Pursuant to 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. At the time this report was filed, the Committee has requested but not received a cost estimate from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.
VIII. NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX EXPENDITURES
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 308(a)(I) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the following opinion and estimate with respect to new budget authority, entitlement authority, and tax expenditures. While the Committee has not received an estimate of new budget authority contained in the cost estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee does not believe that there will be any new or increased costs attributable to this legislation.
IX. OVERSIGHT FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS
In accordance with clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the oversight findings and recommendations of the Committee on Small Business with respect to the subject matter contained in H.R. 4491 are incorporated into the descriptive portions of this report.
X. PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the goal of H.R. 4491 is to implement certain recommendations from the GAO's report entitled ``IT Modernization: SBA Urgently Needs to Address Risks on Newly Deployed System.''
XI. STATEMENT OF DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, no provision of H.R. 4491 is known to be duplicative of another Federal program, including any program that was included in a report to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 or the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.
XII. CONGRESSIONAL EARMARKS, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS, AND LIMITED TARIFF BENEFITS
With respect to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that the bill does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
XIII. FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
XIV. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this legislation.
XV. APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
XVI. STATEMENT OF CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY
Pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII of the Rules of the House, the Committee finds that the authority for this legislation in Art. I, Sec. 8, cl. 1 of the Constitution of the United States.
XVII. MINORITY VIEWS
The Small Business Administration (SBA) administers four small business contracting programs that seek to help the government recruit and retain small business contractors and to level the playing field for them to compete in the federal marketplace. The programs' requirements and authorities differ, but all four provide contracting opportunities to small firms that meet the eligibility requirements in certain socioeconomic categories. Once SBA certifies a firm's eligibility, it may bid on contracts set aside for small business competitions and direct, sole source awards. Prior to the fall of 2024, each contracting program had its own online certification platform and designated staff in SBA's Office of Government Contracting & Business Development (GCBD). The processes and use of multiple portals were cumbersome and burdensome for both the SBA and many small business applicants. Since 2011, SBA has initiated several unsuccessful projects to modernize the contracting programs' IT platforms, portals, and/or systems.\1\ In 2015, the SBA began developing a platform (Certify.SBA.gov) that would bring each of the programs' certifications systems together in one place, with the intent of streamlining the certification processes for GCBD and all small businesses, including and especially the small businesses seeking more than one certification. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\U.S. Small Bus. Admin. Off. of Inspector Gen., the SBA Did Not Follow Federal Regulations and Guidance in the Acquisition of the Onetrack System (Feb. 12, 2014). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- In November 2022, after the multiple unsuccessful attempts by SBA to deploy a unified platform,\2\ Ranking Member Velazquez requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct an evaluation. Then, in 2023, the SBA began work on the Unified Certification Platform (UCP), the most recent attempt to unify the certification platforms. Because the UCP's development and deployment fell within the scope of the inquiry driving the GAO report, rather than look retroactively, GAO evaluated the UCP as it was being developed and deployed. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\U.S. Small Bus. Admin. Off. of Inspector Gen., Evaluation of Certify.SBA.Gov (Jul. 30, 2020). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SBA opened the UCP for initial certification applications in late October 2024 and GAO published their report in November. In it, GAO raised serious concerns regarding UCP's development and SBA's process for IT modernization projects. The report made 14 recommendations. Three focused specifically on UCP. Eleven others listed changes to SBA's risk management, cybersecurity, and schedule and cost estimation procedures applicable to any SBA IT modernization project.\3\ All 14 recommendations remain open. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \3\Gov't Accountability Off., IT Modernization: SBA Urgently Needs to Address Risks on Newly Deployed System (Nov. 6, 2024). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Failing to use best practices to manage risk, costs, and security, wastes taxpayer dollars and puts the information small businesses have provided to SBA at risk. The SBA IT Modernization Report Act will address the underlying issues that GAO highlighted in its report by requiring the SBA to put in place policies, procedures and best practices for developing and deploying IT modernization projects.
Nydia M. Velazquez, Ranking Member.