**UPDATE 5/14/20: Since publication of this post, the SBA has now updated the PPP Safe Harbor deadline to May 18. This post has been updated to include this additional information.
Just hours before the first extended May 14 deadline for businesses to return “unnecessary” Paycheck Protection Program loans without penalties, the SBA has published new guidance on how it will review borrowers’ required good-faith certifications.
Continue readingContractors in the COVID-19 era may be tempted to think that the Government will compensate them for increased costs caused by virus-induced shutdowns, quarantines, and the like. And this line of thought has some inherent appeal.
After all, the virus was entirely unforeseen by both parties when the contract was inked. So shouldn’t the customer–the party wanting the good or service–bear the risk of these extraordinary events?
Continue readingAs we said in this space a few days ago, the SBA has put in place a safe harbor until May 14 for companies to return Paycheck Protection Program loan money if they find they don’t need it. No harm, no foul.
So, what happens if they don’t need it, but don’t return it? Maybe Clubber Lang said it best.
Continue readingOn Monday, May 4, the SBA will issue another Interim Final Rule updating the Paycheck Protection Program—this time limiting the “aggregate amount of PPP loans that any single corporate group may receive.”
Continue reading**Update 5/6/2020: As of May 5, the SBA updated its PPP FAQ’s, announcing its intention to extend the PPP Safe Harbor period to May 14. This post has been updated to reflect this change.
***Update 5/14/2020: As of May 14, the SBA updated its PPP FAQ’s once again, announcing its intention to extend the PPP Safe Harbor period to May 18. This post has been updated a second time to reflect this change. The SBA has also supplemented its guidance on the Safe Harbor Provision, as discussed here.
If you’re a parent, you might be familiar with the SBA and Treasury Department’s current strategy to crack down on businesses taking Paycheck Protection Program funds when they don’t qualify: if ineligible businesses ‘fess up and return the money by May 14, nobody gets in trouble.
Continue readingFor many people—and for businesses all across the country—the news over the past month or two has been bleak. Even for those lucky enough to stay healthy, COVID-19 has caused significant financial pain, as business disruptions have led to unemployment numbers rivaling those seen during the Great Depression.
To be sure, there are rays of sunshine poking through the storm clouds. The federal government has tried to get financial support to small businesses coping with economic uncertainty. And we’ve heard incredible stories of people helping their neighbors in need.
These feel-good stories truly are inspiring. That’s why, when I heard of one client’s effort to give back to their community, I felt compelled to share it.
Continue readingIn the ongoing effort to minimize the effects of COVID-19, the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council (CAAC) has recommended that agencies implement a class deviation to accelerate payments to small business prime contractors to prime contractors with small business subcontractors.
Continue reading