GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE REPORT.

SEC. 504. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE REPORT. (a) In General.— (1) The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a review of the operation of the Minority Small Business and Capital Ownership Development Program authorized by section 7(j)(10) (15 U.S.C. 636(j)(10)) and the contract assistance provided pursuant to section 8(a) (15 U.S.C. 637(a)) of the Small business Act commencing within 180 days of the enactment of this Act and concluding on September 30, 1991. (2) The review shall report on the implementation of the provisions of this Act by the Small Business Administration and the various executive departments and agencies providing contracting opportunities to the Program. In addition to such other matters as the Comptroller General may choose to include, the review shall report on the implementation of the Act’s provisions relating to— (A) the certification of Program Participants by the Administration; (B) the development and maintenance of business development plans required by this Act; (C) the amount and types of business management and technical assistance provided to Program Participants, including transition management assistance, and the criteria by which the effectiveness of such assistance is measured by the Administration; (D) the type and amount of financial assistance provided through the programs authorized by the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958; 102 STAT. 3883 (E) Program Participants’ dependence on contracts awarded noncompetitively under the authority of section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)) and the rate of increase in the percentage of competitively awarded contracts in the firms’ business mix as Program Participants approach graduation; (F) the competitive award of contracts within the Program, determining the number, dollar value, and source selection method used for the various contract opportunities required to be awarded competitively and those for which competition was discretionary; (G) the noncompetitive award of contracts to Program Participants; the effect on the distribution of Program awards among individual Program Participants; and Program Participants located in each of the several States; and the Administration’s use of the authority to direct contracts to Program Participants in the interest of maintaining equitable contract distributions; (H) delay in the award of contracts flowing from protests, either of a prospective awardee’s continued Program eligibility or the conduct of a competition restricted to Program Participants; (I) limitations on the transfer of contracts to a Program Participant incident to transferring ownership and control of the business; (J) reporting by Program Participants concerning the use of consultants and other non-employees to assist in obtaining Federal contracts; and (K) data collection and data management by the Administration relating to the Program. (3) The Comptroller General shall prepare a report summarizing the findings of the review described in paragraph (2), and make such recommendations for the improved implementation of this Act as may be appropriate. The report shall be transmitted to the Committees on Small Business of the Senate and House of Representatives by February 1, 1992.