Central Missouri News

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 789, the Transparency and Predictability in Small Business Opportunities Act. This bipartisan bill is co-led by Congressman Mark Alford from Missouri's 4th district. The legislation aims to improve transparency and accountability in the federal government's contract bidding process for small businesses.

The bill has additional support from Congressmen George Latimer of New York's 16th district and Kweisi Mfume of Maryland's 7th district.

In his remarks, Congressman Alford stated, “Small businesses are the innovators, the job creators, and the backbone of our communities.” He highlighted that federal agencies have not done enough to enable small businesses to compete effectively. "The House just passed our Transparency and Predictability in Small Business Opportunities Act to change that," he added.

The proposed legislation mandates the Small Business Administrator to issue regulations concerning canceled solicitations for small business contracts. These regulations will require disclosing more information about cancellations. Additionally, a federal agency’s Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) would be required to assist small businesses in finding other opportunities if a solicitation they bid on is canceled.

Federal agencies often post solicitations on SAM.gov when they need certain products or services. These solicitations specify what is needed, how it will be procured, and deadlines for bids or proposals. Preparing these proposals can involve significant time and expense for small businesses.

Currently, when an agency cancels a solicitation, it often does so without providing reasons or information to those who submitted offers. Reasons for cancellation can include changes in requirements or budget issues.

This new legislation seeks to address these issues by making the process more transparent and predictable for small businesses involved in federal contract bidding.