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SEC. 1704. RESPONSIBILITIES OF BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY SPECIALISTS.
Section 4(g) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 633(g)) is
amended to read as follows:
“(g) Business Opportunity Specialists.—
“(1) DUTIES.—The exclusive duties of a
Business Opportunity Specialist employed by the Administrator
and reporting to the senior official appointed by the
Administrator with responsibilities under sections 8, 15, 31,
and 36 (or the designee of such official) shall be to
implement sections 7, 8, and 45 and to complete other duties
related to contracting programs under this Act. Such duties
shall include—
“(A) with respect to small business
concerns eligible to receive contracts and subcontracts
pursuant to section 8(a)—
“(i) providing guidance,
counseling, and referrals for assistance with technical,
management, financial, or other matters that will improve
the competitive viability of such concerns;
“(ii) identifying causes of success or failure of such
concerns;
“(iii) providing comprehensive assessments of such
concerns, including identifying the strengths and
weaknesses of such concerns;
“(iv) monitoring and documenting compliance with the
requirements of sections 7 and 8 and any regulations
implementing those sections;
“(v) explaining the requirements of sections 7, 8, 15, 31,
36, and 45; and
“(vi) advising on compliance with contracting regulations
(including the Federal Acquisition Regulation) after award
of such a contract or subcontract;
“(B) reviewing and monitoring
compliance with mentor-protege agreements under section 45;
“(C) representing the interests of
the Administrator and small business concerns in the award,
modification, and administration of contracts and
subcontracts awarded pursuant to section 8(a); and
“(D) reporting fraud or abuse under section 7, 8, 15, 31,
36, or 45 or any regulations implementing such sections.
“(2) CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.—
“(A) IN GENERAL.—Consistent with
the requirements of subparagraph (B), 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.
“(B) DELAY OF CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.—The certification
described in subparagraph (A) is not required—
“(i) for any person serving as a
Business Opportunity Specialist on the date of the
enactment of this subsection, until the date that is one
calendar year after the date such person was appointed
as a Business Opportunity Specialist; or
“(ii) for any person serving as a Business Opportunity
Specialist on or before January 3, 2013, until January
3, 2020.
“(3) JOB POSTING REQUIREMENTS.—The
duties and certification requirements described in this
subsection shall be included in any initial job posting for
the position of a Business Opportunity Specialist.”.
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Responsibilities of
Business Opportunity Specialists (sec. 1704)
The House bill contained a
provision (sec. 1704) that would amend section 4(g) of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 633(g)) to add a job description and
reporting hierarchy for business opportunity specialists of the
Small Business Administration.
The Senate amendment
contained no similar provision.
The Senate recedes.
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