Expanding Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses Act of 2019
Floor Speech
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Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 190, the Expanding Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses Act of 2019. I am proud to again introduce this bill with my friend from Kansas (Mr. Marshall).
As they did in the last Congress, I encourage my colleagues to join us in passing this important bipartisan legislation.
Women-owned businesses, companies owned by service-disabled veterans, and other types of small firms have unique opportunities to work with the Federal Government through sole source contracting.
Unfortunately, regulations governing these types of contracts, specifically the maximum value amount of the contract, have not kept pace with inflation, and many small business owners often won't pursue these opportunities due to their diminished return. Furthermore, the law includes option years towards the cap, reducing the projected returns and lowering the appeal of sole source contracts.
For these reasons, many eligible small businesses overlook sole source contracts as a quality opportunity to do business with the Federal Government. Our bill would bring the sole source contracting requirements in line with inflation and only apply base years, not the option years, to a contract's cap.
Additionally, programs such as sole source contracting currently depend on small businesses certifying their own eligibility. It is important that we better ensure the integrity of these programs.
H.R. 190 protects these programs through a process whereby the Small Business Administration would confirm eligibility of a participating company. Sole source contractors should present a real opportunity for eligible small businesses. Our legislation would make these contracts more competitive, while enhancing how we ensure they are awarded to eligible companies.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have introduced this bipartisan legislation with Dr. Marshall to help small businesses, and I urge my colleagues to support its adoption.
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