[Report No. 119–34]
January 28, 2025
Mr. LaLota (for himself, Mr. Tran, and Mr. Thanedar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business
March 24, 2025
Additional sponsor: Ms. Goodlander
March 24, 2025
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic
For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 28, 2025
To require plain language and the inclusion of key words in covered notices that are clear, concise, and accessible to small business concerns, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Plain Language in Contracting Act
.
Sec. 2. Accessibility and clarity in covered notices for small business concerns
(a) In general
Each covered notice shall be written in a manner—
(1)
such that a small business concern can easily understand the intent of the covered notice; and
(2)
that—
(A)
is clear, concise, and well-organized; and
(B)
to the maximum extent practicable, follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field of the covered notice and the intended audience of the covered notice.
(b) Inclusion of key words in covered notices
Each covered notice shall, to the maximum extent practicable, include key words in the description of the covered notice such that a small business concern seeking contract opportunities using the single Government-wide point of entry described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code, can easily identify and understand such covered notice.
(c) Rulemaking
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall issue rules to carry out this section.
(d) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Covered notice
The term covered notice means a notice pertaining to small business concerns published by a Federal agency on the single Government-wide point of entry described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code.
(2) Small Business Act definitions
The terms Federal agency and small business concern have the meanings given those terms, respectively, in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
Sec. 3. Compliance with CUTGO
No additional amounts are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act or the amendments made by this Act.