Category Archives: Statutes and Regulations

SBA Small Business Mentor-Protege Program: Applications Accepted Oct. 1, 2016

Posted on by

Circle October 1, 2016 on your calendar: that’s when the SBA will begin accepting applications for its new universal small business mentor-protege program.

According to the SBA’s new website for the small business mentor-protege program, applications will only be accepted through the SBA’s certify.sba.gov portal.  The SBA’s new website also has an overview on the small business mentor-protege program itself and a discussion of the eligibility requirements for the program.

For prospective mentors and proteges alike, there’s no time to waste in order to take immediate advantage of the new mentor-protege program.  Watch this space for additional information as the SBA makes it available.

SBA’s “Universal” Small Business Mentor-Protégé Program’s Impact On Other Agencies

Posted on by

With the finalization of the new SBA Small Business Mentor Protégé Program, other agencies without statutorily-authorized mentor-protege programs must seek SBA approval of their mentor-protege programs within one year, if they wish those programs to continue.

In a final rule scheduled to be effective August 24, 2016, the SBA questioned the need for other agencies (except the Department of Defense) to continue to operate their own mentor-protege programs, but provided a road map for agencies to preserve their separate mentor-protege programs if they wish.

Continue reading →

8(a) Program: SBA Final Rule Makes Important Changes

Posted on by

The 8(a) Program regulations will undergo some significant changes as part of the major final rule recently released by the SBA, and effective August 24, 2016.

Here at SmallGovCon, we’ve already covered big changes to the SDVOSB Program and HUBZone Program brought about by the new SBA rule.  But the 8(a) program is affected by the new rule too, and important changes involving eligibility, the application process, sole source awards, NHOs, and more will kick in later this month.

Continue reading →

HUBZone Program: SBA Final Rule Brings Significant Changes

Posted on by

The HUBZone program will see significant changes to its rules as a result of major SBA changes set to take effect in late August.

These changes apply generally to two aspects of the HUBZone program: that relating to the SBA’s processing of HUBZone applications, and a significant expansion of the HUBZone joint venture requirements.

Continue reading →

SDVOSB Joint Ventures: SBA Overhauls Requirements

Posted on by

SDVOSB joint venture agreements will be required to look quite different after August 24, 2016.  That’s when a new SBA regulation takes effect–and the new regulation overhauls (and expands upon) the required provisions for SDVOSB joint venture agreements.

The changes made by this proposed rule will affect joint ventures’ eligibility for SDVOSB contracts.  It will be imperative that SDVOSBs understand that their old “template” JV agreements will be non-compliant after August 24, and that SDVOSBs and their joint venture partners carefully ensure that their subsequent joint venture agreements comply with all of the new requirements.

Continue reading →

SBA Final Rule: Small Business Mentor-Protégé JV Agreement Requirements

Posted on by

On Friday, Steven wrote about the framework of the new SBA small business mentor-protégé program. As part of this significant program addition, SBA’s final rule includes details about the requirements a small business joint venture must satisfy in order to be qualified to perform a small business set-aside. This post will briefly discuss those requirements.

Continue reading →

Bye-Bye, Populated Joint Ventures: SBA Rule Change Mandates Unpopulated JVs

Posted on by

Populated joint ventures (or at least most populated JVs) will no longer be permitted in the SBA’s small business programs, under a new regulation set to take effect on August 24, 2016.

The SBA’s major new rule, officially issued today in the Federal Register, will be best known for implementing the long-awaited small business mentor-protege program.  But the rule also makes many other important changes to the SBA’s small business programs, including the elimination of populated joint ventures.

Continue reading →