section 15(s) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(s)) that shall assess whether contracts were accurately labeled as bundled or consolidated. (2) Contracts evaluated For the purposes of conducting the study described in paragraph (1), the Comptroller General of the United States— (A) shall evaluate, for work in each of sectors 23, 33, 54, and 56 (as defined by the North American Industry Classification System), not fewer than 100 contracts in each sector; (B) shall evaluate only those contracts— (i) awarded by an agency listed in section 901(b) of title 31, United States Code; and (ii) that have a Base and Exercised Options Value, an Action Obligation, or a Base and All Options Value (as such terms are defined in the Federal procurement data system described in section 1222(a)(4)(A) of title 41, United States Code, or any successor system); and (C) shall not evaluate contracts that have used any set aside authority. (3) Report Not later than 12 months after initiating the study required by paragraph (1), the Comptroller General of the United States shall report to the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate on the results from such study and, if warranted, any recommendations on how to improve the quality of data reported on bundled and consolidated contracts. 202. Notice and justification requirements for bundling or consolidation of contract requirements (a) Notice of contract consolidation for acquisition strategies Section 44(c)(2) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657q(c)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (C) Notice Not later than 7 days after making a determination that an acquisition strategy involving a consolidation of contract requirements is necessary and justified under subparagraph (A), the senior procurement executive or Chief Acquisition Officer shall publish a notice on a public website that such determination has been made. Any solicitation for a procurement related to the acquisition strategy may not be published earlier than 7 days after such notice is published. Along with the publication of the solicitation, the senior procurement executive or Chief Acquisition Officer shall publish a justification for the determination, which shall include the information in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (1). . (b) Notice of contract consolidation for procurement strategies Section 15(e)(3) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 644(e)(3)) is amended to read as follows: (3) Strategy specifications If the head of a contracting agency determines that an acquisition plan for a procurement involves a substantial bundling of contract requirements, the head of a contracting agency shall publish a notice on a public website that such determination has been made not later than 7 days after making such determination. Any solicitation for a procurement related to the acquisition plan may not be published earlier than 7 days after such notice is published. Along with the publication of the solicitation, the head of a contracting agency shall publish a justification for the determination, which shall include the following information: (A) The specific benefits anticipated to be derived from the bundling of contract requirements and a determination that such benefits justify the bundling. (B) An identification of any alternative contracting approaches that would involve a lesser degree of bundling of contract requirements. (C) An assessment of— (i) the specific impediments to participation by small business concerns as prime contractors that result from the bundling of contract requirements; and (ii) the specific actions designed to maximize small business participation as subcontractors (including suppliers) at various tiers under the contract or contracts that are awarded to meet the requirements. . (c) Technical amendment Section 44(c)(1) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 657q(c)(1)) is amended by striking Subject to paragraph (4), the head and inserting The head. III Enhancing competition in contracting for small business concerns 301. Joint venturing and teaming (a) Joint venture offers for bundled or consolidated contracts Section 15(e)(4) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(e)(4)) is amended to read as follows: (4) Contract teaming (A) In general In the case of a solicitation of offers for a bundled or consolidated contract that is issued by the head of an agency, a small business concern may submit an offer that provides for use of a particular team of subcontractors or a joint venture of small business concerns for the performance of the contract. (B) Evaluation of offers The head of the agency shall evaluate the offer of a team or a joint venture of small business concerns in the same manner as other offers, with due consideration to the capabilities of all of the proposed subcontractors or members of the joint venture as follows: (i) Teams When evaluating an offer of a small business prime contractor whose offer includes a proposed team of small business subcontractors, the head of the agency shall consider the capabilities and past performance of each first tier subcontractor that is part of the team as the capabilities and past performance of the team. (ii) Joint ventures When evaluating an offer of a joint venture of small business concerns, if the joint venture does not have sufficient capabilities or past performance to be considered for award of a contract opportunity, the head of the agency shall consider the capabilities and past performance of each member of the joint venture as the capabilities past performance of the joint venture. (C) Status as a small business concern Participation of a small business concern in a team or a joint venture under this paragraph shall not affect the status of that concern as a small business concern for any other purpose. . (b) Team and joint ventures offers for multiple award contracts Section 15(q)(1) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 644(q)(1)) is amended— (1) in the heading, by inserting and joint venture before requirements; (2) by striking Each Federal agency and inserting the following: (A) In general Each Federal agency ; and (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (B) Teams When evaluating an offer of a small business prime contractor whose offer includes a proposed team of small business subcontractors for any multiple award contract above the substantial bundling threshold of the Federal agency, the head of the agency shall consider the capabilities and past performance of each first tier subcontractor that is part of the team as the capabilities and past performance of the offeror. (C) Joint ventures When evaluating an offer of a joint venture of small business concerns for any multiple award contract above the substantial bundling threshold of the Federal agency, if the joint venture does not have sufficient capabilities or past performance to be considered for award of a contract opportunity, the head of the agency shall consider the capabilities and past performance of each member of the joint venture as the capabilities and past performance of the joint venture. . (c) Rulemaking Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall issue any regulations necessary to carry out the amendments made by this section. 