# Plain Language Summary: Accelerating Small Business Growth Act

This bill creates a new federal grant program designed to help small businesses owned by people from disadvantaged backgrounds compete for transportation construction contracts. The Department of Transportation will give money to states, cities, tribal governments, and other local organizations so they can run training and support programs for these small business owners. The goal is to help these entrepreneurs develop the skills and knowledge they need to bid on and win contracts for transportation projects—things like road construction, transit systems, and infrastructure work funded by the federal government.

The eligible recipients of these grants are broad and include state and local governments, Native American tribes, port authorities, and transit agencies. These organizations can partner with nonprofits and colleges to design their programs. The bill sets aside $5 million per year from 2023 through 2026 to fund these initiatives. The programs could include business training, mentorship, help with bidding on contracts, or other support to level the playing field for small business owners who have historically faced barriers to getting government contracts.

To make sure the program actually works, organizations that receive grants must report back to the Department of Transportation within two years, explaining what they did with the money and whether their programs helped small business owners successfully compete for contracts. The Secretary of Transportation also has to report to Congress three years after the law passes with an overall evaluation of how effective the program has been. All these reports will be made public so taxpayers can see how the money was spent and what results it produced.

Accelerating Small Business Growth Act

Accelerating Small Business Growth Act This bill establishes a grant program for states, local governments, tribes, and certain public transit authorities to assist small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals compete for federal contracts for infrastructure projects.