Bill > S3173

This bill establishes a temporary moratorium on sole source contracts through the Small Business Administration's (SBA) 8(a) Business Development Program, which helps socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses obtain government contracts. The moratorium will remain in effect until the SBA completes a comprehensive audit of the program, ordered by the Administrator on June 27, 2025, and submits a detailed report of the audit findings to the Senate and House Small Business Committees. The bill allows for national security waivers, which must be submitted in writing by a contracting officer to the head acquisition officer and then to the SBA Administrator or Deputy Administrator. To obtain a waiver, the request must include a written justification explaining why the waiver is imperative for national security purposes and why the work cannot be performed by another small business. The waiver authority cannot be delegated to other officials. The purpose of this legislation appears to be addressing potential fraud or inefficiencies in the 8(a) program by mandating a thorough review before allowing further sole source contract awards.

Business and Industry

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3173/all-info