S 673 — Small Business Child Care Investment Act

(a) Small business concerns (1) In general For the purposes of this chapter, a small-business concern, including but not limited to enterprises that are engaged in the business of production of food and fiber, ranching and raising of livestock, aquaculture, and all other farming and agricultural related industries, shall be deemed to be one which is independently owned and operated and which is not dominant in its field of operation. (2) Establishment of size standards (A) In general In addition to the criteria specified in paragraph (1) and subject to the requirements specified under subparagraph (C), the Administrator may specify detailed definitions or standards by which a business concern may be determined to be a small business concern for the purposes of this chapter or any other Act. (B) Additional criteria The standards described in paragraph (1) may utilize number of employees, dollar volume of business, net worth, net income, a combination thereof, or other appropriate factors. (C) Requirements Unless specifically authorized by statute, no Federal department (including the Administration when acting pursuant to subparagraph (A)) or agency may prescribe a size standard for categorizing a business concern as a small business concern, unless such proposed size standard— (i) is proposed after an opportunity for public notice and comment; (ii) provides for determining— (I) the size of a manufacturing concern as measured by the manufacturing concern’s average employment based upon employment during each of the manufacturing concern’s pay periods for the preceding 24 months; (II) the size of a business concern providing services on the basis of the annual average gross receipts of the business concern over a period of not less than 5 years; (III) the size of other business concerns on the basis of data over a period of not less than 3 years; or (IV) other appropriate factors; and (iii) is approved by the Administrator. (3) Variation by industry and consideration of other factors When establishing or approving any size standard pursuant to paragraph (2), the Administrator shall ensure that the size standard varies from industry to industry to the extent necessary to reflect the differing characteristics of the various industries and consider other factors deemed to be relevant by the Administrator. (4) Exclusion of certain security expenses from consideration for purpose of small business size standards (A) Determination required Not later than 30 days after January 6, 2006, the Administrator shall review the application of size standards established pursuant to paragraph (2) to small business concerns that are performing contracts in qualified areas and determine whether it would be fair and appropriate to exclude from consideration in the average annual gross receipts of such small business concerns any payments made to such small business concerns by Federal agencies to reimburse such small business concerns for the cost of subcontracts entered for the sole purpose of providing security services in a qualified area. (B) Action required Not later than 60 days after January 6, 2006, the Administrator shall either— (i) initiate an adjustment to the size standards, as described in subparagraph (A), if the Administrator determines that such an adjustment would be fair and appropriate; or (ii) provide a report to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives explaining in detail the basis for the determination by the Administrator that such an adjustment would not be fair and appropriate. (C) Qualified areas In this paragraph, the term “qualified area” means— (i) Iraq, (ii) Afghanistan, and (iii) any foreign country which included a combat zone, as that term is defined in section 112(c)(2) of title 26, at the time of performance of the relevant Federal contract or subcontract. (5) Alternative size standard (A) In general The Administrato...