Improves Reporting for Small Business Certifications

Official: Oversight and Transparency for Small Business Certifications Act of 2026

IntroducedMay 19, 2026

CommerceGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsVeterans' organizations and recognitionLicensing and registrationsSmall businessPublic contracts and procurement

Why This Matters

This bill improves transparency by requiring the government to report on how many small businesses are certified to participate in federal contracts each year.

If you own a small business, this bill ensures better tracking of your certification process for federal contracts starting in 2026.

Affects: This bill affects small business owners, especially those owned by service-disabled veterans seeking federal contracts.

Summary

Oversight and Transparency for Small Business Certifications Act of 2026This bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to report annually, as part of the President's budget submission, information about specified SBA contracting programs. The reporting requirement applies to the8(a) Business Development program, Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract program, HUBZone program, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program. The report must include the total number of unique small business concerns certified for participation in each program, the number of applications for certification for two or more such programs, and the percentage of total applicants that received two or more certifications.

What changes is this bill making?

1. The bill requires annual reports on small business participation in federal contracting programs. 2. Reports will include data on the number of certified small businesses and their application outcomes. 3. It specifically tracks applications from service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, including approval times. 4. The Administrator must provide detailed statistics on applications submitted through a unified platform.

Who is affected?