HouseH.R. 10343119th Congress

CLEAR Feedback Act

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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10343 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                               H. R. 10343

To amend the Small Business Act to require Federal agencies to provide 
 enhanced debriefing materials to small business concerns for SBIR or 
              STTR award denials, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 10, 2026

  Ms. Mejia introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on 
    Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To amend the Small Business Act to require Federal agencies to provide 
 enhanced debriefing materials to small business concerns for SBIR or 
              STTR award denials, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Clear Lessons and Evaluation for 
Award Reviews Feedback Act'' or the ``CLEAR Feedback Act''.

SEC. 2. ENHANCED DEBRIEFING MATERIALS FOR SBIR AWARD DENIALS.

    Section 9(g) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(g)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (18)(B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (19)(C), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(20) establish a process to provide enhanced debriefing 
        materials to each small business concern denied a Phase I, 
        Phase II, or Phase III award for a reason other a reason listed 
        in paragraph (16), which process--
                    ``(A) is initiated upon request by such concern not 
                later than 14 business days after denial of the award;
                    ``(B) provides such concern an evaluation by the 
                Federal agency of the significant deficiencies in the 
                concern's proposal, an overall ranking of the concern's 
                proposal in relation to all other proposals, and a 
                summary of the rationale for denial of the award;
                    ``(C) an opportunity for such concern to submit, 
                within 7 business days after receiving such enhanced 
                debriefing materials, additional questions related to 
                the debriefing; and
                    ``(D) terminates when the Federal agency submits 
                answers to the questions received under subparagraph 
                (C), which shall be within 14 business days after 
                receipt of such questions.''.

SEC. 3. ENHANCED DEBRIEFING MATERIALS FOR STTR AWARD DENIALS.

    Section 9(o) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(o)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (22)(B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (23)(C), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(24) establish a process to provide enhanced debriefing 
        materials to each small business concern denied a Phase I, 
        Phase II, or Phase III award for a reason other a reason listed 
        in paragraph (20), which process--
                    ``(A) is initiated upon request by such concern not 
                later than 14 business days after denial of the award;
                    ``(B) provides such concern an evaluation by the 
                Federal agency of the significant deficiencies in the 
                concern's proposal, an overall ranking of the concern's 
                proposal in relation to all other proposals, and a 
                summary of the rationale for denial of the award;
                    ``(C) an opportunity for such concern to submit, 
                within 7 business days after receiving such enhanced 
                debriefing materials, additional questions related to 
                the debriefing; and
                    ``(D) terminates when the Federal agency submits 
                answers to the questions received under subparagraph 
                (C), which shall be within 14 business days after 
                receipt of such questions.''.
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