DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR CONTRACTORS EMPLOYING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.

SEC. 853. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR CONTRACTORS EMPLOYING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.(a) Authority.—The Secretary of Defense may carry out a demonstration project by entering into one or more contracts with an eligible contractor for the purpose of providing defense contracting opportunities for severely disabled individuals. (b) Evaluation Factor.—In evaluating an offer for a contract under the demonstration program, the percentage of the total workforce of the offeror consisting of severely disabled individuals employed by the offeror shall be one of the evaluation factors. (c) Definitions.—In this section:(1) Eligible contractor.—The term “eligible contractor” means a business entity operated on a for-profit or nonprofit basis that—(A) employs severely disabled individuals at a rate that averages not less than 33 percent of its total workforce over a period prescribed by the Secretary;(B) pays not less than the minimum wage prescribed pursuant to section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206) to the employees who are severely disabled individuals; and(C) provides for its employees health insurance and a retirement plan comparable to those provided for employees by business entities of similar size in its industrial sector or geographic region.(2) Severely disabled individual.—The term “severely disabled individual” means an individual with a disability (as defined in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102)) who has a severe physical or mental impairment that seriously limits one or more functional capacities.