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Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§2508 Encouragement and protection of small business

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 52— - ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION › § 2508

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Energy must try to give small businesses a real and fair chance to take part in the project. The Secretary must set aside a reasonable share of the program’s funds for contracts with small businesses for research, development, or demonstration of electric or hybrid vehicles. All contracts for that work must use terms, conditions, and payment schedules that help small businesses and avoid rules or penalties that would keep them out. The Secretary must also offer planning grants to qualified small businesses that need help preparing, submitting, or signing those contracts.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §2508

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of Energy shall take such steps as are feasible to assure that small business concerns have a realistic and adequate opportunity to participate in the project.
(b)To assist in accomplishing the objectives of subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall reserve, for contracts with small business concerns, a reasonable portion of the funds made available pursuant to this chapter for research, development, or demonstration of electric or hybrid vehicles.
(c)The Secretary of Energy shall, in addition to the requirements set forth in subsections (a) and (b)—
(1)include in all contracts for research, development, or demonstration of electric or hybrid vehicles such terms, conditions, and payment schedules as may assist in meeting the needs of small business concerns, and shall take steps to avoid the inclusion in such contracts of any terms, conditions, or penalties which would tend to prevent such concerns from participating in the program under this chapter; and
(2)make planning grants available to qualified small business concerns which require assistance in developing, submitting, and entering into such contracts.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

“Secretary of Energy” substituted in text for “Administrator” pursuant to section 301(a) of Pub. L. 95–91, see Codification note set out under section 2502 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 2508

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73