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Section 825 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (NDAA), P. L. 113-291, 128 Stat. 3292, Dec. 19, 2014, included language granting contracting officers the authority to award sole source contracts to WOSBs and EDWOSBs. In order to implement this statutory change, SBA is proposing to amend 13 C.F.R. part 127. SBA is proposing to amend Subpart E by incorporating the statutory language granting authority for sole source contracts. This new language would be in 127.504. If a contracting officer conducts market research in an industry where a WOSB or EDWOSB set aside is authorized, and the contracting officer cannot identify two or more WOSBs or EDWOSBs that can perform at a fair and reasonable price, but identifies one WOSB or EDWOSB that can perform at a fair and reasonable price, the contracting officer would be able to award the contract on a sole source basis, if the value of the contract, including options, does not exceed $6.5 million for manufacturing contracts and $4 million for all other contracts. Section 825 of the NDAA also accelerated a statutory deadline by two years for SBA to conduct a study to determine the industries where WOSBs and EDWOSBs are substantially underrepresented or underrepresented. SBA must complete the study by January, 2, 2016. SBA intends to amend the regulatory definition of underrepresentation and substantial underrepresentation to align the regulatory definition with the more general statutory language and to ensure the agency can conduct a study using relevant and reliable methodologies.