WOSB Certification Expansion and Opportunity Act
The WOSB Certification Expansion and Opportunity Act would change how women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) are counted toward federal procurement goals. It requires that only WOSBs certified under SBA’s official certification process (under section 8(m)(2)(E)) be counted toward government-wide and agency goals for women-owned small businesses. Self-certified WOSBs would be excluded from those goals after a transition period tied to when SBA issues implementing regulations. In the meantime, certain self-certified WOSBs would continue to be treated as certified for goal purposes until a formal certification determination is made. The bill also mandates SBA to issue implementing regulations within a year, requires quarterly briefings to Congress on implementation and related costs, and includes a no-new-funding (CUTGO) provision.
Key Points
- 1Exclusion from goals: Only WOSBs certified under SBA’s formal process (8(m)(2)(E)) would count toward federal procurement goals for women-owned small businesses; self-certified WOSBs would be excluded from counting toward those goals.
- 2Transition and timing: The exclusion takes effect on the first day after the end of the second fiscal year following SBA issuing the required regulations.
- 3Temporary inclusion for certain self-certified firms: Self-certified WOSBs that (a) were self-certified as of the effective date, (b) filed a certification application before that date, and (c) have not yet had a certification determination made, can be treated as certified for goal purposes until a determination is made.
- 4Rulemaking deadline: SBA must issue implementing regulations within one year of enactment.
- 5Quarterly congressional briefings: SBA must brief Congress every quarter (starting 60 days after enactment) on implementation, including demand, pending applications, approvals, processing timelines, costs, outreach, and any legislative/resource needs.