	Introduction

On November 4, 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued its decision in Rothe Development Corporation v. Department of Defense , a case involving a challenge to the constitutionality of a "small disadvantaged business" (SDB) program of the Department of Defense (DOD). The Federal Circuit's decision in Rothe was followed on February 27, 2009, by a decision of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division, to which the case had been remanded for entry of judgment. This decision enjoined defense agencies from implementing other programs authorized by Section 1207 because these programs were "contingent" on the subsections containing the price preference and must "also fall" when those subsections did. However, the 111 th Congress responded to the District Court's decision by enacting legislation authorizing defense agencies to provide assistance similar to that authorized under Section 1207 to MSIs. On September 9, 2011, the Obama Administration proposed amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) in light of the decisions by the Federal Circuit and the district court in Rothe . Among other things, the proposed changes would delete those provisions of the FAR which govern price evaluation adjustments to bids or offers submitted by small disadvantaged businesses for defense contracts, as well as relocate and amend those provisions of the FAR regarding monetary incentives and evaluation factors for subcontracting with small disadvantaged businesses. The report examines the Rothe decision in detail; describes existing contracting programs for minority-owned and women-owned small businesses; and analyzes Rothe 's potential effect on these programs, including the Business Development Program under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act. These programs were not at issue in Rothe and would not be substantively changed by the Obama Administration's proposed amendments to the FAR. However, as numerous commentators and the Small Business Administration (SBA) have recognized, the Rothe decision could have significant implications for other federal contracting programs for small businesses. The district court entered its judgment on February 27, 2009, prohibiting defense agencies not only from implementing price evaluation adjustments for offers from small disadvantaged businesses but also from implementing technical and infrastructure assistance programs for certain minority-serving institutions (MSIs) of higher education, including historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), Alaska Native- and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions (ANNHIs), and majority-minority institutions (MMIs).
This report discusses Rothe Development Corporation v. Department of Defense, a case involving a constitutional challenge to a minority contracting program authorized under Section 1207 of the Department of Defense (DOD) Authorization Act of 1987. This program allowed DOD to take 10% off the price of offers submitted by "small disadvantaged businesses" in determining which offer had the lowest price or represented the best value for the government. Section 1207 also incorporated a presumption that minorities are socially and economically disadvantaged.
On November 4, 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit struck down the DOD preference program, holding that Section 1207 was facially unconstitutional because Congress did not have sufficient evidence to conclude that there was racial discrimination in defense contracting when it reauthorized the program in 2006. Later, on February 27, 2009, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division, to which the case had been remanded for entry of judgment, enjoined defense agencies from implementing other programs authorized by Section 1207 because these programs were "contingent" on the subsections containing the price preference and must "also fall" when they do. These programs included technical and infrastructure assistance for certain minority-serving institutions (MSIs) of higher education, including historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), Alaska Native- and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions (ANNHIs), and majority-minority institutions (MMIs). However, the 111th Congress enacted legislation (P.L. 111-84) that authorizes defense agencies to provide assistance similar to that authorized under Section 1207 to MSIs.
On September 9, 2011, the Obama Administration proposed amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) in light of the decisions by the Federal Circuit and district court in Rothe. Among other things, the proposed changes would delete those provisions of the FAR which govern price evaluation adjustments to bids or offers submitted by small disadvantaged businesses for defense contracts, as well as relocate and amend those provisions of the FAR regarding monetary incentives and evaluation factors for subcontracting with small disadvantaged businesses.
The report examines the Rothe decision in detail; describes existing contracting programs for minority-owned and women-owned small businesses; and analyzes Rothe's potential effect on these programs, including the Business Development Program under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act. These programs were not at issue in Rothe and would not be substantively changed by the Obama Administration's proposed amendments to the FAR. However, as numerous commentators and the Small Business Administration (SBA) have recognized, the Rothe decision could have significant implications for other federal contracting programs for small businesses.