Bill Details
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This bill would require federal notices about small business opportunities to be written in plain, easy-to-understand language. It also says these notices should be clear, well organized, and, when possible, include important keywords so small businesses can find and understand contract opportunities more easily on the government’s main contract website. The Small Business Administration would have to issue rules within 90 days to put these requirements into effect. The bill also says no new funding is provided to carry out these changes.
- It applies to federal notices related to small business concerns that are posted on the government-wide contract website.
- These notices must be written so a small business can easily understand what they mean and what they are for.
- The notices should be clear, concise, and well organized, and should follow good writing practices when possible.
- The Small Business Administration must issue implementation rules within 90 days after the law takes effect.
Official Summaries
Plain Language in Contracting Act
This bill requires that notices of contracting opportunities for small businesses are written in a clear, concise, and accessible manner.
Each notice also must comply with the requirements of the Plain Writing Act of 2010, which are applicable to publications and notices by federal agencies.
The Small Business Administration must issue rules to implement these requirements.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 787 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 787
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 4, 2025
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business
and Entrepreneurship
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To require plain language and the inclusion of key words in covered
notices that are clear, concise, and accessible to small business
concerns, 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 ``Plain Language in Contracting Act''.
SEC. 2. ACCESSIBILITY AND CLARITY IN COVERED NOTICES FOR SMALL BUSINESS
CONCERNS.
(a) In General.--Each covered notice shall be written in a manner--
(1) such that a small business concern can easily
understand the intent of the covered notice; and
(2) that--
(A) is clear, concise, and well-organized; and
(B) to the maximum extent practicable, follows
other best practices appropriate to the subject or
field of the covered notice and the intended audience
of the covered notice.
(b) Inclusion of Key Words in Covered Notices.--Each covered notice
shall, to the maximum extent practicable, include key words in the
description of the covered notice such that a small business concern
seeking contract opportunities using the single, Government-wide point
of entry described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code,
can easily identify and understand such covered notice.
(c) Rulemaking.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business
Administration shall issue rules to carry out this section.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered notice.--The term ``covered notice'' means a
notice pertaining to small business concerns published by a
Federal agency on the single Government-wide point of entry
described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code.
(2) Small business act definitions.--The terms ``Federal
agency'' and ``small business concern'' have the meanings given
those terms, respectively, in section 3 of the Small Business
Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
SEC. 3. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.
No additional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements of
this Act.
Passed the House of Representatives June 3, 2025.
Attest:
KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,
Clerk.