Congressman Gibson announces Small Contractors Improve Competition Act
Washington, Mar 25 – Congressman Chris Gibson (NY-19) announced today the House Small Business Committee approved HR 1481, the Small Contractors Improve Competition Act, which helps small businesses compete for federal contracts.
The bill, which was introduced by Committee Chairman Steve Chabot (OH-1), will now face a vote of the whole House.
Members of the Small Business Committee participated in a series of hearings in recent weeks that showed contract bundling and other policies are excluding many small businesses from the federal procurement process.
“This legislation helps level the playing field for contractors in rural regions like the 19th District, increasing competition and lowering costs for taxpayers,” said Congressman Gibson, who was appointed to the Small Business Committee this year. “Ultimately, HR 1481 will strengthen our industrial base and put more people to work. I am proud this package of reforms is the first bill out of our committee in the 114th Congress, and I am hopeful it will move swiftly through Congress and be signed into law.”
The Small Business Committee found that the number of small businesses competing for federal contracts has fallen by over 100,000 in the last four years. This has occurred as federal agencies adopted the practice of consolidating, or bundling, a series of contracts for related goods or services into single awards.
HR 1481, which incorporates several bills by committee members, increases the number of categories that small businesses can compete for. It also calls on the Small Business Administration to establish new procurement goals that increase participation in the bidding process among small businesses.
