Accountability in Women-Owned Small Business Contracting Act

S 1470, the Accountability in Women-Owned Small Business Contracting Act, changes how women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) qualify for federal contracts. It eliminates self-certification, requiring all WOSBs seeking to count toward federal contracting goals to obtain formal certification from the Small Business Administration (SBA) instead of claiming eligibility themselves. The bill gives currently self-certified businesses one year to apply for SBA certification, after which they lose eligibility if they don’t apply. Additionally, it mandates federal agencies that miss WOSB participation goals to report to Congress and testify on their remediation plans, while requiring an interagency report on barriers and recommendations to improve WOSB access to contracts and capital.