Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 102 Part 4.djvu/888

 102 STAT. 3858

PUBLIC LAW 100-656—NOV. 15, 1988

relevant, the Associate Administrator shall, by October 31 of each year, issue policy and program directives applicable to such fiscal year that— "(i) establish priorities for the solicitation of program applications from underrepresented regions and industry cat^ories; "(ii) assign staffing levels and allocate other program resources as necessary to meet program needs; and "(iii) establish priorities in the processing and admission of new Program Participants as may be necessary to achieve an equitable geographic distribution of concerns and a distribution of concerns across all industry categories in proportions needed to increase significantly contract awards to small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. When considering such increase the Administration shall give due consideration to those industrial categories where Federal purchases have been substantial but where the participation rate of such concerns has been limited.". Employment (b) OuTREACH.—Section 8(a)(10) of the Small Business Act (15 and U.S.C. 637(a)(10)) is amended by adding at the end thereof the unemployment, following: "Such program shall make a sustained and substantial effort to solicit applications for certification from small business concerns located in areas of concentrated unemployment or underemployment or within labor surplus areas and within States having relatively few Program Participants and from small disadvantaged business concerns in industry categories that have not substantially participated in the award of contracts let under the authority of this subsection.". SEC. 202. TIME LIMITATIONS.

Section 7(j) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(j)) is further amended by adding the following new paragraph: "(15) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (lOKC), a small business concern may receive developmental assistance under the Program and contracts under section 8(a) for a total period of not longer than nine years, measured from the date of its certification under the authority of such section, of which— "(A) no more than four years may be spent in the developmental stage of Program Participation; and "(B) no more than five years may be spent in the transitional stage of Program Participation.". SEC. 203. GRANDFATHERING.

Section 7(j)(10) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(j)(10)) is amended by adding the following new subparagraph: "(D)(i) A small business concern participating in any program or activity conducted under-the authority of this paragraph or eligible for the award of contracts pursuant to section 8(a) on September 1, 1988, shall be permitted continued participation and eligibility in such program or activity for a period of time which is the greater of— "(I) 9 years less the number of years since the award of its first contract pursuant to section 8(a); or "(II) its original fixed program participation term (plus any extension thereof) assigned prior to the effective date of this paragraph plus eighteen months.

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