,i  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #gbjf  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,november #cj1 #bjah 
,mr4 ,bucshon introduced the following  
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,oversight and ,government
 ,reform1 and in addition to the        
,committee on ,armed ,services1 for a   
period to be subsequently determined by 
the ,speaker1 in each case for          
consideration of such provisions as fall
 within the jurisdiction of the         
committee concerned  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend titles #da and #aj of the ,united 
,states ,code to establish certain      
procurement procedures with respect to  
businesses wholly-owned through an      
,,esop1 and for other purposes4  #a4    
,short title ,this ,act may be referred 
to as the ,,esop ,business ,act of      
#bjah4  #b4 ,findings ,congress finds   
the following3  7#a7 ,businesses        
wholly-owned through an ,,esop-- 7,a7   
offer unique benefits to the ,united    
,states and to customers of such        

businesses2  7,b7 provide better        
retirement security1 work culture1 and  
wage growth for workers2 and  7,c7      
reduce wealth inequality among managers 
and employees4  7#b7 ,current ,federal  
contracting laws may inadvertently      
exclude businesses wholly-owned through 
an ,,esop from key projects4  7#c7 ,the 
growth of the number businesses         
wholly-owned through an ,,esop benefits 
employees of such businesses4  #c4      
,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of 
,congress that-- 7#a7 businesses        
wholly-owned through an ,,esop are      
beneficial to the economy2  7#b7        
,congress should provide incentives for 
businesses to become businesses         
wholly-owned through an ,,esop2 and     
7#c7 businesses wholly-owned through an 
,,esop should be rewarded through the   
,federal contracting process for the    
benefits that such businesses provide4  
#d4 ,full and open contract competition 
for businesses wholly-,owned through an 
,,esop  7a7 ,full and open contract     

competition ,section #ccja of title #da1
 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended--    
7#a7 in subsection 7a71 by inserting in 
subsection 7d7 and before in sections   
#ccjc1 #ccjd7;a71 and #ccje2 and  7#b7  
by adding at the end the following3  7d7
 ,businesses wholly-,owned through an   
,,esop ,a business wholly-owned through 
an ,,esop may submit a bid to an        
executive agency conducting a           
procurement for property or services    
under section #ccjc1 #ccjd7;a71 or      
#ccje4  4  7b7 ,use of noncompetitive   
procedures ,section #ccjd7;b7 of title  
#da1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended--
 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking or 
after procurement22  7#b7 in paragraph  
7#b77;,b71 by striking the period and   
inserting 2 or2 and  7#c7 by adding at  
the end the following3  7#c7 a follow-on
 contract for a contract awarded to a   
business wholly-owned through an ,,esop 
if the executive agency rates the       
performance of such business on the     
original contract as satisfactory or    

better in the ,contractor ,performance  
,assessment ,reporting ,system 7or a    
successor system74  4  7c7 ,definition  
of business wholly-,owned through an    
,,esop  7#a7 ,title #aj ,section #bcjb  
of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is 
amended by adding at the end the        
following3  7#aj7 ,the term business    
wholly-owned through an ,,esop has the  
meaning given the term in section #aag  
of title #da4  4  7#b7 ,title #da       
,chapter #a of title #da1 ,united       
,states ,code1 is amended by adding     
after section #aaf the following new    
section3  #aag4 ,business wholly-owned  
through an ,,esop ,in this subtitle1 the
 term business wholly-owned through an  
,,esop means a business for which #ajj  
percent of the outstanding stock is held
 through an employee stock ownership    
plan 7as defined in section             
#dgie7;e77#g7 of title #bf74  4  7d7    
,pricing preference ,section #bcjd of   
title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended by adding at the end the        

following3  7m7 ,for a contract awarded 
pursuant to this section1 the head of   
the agency may enter into a contract    
with a business wholly-owned through an 
,,esop using a price evaluation         
preference not in excess of #aj percent 
when evaluating an offer received from  
such a business4  4  7e7 ,inclusion in  
contract goals ,section #bcbc7;a7 of    
title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended by adding at the end the        
following3  7#d7 ,for the purposes of   
this subsection1 a business wholly-owned
 through an ,,esop shall be considered a
 small business concern4  4