Pub. L. 83-163, tit. II, sec. 212

Sec. 212. The Administration shall have power, and it is hereby directed, whenever it determines such action is necessary— (a) to consult and cooperate with officers of the Government having procurement powers, in order to utilize the potential productive capacity of plants operated by small-business concerns; (b) to obtain information as to methods and practices which Government prime contractors utilize in letting subcontracts and to take action to encourage the letting of subcontracts by prime contractors to small-business concerns at prices and on conditions and terms which are fair and equitable; (c) to determine within any industry the concerns, firms, persons, corporations, partnerships, cooperatives, or other business enterprises, which are to be designated “small-business concerns” for the purpose of effectuating the provisions of this title; (d) to certify to Government procurement officers with respect to the competency, as to capacity and credit, of any small-business concern or group of such concerns to perform a specific Government procurement contract; (e) to obtain from any Federal department, establishment, or agency engaged in procurement or in the financing of procurement or production such reports concerning the letting of contracts, and subcontracts and making of loans to business concerns as it may deem pertinent in carrying out its functions under this title: (f) to obtain from suppliers of materials information pertaining to the method of filling orders and the bases for allocating their supply, whenever it appears that any small business is unable to obtain materials from its normal sources for war or defense production; (g) to make studies and recommendations to the appropriate Federal agencies to insure a fair and equitable share of materials, supplies, and equipment to small-business concerns to effectuate war or defense programs; (h) to consult and cooperate with all Government agencies for the purpose of insuring that small-business concerns shall receive fair and reasonable treatment from said agencies; and (i) to establish such advisory boards and committees wholly representative of small business as may be found necessary to achieve the purposes of this title.