Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2014”.
Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2014
A BILL
To amend the Small Business Act to provide for improvements to small business development centers.
Sec. 2 Use of Authorized Entrepreneurial Development Programs
The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“48. Use of Authorized Entrepreneurial Development Programs
“(a) Expanded support for entrerpreneurs
“(1) In general—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator shall only use the programs authorized in sections 7(j), 7(m), 8(a), 8(b)(1), 21, 22, 29, and 32 of this Act, and sections 358 and 389 of the Small Business Investment Act to deliver entrepreneurial development services, entrepreneurial education, business incubation services, growth acceleration services, support for the development and maintenance of clusters, or business training.
“(2) Exception—This section shall not apply to services provided to assist small business concerns owned by an Indian tribe.
“(b) Annual report—Beginning on the first December 1 after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall annually report to the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate on all entrepreneurial development activities undertaken in the current fiscal year. This report shall include—
“(1) a description and operating details for each program and activity;
“(2) operating circulars, manuals, and standard operating procedures for each program and activity;
“(3) a description of the process used to award grants under each program and activity;
“(4) a list of all awardees, contractors, and vendors (including organization name and location) and the amount of awards for the current fiscal year for each program and activity;
“(5) the amount of funding obligated for the current fiscal year for each program and activity; and
“(6) the names and titles for those individuals responsible for each program and activity.”
Sec. 3 Marketing of Services
Section 21 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(o) No prohibition of marketing of services—The Administrator shall not prohibit applicants receiving grants under this section from marketing and advertising their services to individuals and small businesses.”
Sec. 4 Confidentiality Requirements
Section 21(a)(7)(A) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(a)(7)(A)) is amended by inserting after “under this section” the following: “to any State, local or Federal agency or third party”.
Sec. 5 Data Collection
in clause (ii), by striking “as provided in this section and” and inserting “as provided in this section,”; and
by inserting before the period at the end the following: “, and (iv) governing data collection activities related to applicants receiving grants under this section”.
Annual report on data collection— Section 21 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648), as amended by section 3 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
“(p) Annual Report on data collection—The Administrator shall report annually to the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate on data collection activities related to the Small Business Development Center program.”
Sec. 6 Matchmaking and Other Events
Section 21(a)(3)(C) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(a)(3)(C)) is amended to read as follows:
“(C) Such participation in private partnerships and cosponsorships with the Administration shall not limit Small Business Development Centers from collecting fees or other income related to the operation of such partnerships and cosponsorships.”
Sec. 7 Equity for SBDCs
Section 21(a)(4)(C)(v)(I) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(a)(4)(C)(v)(I)) is amended—
in item (aa), by striking “; and” and inserting a period; and
by striking item (bb).
Sec. 8 Award of Grants to SBDCs
Section 21 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648), as amended by sections 3 and 5 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
“(q) Limitation on award of grants—Except for not-for-profit institutions of higher education, notwithstanding any provision of law, the Administrator shall not award grants (including contracts and cooperative agreements) under this section to any entity other than those that received grants (including contracts and cooperative agreements) under this section prior to September 30, 2014, and that seek to renew such grants (including contracts and cooperative agreements) after such date.”
Sec. 9 Disaster reforms
Section 21(b)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(b)(3)) is amended—
by striking “(3) At the discretion” and inserting the following:
“(3) Assistance to out-of-state small businesses
“(A) In general—At the discretion”
by adding at the end the following:
“(B) Disaster recovery assistance
“(i) In general—At the discretion of the Administrator, the Administrator may authorize a small business development center to provide assistance, as described in subsection (c), to a small business concern located outside of the State, without regard to geographic proximity, if the small business concern is located in an area for which the President has declared a major disaster under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), during the period of the declaration.
“(ii) Continuity of services—A small business development center that provides counselors to an area described in clause (i) shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure continuity of services in any State in which the small business development center otherwise provides services.
“(iii) Access to disaster recovery facilities—For purposes of this subparagraph, the Administrator shall, to the maximum extent practicable, permit the personnel of a small business development center to use any site or facility designated by the Administrator for use to provide disaster recovery assistance.”
Sec. 10 Inclusions of entrepreneurship training for unemployed individuals
Section 21(c)(3)(A) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(c)(3)(A)) is amended—
in clause (iii), by striking “and” at the end;
in clause (iv), by inserting “and” at the end; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(v) educating unemployed individuals on entrepreneurship and working with such individuals to start new businesses;”