Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 4945 - Small Business Preservation Competition Act

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

(House)

(Rep. Talent (R) Missouri and 9 cosponsors)

The Administration supports the goals of H.R. 4945, which would require the Small Business Administration (SBA) to collect and analyze data on Federal contracts. In fact, to ensure that SBA can adequately assess the impact of contract bundling on small businesses, the Administration included a data collection element with its contract bundling regulations that were issued in final form on July 26, 2000. The goal of these regulations is to ensure that small businesses are not unfairly impacted by Federal contract practices. The Administration prefers that these new regulations be given an opportunity to work before new legislation is passed. In addition, the definition of contract bundling included in H.R. 4945 conflicts with a statutory definition enacted less than three years ago and would require SBA to conduct an unnecessarily detailed data collection and analysis process. The Administration looks forward to working with the Congress on this issue as the bill moves through the legislative process.

The Administration would strongly oppose any amendments to H.R. 4945 which would incorporate the provisions of H.R. 4943, the Small Business Federal Acquisition Simplification Act of 2000, which would severely restrict the Federal Government's authority to use government purchase cards (credit cards); or H.R. 4890, the Small Business Contract Equity Act of 2000, which would impose prohibitive burdens on the contract solicitation process.