,in the ,senate of the ,united ,states1 
,march #ab1 #bjbj4  ,amendment3  ,that  
the bill from the ,house of             
,representatives 7,h4,r4 #dibj7 entitled
 ,an ,act to amend title #ch1 ,united   
,states ,code1 to provide for an        
exception to certain small business     
contracting requirements applicable to  
the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs   
procurement of certain goods and        
services covered under the ,ability ,one
 program1 and for other purposes41 do   
pass with the following ,strike all     
after the enacting clause and insert the
 following3 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act 
may be cited as the ,department of      
,veterans ,affairs ,contracting         
,preference ,consistency ,act of #bjbj4 
#b4 ,exception to ,department of        
,veterans ,affairs small business       
contracting requirement for certain     
goods and services covered under        
,ability ,one program  7a7 ,in general  
,subsection 7d7 of section #habg of     
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    

amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,except and  
inserting 7#a7 ,except2  7#b7 by        
inserting in paragraph 7#b7 and before  
in subsections 7b7 and 7c72 and  7#c7 by
 adding at the end the following new    
paragraph3  7#b7 7,a7 ,notwithstanding  
paragraph 7#a7 and except as provided by
 subparagraph 7,b7 of this paragraph1   
with respect to the procurement of a    
covered product or service1 a           
contracting officer of the ,department  
shall procure such product or service   
from a source designated under chapter  
#he of title #da1 and in accordance with
 the regulations prescribed under such  
chapter4  7,b7 7i7 ,subject to clause   
7ii71 subparagraph 7,a7 shall not apply 
in the case of a covered product or     
service for which a contract was-- 7,i7 
awarded under paragraph 7#a7 after      
,december #bb1 #bjjf2 and  7,,ii7 in    
effect on the day before the date of the
 enactment of the ,department of        
,veterans ,affairs ,contracting         
,preference ,consistency ,act of #bjbj4 

7ii7 ,clause 7i7 shall cease to apply to
 a covered product or service described 
in such clause upon a determination of  
the ,secretary that when the current    
contract for the covered product or     
service is terminated or expires there  
is no reasonable expectation that-- 7,i7
 two or more small business concerns    
owned and controlled by veterans will   
submit offers as described in paragraph 
7#a72 and  7,,ii7 the award can be made 
at a fair and reasonable price that     
offers best value to the ,united        
,states4  7,c7 ,in this paragraph1 the  
term covered product or service means-- 
7i7 a product or service that-- 7,i7 is 
included on the procurement list under  
section #hejc7;a7 of title #da2 and     
7,,ii7 was included on such procurement 
list on or before ,december #bb1 #bjjf2 
or  7ii7 a product or service that--    
7,i7 is a replacement for a product or  
service described under clause 7i72     
7,,ii7 is essentially the same and      
meeting the same requirement as the     

product or service being replaced2 and  
7,,iii7 a contracting officer determines
 meets the quality standards and        
delivery schedule of the ,department4  4
  7b7 ,conforming amendments ,such      
section is further amended in each of   
subsections 7b7 and 7c71 by striking    
,for and inserting ,except as provided  
in subsection 7d77#b71 for4  7c7        
,effective date ,the amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to
 a contract entered into on or after the
 date of the enactment of this ,act4    
,secretary