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TITLE VIII--ACQUISITION POLICY, ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT, AND RELATED MATTERS

Subtitle F — Small Business Matters

P. L. 115-

House Conference Report. 115-874

(a) In General.—Chapter 136 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

Ҥ 2283. Department of Defense small business strategy

“(a) In General.—The Secretary of Defense shall implement a small business strategy for the Department of Defense that meets the requirements of this section.

“(b) Unified Management Structure.—As part of the small business strategy described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that there is a unified management structure within the Department for the functions of the Department relating to—

“(1) programs and activities related to small business concerns (as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act);

“(2) manufacturing and industrial base policy; and

“(3) any procurement technical assistance program established under chapter 142 of this title.

“(c) Purpose Of Small Business Programs.—The Secretary shall ensure that programs and activities of the Department of Defense related to small business concerns are carried out so as to further national defense programs and priorities and the statements of purpose for Department of Defense acquisition set forth in section 801 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91; 131 Stat. 1449).

“(d) Points Of Entry Into Defense Market.—The Secretary shall ensure—

“(1) that opportunities for small business concerns to contract with the Department of Defense are identified clearly; and

“(2) that small business concerns are able to have access to program managers, contracting officers, and other persons using the products or services of such concern to the extent necessary to inform such persons of emerging and existing capabilities of such concerns.

“(e) Enhanced Outreach Under Procurement Technical Assistance Program Market.—The Secretary shall enable and promote activities to provide coordinated outreach to small business concerns through any procurement technical assistance program established under chapter 142 of this title to facilitate small business contracting with the Department of Defense.”.

(b) Implementation.—

(1) DEADLINE.—The Secretary of Defense shall develop the small business strategy required by section 2283 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(2) NOTICE TO CONGRESS AND PUBLICATION.—Upon completion of the development of the small business strategy pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—

(A) transmit the strategy to Congress; and

(B) publish the strategy on a public website of the Department of Defense.

(c) Clerical Amendment.—The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

“2283. Department of Defense small business strategy.”.

The House bill contained a provision (sec. 851) that would require the Department of Defense to develop and implement a small business strategy to better leverage small businesses as a means to enhance or support mission execution. This section specifies that such a strategy should include plans to integrate small businesses into a holistic view of industry; to realign the Department's small business programs with agency mission under a unified management structure; and to clarify points of entry into the defense market.

The Senate amendment contained no similar provision.

The Senate recedes.

The conferees note that a unified strategy would create expanded small business engagement in the defense sector by increasing entry points for nontraditional and innovative companies. The conferees direct the Secretary of Defense to coordinate the development of the strategy with the Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs.