DIRECTORS OF SMALL AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS UTILIZATION.

SEC. 603. DIRECTORS OF SMALL AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS UTILIZATION. Section 15(k) of the Small Business Act is amended by— (1) amending paragraph (3) to read as follows: “(3) be responsible only to, and report directly to, the head of such agency or to the deputy of such head, except that the director for the Office of the Secretary of Defense shall be responsible only to, and report directly to, such Secretary or the Secretary’s designee;”; (2) striking “and” at the end of paragraph (7); (3) striking the period at the end of paragraph (8) and inserting in lieu thereof “, and”; and (4) adding at the end thereof the following new paragraph: (5) ) make recommendations to contracting officers as to whether a particular contract requirement should be awarded pursuant to subsection (a), or section 8(a) of this Act or section 1207 of Public Law 99–661. Such recommendations shall be made with due regard to the requirements of subsection (m), and the failure of the contracting officer to accept any such recommendations shall be documented and included within the appropriate contract file.”.