SBA Updates Interim Paycheck Protection Program Rule for Self-Employed Individuals

As the social isolation saying goes: “Another day; another clarification from the SBA regarding the Paycheck Protection Program.” Alright, maybe that saying hasn’t caught on, yet. Nevertheless, the SBA did publish additional guidance specific to sole proprietors and general partners applying to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

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SBA Provides Flexibility for HUBZone Compliance

We’ve written quite a few posts about how contractors can adapt and deal with the changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some small businesses federal contractors, however, face unique challenges. This is particularly true of participants in the HUBZone Program. Specifically, while the OMB has encouraged agencies to allow contractor employees to telework, how will this affect HUBZone entities, where the location of their employees is key to maintaining their HUBZone status?

Well, the SBA has the answer in some recent guidance, and it’s something we could all probably do with a little more of–flexibility. Flexibility, in this case, means that SBA realizes complying with the principal office and employee residency requirements may be tough during a time when all people are encouraged to telework. The flexibility applies to a few of the HUBZone rules.

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SBA Formalizes Guidelines on Paycheck Protection Program, Will Accept Public Comment

The SBA is set to release two interim final rules on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). While much of the SBA’s guidance and procedure for these loans has already been discussed and released on SBA’s website, this is SBA’s formal rulemaking that aggregates all of the rules on eligibility and how to apply.

The rulemaking also provides a chance for businesses to provide feedback to SBA on what is and isn’t working the program.

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SmallGovCon Week In Review: April 6 – April 10, 2020

Here at SmallGovCon, we’re working to keep our readers informed of the rapidly changing situation involving COVID-19 and how federal contractors can adapt and thrive in meeting the federal government’s various needs. We’ve also raised some serious questions and provided practical advice for federal contractors.

There is also a roundup of other interesting news from the federal contracting world as you settle into this Easter weekend.

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SBA, Can a Foreign-Owned Entity Receive a PPP Loan or What?

Well, we thought we had this figured out. Yet here we are a week later and we keep hearing conflicting reports.

The question remains, can a foreign-owned company receive a Paycheck Protection Program loan or not? Let’s try to figure it out.

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Paycheck Protection Program: Is it Helping Small Businesses?

The title of this post is a touch misleading. Of course the Paycheck Protection Program is helping small businesses. But is it helping the right ones, and is it helping enough of them? Our post last week on the Paycheck Protection Program elicited a lot of feedback. From this feedback and what we’ve heard anecdotally, it’s been tough for many small businesses to get these loans.

But there may be ways for Congress, the SBA, and lenders to make this program–or any similar program that Congress is considering–to help out small businesses more equitably. Below are some questions that policy makers should consider when modifying the Paycheck Protection Program or crafting a similar program in the future.

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SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program: What’s Going On with Affiliation?

Since the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program went into effect last Friday, there has been considerable confusion about eligibility and, in particular, what affiliation rules apply to program applicants. The affiliation rules are important for helping companies determine if they can seek out these important loans.

In this post, we’ll let you know which affiliation rules apply to the program’s applicants and explain some exceptions to the applicable affiliation rules.

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