1994 US Code
Title 15 - COMMERCE AND TRADE
CHAPTER 14A - AID TO SMALL BUSINESS
Sec. 656 - Women's demonstration projects

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§656. Women's demonstration projects (a) Authorization; purposes

The Administration may provide financial assistance to private organizations to conduct 3-year demonstration projects for the benefit of small business concerns owned and controlled by women. The projects shall provide—

(1) financial assistance, including training and counseling in how to apply for and secure business credit and investment capital, preparing and presenting financial statements, and managing cash flow and other financial operations of a business concern;

(2) management assistance, including training and counseling in how to plan, organize, staff, direct, and control each major activity and function of a small business concern; and

(3) marketing assistance, including training and counseling in identifying and segmenting domestic and international market opportunities, preparing and executing marketing plans, developing pricing strategies, locating contract opportunities, negotiating contracts, and utilizing varying public relations and advertising techniques.

(b) Contributions from non-Federal sources

(1) As a condition of receiving financial assistance authorized by this section, the recipient organization shall agree to obtain, after its application has been approved and notice of award has been issued, cash contributions from non-Federal sources as follows:

(A) If the project first receives its Federal financial assistance prior to fiscal year 1993, an annual amount that is not less than the amount of the Federal financial assistance provided each year.

(B) If the project first receives Federal financial assistance in fiscal year 1993, or thereafter, annual amounts equal to—

(i) in the first year, 1 non-Federal dollar for each 2 Federal dollars;

(ii) in the second year, 1 non-Federal dollar for each Federal dollar; and

(iii) in the third and final year, 2 non-Federal dollars for each Federal dollar.

(2) Up to one-half of the non-Federal matching assistance may be in the form of in-kind contributions which are budget line items only, including but not limited to office equipment and office space.

(3) The financial assistance authorized pursuant to this section may be made by grant, contract, or cooperative agreement and may contain such provision, as necessary, to provide for payments in lump sum or installments, and in advance or by way of reimbursement. The Administration may disburse up to 25 percent of each year's Federal share awarded to a recipient organization after notice of the award has been issued and before the non-Federal matching funds are obtained.

(4) If any recipient of assistance under this section fails to obtain the required non-Federal contribution during any year of any project, it shall not be eligible thereafter for advance disbursements under paragraph (3) during the remainder of that project, or for any other project for which it is or may be funded. In addition, prior to approving assistance to such organization for any other projects, the Administration shall specifically determine whether the Administration believes that the recipient will be able to obtain the requisite non-Federal funding and enter a written finding setting forth the reasons for making such determination.

(c) Submission of plan; evaluation

Each applicant for assistance under this section initially shall submit a 3-year plan on proposed fundraising and training activities, and may receive financial assistance under this section for a maximum of 3 years per site. The Administration shall evaluate and rank applicants in accordance with predetermined selection criteria that shall be stated in terms of relative importance. Such criteria and their relative importance shall be made publicly available and stated in each solicitation for applications made by the Administration. The criteria shall include—

(1) the experience of the applicant in conducting programs or on-going efforts designed to impart or upgrade the business skills of women business owners or potential owners;

(2) the present ability of the applicant to commence a demonstration project within a minimum amount of time; and

(3) the ability of the applicant to provide training and services to a representative number of women who are both socially and economically disadvantaged.

(d) “Small business concern” defined

For purposes of this section, the term “small business concern” means a small business concern, either start-up or existing, owned and controlled by women, and—

(1) which is at least 51 percent owned by 1 or more women; and

(2) the management and daily business operations of which are controlled by 1 or more women.

(e) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated ,000,000 for each fiscal year to carry out the demonstration projects authorized by this section. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administration may use such expedited acquisition methods as it deems appropriate to achieve the purposes of this section, except that it shall ensure that all eligible sources are provided a reasonable opportunity to submit proposals.

(f) Annual report

The Administration shall prepare and transmit an annual report, beginning February 1, 1992, to the Committees on Small Business of the Senate and House of Representatives on the effectiveness of all demonstration projects conducted under the authority of this section. Such report shall provide information concerning—

(1) the number of individuals receiving assistance;

(2) the number of start-up business concerns formed;

(3) the gross receipts of assisted concerns;

(4) increases or decreases in profits of assisted concerns; and

(5) the employment increases or decreases of assisted concerns.

(g) Termination of funding for new projects

The Administration shall not provide financial assistance under this section to any new project after October 1, 1997, except that it may fund projects which commenced prior thereto.

(h) Office of Women's Business Ownership

There is hereby established within the Administration an Office of Women's Business Ownership, which shall be responsible for the administration of the Administration's programs for the development of women's business enterprises, as such term is defined in section 408 of the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988. The Office of Women's Business Ownership shall be administered by an Assistant Administrator, who shall be appointed by the Administrator.

(Pub. L. 85–536, §2[29], formerly §2[28], as added Pub. L. 102–191, §2, Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1589; renumbered §2[29] and amended Pub. L. 103–403, title IV, §§411, 412, Oct. 22, 1994, 108 Stat. 4192, 4193.)

References in Text

Section 408 of the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988, referred to in subsec. (h), is section 408 of title IV of Pub. L. 100–533, which is set out as a note under section 631 of this title.

Amendments

1994—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 103–403, §411(2), substituted “1997” for “1995”.

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 103–403, §412, added subsec. (h).