H.R. 986 — Introduced in House

I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 986 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 determined 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 assistance offered by small business development centers and APEX Accelerators, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Coordinating Our Local Liaisons And Bringing Out Related Agency Technical Expertise Act or the COLLABORATE Act. 2. Interagency agreement on government contracting assistance (a) In general Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall— (1) enter into an interagency agreement to coordinate the government contracting and procurement assistance offered to small business concerns by small business development centers and APEX Accelerators; and (2) jointly submit to the Committees on Armed Services and Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Armed Services and Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate such interagency agreement. (b) Contents The interagency agreement required under subsection (a) shall— (1) ensure that government contracting and procurement assistance provided by covered centers is provided by employees of the covered center who have training on government contracting and procurement; (2) provide for the allocation of resources and responsibilities between small business development centers and APEX Accelerators to— (A) prevent small business concerns from receiving duplicative assistance or contradictory or confusing information from covered centers; (B) ensure that the activities of a covered center, including any assistance or other services provided by such covered center, are attributed only to such covered center; and (C) clarify the responsibilities of employees of small business development centers and the responsibilities of employees of APEX Accelerators when a small business development center and APEX Accelerator share a location; and (3) provide a framework enabling small business development centers and APEX Accelerators to coordinate the provision of government contracting and procurement assistance to small business concerns, as appropriate. (c) Progress report Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of Small Business Administration shall submit to Congress a report on the efforts of the Administrator and the Secretary of Defense with respect to the establishment of the interagency agreement required under subsection (a). (d) Definitions In this section: (1) APEX Accelerator The term APEX Accelerator means a center operating under a cooperative agreement with the Office of Small Business Programs to provide procurement technical assistance pursuant to the authority provided in chapter 388 of title 10, United States Code. (2) Covered center The term covered center means a small business development center or an APEX Accelerator. (3) Office of Small Business Programs The term Office of Small Business Programs means the office established within the Office of the Secretary of Defense under section 15(k) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(k)). (4) Small business concern The term small business concern has the meaning given such term under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632). (5) Small business development center The term small business development center has the meaning given such term in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).