302. Limitations on reverse auctions (a) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that, when used appropriately, reverse auctions may improve the Federal Government's procurement of commercially available commodities by increasing competition, reducing prices, and improving opportunities for small businesses. (b) Limitations on reverse auctions The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is amended— (1) by redesignating section 47 (15 U.S.C. 631 note) as section 48; and (2) by inserting after section 46 the following new section: 47. Limitations on reverse auctions (a) Prohibition on using reverse auctions for covered contracts In the case of a covered contract described in subsection (c), reverse auction methods may not be used if the award of the contract is to be made under— (1) section 8(a); (2) section 8(m); (3) section 15(a); (4) section 15(j); (5) section 31; or (6) section 36. (b) Limitations on using reverse auctions In the case of the award of a contract made under paragraphs (1) through (6) of subsection (a) that is not a covered contract, reverse auction methods may be used pursuant to the following: (1) Decisions regarding use of a reverse auction The following decisions are the responsibility of the contracting officer and may not be delegated to any person except for another contracting officer who meets the training requirements of paragraph (2): (A) A decision to use reverse auction methods as part of the competition for award of a contract. (B) Any decision made after the decision described in subsection (A) regarding the appropriate evaluation criteria, the inclusion of vendors, the acceptability of vendor submissions (including decisions regarding timeliness), and the selection of the winner. (2) Training required Only a contracting officer who has received training on the appropriate use and supervision of reverse auction methods of contracting may supervise or use such methods in a procurement for a contract. The training shall be provided by, or similar to the training provided by, the Defense Acquisition University as described in section 824 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. Buck McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291). (3) Number of offers; revisions to bids A Federal agency may not award a contract using a reverse auction method if only one offer is received or if offerors do not have the ability to submit revised bids with lower prices throughout the course of the auction. (4) Technically acceptable offers A Federal agency awarding a contract using a reverse auction method shall evaluate the technical acceptability of offers only as technically acceptable or unacceptable. (5) Use of price rankings A Federal agency may not award a contract using a reverse auction method if at any time during the award process the Federal agency misinforms an offeror about the price ranking of the offeror’s last offer submitted in relation to offers submitted by other offerors. (6) Use of third-party agents If a Federal agency uses a third party agent to assist with the award of contracts using a reverse auction method, the Federal agency shall ensure that— (A) inherently governmental functions (as such term is used in section 2303 of title 41, United States Code) are not performed by private contractors, including by the third party agent; (B) information on the past contract performance of offerors created by the third party agent and shared with the Federal agency is collected, maintained, and shared in compliance with section 1126 of title 41, United States Code; (C) information on whether an offeror is a responsible source (as defined in section 113 of title 41, United States Code) that is created by the third party agent and shared with the Federal agency is shared with the offeror and complies with section 8(b)(7) of this Act; and (D) disputes between the third party agent and an offeror may not be used to justify a determination that an offeror is not a responsible source (as defined in section 113 of title 41, United States Code) or to otherwise restrict the ability of an offeror to compete for the award of a contract or task or delivery order. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) Contracting officer The term contracting officer has the meaning given that term in section 2101(1) of title 41, United States Code. (2) Covered contract The term covered contract means a contract— (A) for design and construction services; (B) for goods purchased to protect Federal employees, members of the Armed Forces, or civilians from bodily harm; or (C) for goods or services other than those goods or services described in subparagraph (A) or (B)— (i) to be awarded based on factors other than price and technical responsibility; or (ii) if awarding the contract requires the contracting officer to conduct discussions with the offerors about their offer. (3) Design and construction services The term design and construction services means— (A) site planning and landscape design; (B) architectural and interior design; (C) engineering system design; (D) performance of construction work for facility, infrastructure, and environmental restoration projects; (E) delivery and supply of construction materials to construction sites; (F) construction, alteration, or repair, including painting and decorating, of public buildings and public works; and (G) architectural and engineering services as defined in section 1102 of title 40, United States Code. (4) Reverse auction The term reverse auction means, with respect to procurement by an agency, an auction between a group of offerors who compete against each other by submitting offers for a contract or task or delivery order with the ability to submit revised offers with lower prices throughout the course of the auction. . 