Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 102 Part 4.djvu/909

 PUBLIC LAW 100-656—NOV. 15, 1988

102 STAT. 3879

"(F) Proceedings conducted pursuant to the authority of this paragraph shall be completed and a decision rendered, insofar as practicable, within ninety days after a petition for a hearing is filed with the adjudicating office.". SEC. 410. EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND EVALUATION. (a) TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR BUSINESS SPECIAUSTS.—(1) In

each Small Business Administration field office responsible for assisting one or more Program Participants there shall be a position designated as a Business Opportunity Specialist. To the maximum extent practicable the Administration shall assure that an adequate number of Business Opportunity Specialists are assigned to each district office to carry out the responsibilities of sections 7(j) and 8(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(j), 637(a)) and to assist Program Participants. (2) The Administration shall take such actions as may be appropriate to ensure that any person employed as a Business Opportunity Specialist receives adequate periodic training to assure such employee is capable of assisting Program Participants to fully utilize the Program and to meet the requirements of the Small Business Act, as amended by this Act. (b) PILOT PROGRAM.—(1) Within 180 days after the effective date of this subsection the Administrator shall designate three regions of the Administration to conduct a pilot program pursuant to the provisions of this subsection. The designated regions shall contain approximately 30 per centum of the total number of Program Participants as of the time of designation. (2) A Business Opportunity Specialist employed in a Region designated pursuant to paragraph (1), in addition to other assigned duties and responsibilities, shall— (A) conduct contract negotiations on behalf of the Administration for contracts awarded pursuant to section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)) when performance will be rendered by one or more firms in such Specialist's assigned portfolio; (B) facilitate and otherwise assist such firms in negotiating for the receipt of contracts to be let pursuant to such section. (3) The Administration shall take such actions as may be appropriate to train and qualify such Specialists to perform the negotiations required pursuant to paragraph (2). (4) To the extent practicable, the Administrator shall ensure that the performance appraisal system applicable to a Business Opportunity Specialist employed in a region designated pursuant to paragraph (1) affords substantial recognition to how well such Specialist's assigned portfolio of concerns participating in the program established by section 7(j)(10) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(j)(10)) are achieving competitiveness and furthering the business development purposes of the program. (5) The Administration shall establish personnel positions for Business Opportunity Specialists employed in the regions designated pursuant to paragraph (1) that are classified at a grade level of the General Schedule that are sufficient, in the opinion of the Administrator, to attract and retain highly qualified personnel. (c) REPORT AND PILOT PROGRAM TERMINATION.—(1) Within 120 days after the termination of the pilot program conducted pursuant to subsection (b), the Administration shall issue a report to the Committees on Small Business of the Senate and of the House of

15 USC 636 note.

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