303. Revision to the nonmanufacturer rule (a) Procurement contracts Section 8(a)(17) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)(17)) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking any procurement contract and all that follows through section 15 and inserting any procurement contract, which contract has as its principal purpose the supply of a product to be let pursuant to this subsection or subsection (m), or section 15(a), 31, or 36,; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (C) Limitation This paragraph shall not apply to a contract that has as its principal purpose the acquisition of services or construction. . (b) Subcontractor contracts Section 46(a)(4) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 657s(a)(4)) is amended by striking for supplies from a regular dealer in such supplies and inserting which is principally for supplies from a regular dealer in such supplies, and which is not a contract principally for services or construction,. IV Small Business Act personnel amendments 401. Establishment of an Office of Hearings and Appeals in the Small Business Administration (a) Establishment of an Office of Hearings and Appeals in the Small Business Administration Section 5 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 634) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (i) Office of Hearings and Appeals (1) Establishment (A) Office There is established in the Administration an Office of Hearings and Appeals— (i) to impartially decide matters relating to program decisions of the Administrator— (I) for which Congress requires a hearing on the record; or (II) that the Administrator designates for hearing by regulation; and (ii) which shall contain the office of the Administration that handles requests submitted pursuant to sections 552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information Act) and maintains records pursuant to section 552a of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Privacy Act of 1974). (B) Jurisdiction The Office of Hearings and Appeals shall only hear appeals of matters as described in the this Act, the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C. 661 et seq.), and title 13 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (C) Associate administrator The head of the Office of Hearings and Appeals shall be the Chief Hearing Officer appointed under section 4(b)(1), who shall be responsible to the Administrator. (2) Chief Hearing Officer duties (A) In general The Chief Hearing Officer shall— (i) be a career appointee in the Senior Executive Service and an attorney licensed by a State, commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia; and (ii) be responsible for the operation and management of the Office of Hearings and Appeals. (B) Alternative dispute resolution The Chief Hearing Officer may assign a matter for mediation or other means of alternative dispute resolution. (3) Hearing Officers (A) In general The Office of Hearings and Appeals shall appoint Hearing Officers to carry out the duties described in paragraph (1)(A)(i). (B) Conditions of employment A Hearing Officer appointed under this paragraph— (i) shall serve in the excepted service as an employee of the Administration under section 2103 of title 5, United States Code, and under the supervision of the Chief Hearing Officer; (ii) shall be classified at a position to which section 5376 of title 5, United States Code, applies; and (iii) shall be compensated at a rate not exceeding the maximum rate payable under such section. (C) Authority; powers Notwithstanding section 556(b) of title 5, United States Code, a Hearing Officer— (i) shall have the authority to hear claims arising under section 554 of such title; (ii) shall have the powers described in section 556(c) of such title; and (iii) shall conduct hearings and issue decisions in the manner described under sections 555, 556, and 557 of such title, as applicable. (D) Treatment of current personnel An individual serving as a Judge in the Office of Hearings and Appeals (as that position and office are designated in section 134.101 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations) on the effective date of this subsection shall be considered as qualified to be and redesignated as a Hearing Officer. (4) Hearing Officer defined In this subsection, the term Hearing Officer means an individual appointed or redesignated under this subsection who is an attorney licensed by a State, commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia. . (b) Associate Administrator as Chief Hearing Officer Section 4(b)(1) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 633(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following: One such Associate Administrator shall be the Chief Hearing Officer, who shall administer the Office of Hearings and Appeals established under section 5(i).. (c) Repeal of regulation Section 134.102(t) of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 2015 (relating to types of hearings within the jurisdiction of the Office of Hearings and Appeals) shall have no force or effect. 402. Training requirements for Procurement Center Representatives Section 15(l)(5)(A)(iii) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(l)(5)(A)(iii)) is amended by striking except that and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following: except that— (I) any person serving in such a position on or before January 3, 2013, may continue to serve in that position for a period of 5 years without the required certification; and (II) any person hired for such position after January 3, 2013, may have up to one calendar year from the date of employment to obtain the required certification. . 403. Training requirements for Business Opportunity Specialists (a) In general Section 4 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 633) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (g) Certification requirements Business Opportunity Specialists A Business Opportunity Specialist described under section 7(j)(10)(D) shall have a Level I Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (or any successor certification) or the equivalent Department of Defense certification, except that— (1) a Business Opportunity Specialist who was serving on or before January 3, 2013, may continue to serve as a Business Opportunity Specialist for a period of 5 years beginning on such date without such a certification; and (2) any person hired as a Business Opportunity Specialist after January 3, 2013, may have up to one calendar year from the date of employment to obtain the required certification. . (b) Conforming amendment Section 7(j)(10)(D)(i) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 636(j)(10)(D)(i)) is amended by striking the second sentence. V Size standards for small business concerns 501. Petitions for reconsideration of size standards for small business concerns Section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (9) Petitions for reconsideration of size standards (A) In general A person may file a petition for reconsideration with the Office of Hearings and Appeals (as established by section 5(i)) of a size standard revised, modified, or established by the Administrator pursuant to this subsection. (B) Time limit A person filing a petition for reconsideration described in subparagraph (A) shall file such petition not later than 30 days after the publication in the Federal Register of the notice of final rule to revise, modify, or establish size standards described in paragraph (6). (C) Process for agency review The Office of Hearings and Appeals shall use the same process it uses to decide challenges to the size of a small business concern to decide a petition for review pursuant to this paragraph. (D) Judicial review The publication of a final rule in the Federal Register described in subparagraph (B) shall be considered final agency action for purposes of seeking judicial review. Filing a petition for reconsideration under subparagraph (A) shall not be a condition precedent to judicial review of any such size standard. .