[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 93 (Friday, May 13, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 27952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-11707]


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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

13 CFR Part 121

RIN 3245-AG07


Small Business Size Standards: Professional, Scientific and 
Technical Services.

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On March 16, 2011, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA 
or Agency) proposed to increase small business size standards for 35 
industries and one sub-industry in North American Industry 
Classification System (NAICS) Sector 54, Professional, Scientific and 
Technical Services and one industry in NAICS Sector 81, Other Services. 
SBA provided a 60-day comment period ending on May 16, 2011. In this 
notice, SBA is extending the comment period an additional 30 days to 
June 15, 2011.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published on March 16, 
2011, at 76 FR 14323, is extended through June 15, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by RIN 3245-AG07 by one 
of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments; or
    (2) Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Khem R. Sharma, PhD, Chief, Size 
Standards Division, 409 Third Street, SW., Mail Code 6530, Washington, 
DC 20416.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The SBA's Office of Size Standards at 
(202) 205-6618 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    In the proposed rule (76 FR 14323), SBA sought public comment on 
whether the proposed increases to size standards are appropriate given 
the economic characteristics of industries. Based on its analysis of 
industry and Federal procurement data and the use of a common size 
standard, for some industries SBA proposed to increase the size 
standards by more than three times their current levels (e.g., 
Engineering, Architectural and Related Services), while for some other 
industries proposed increases are more modest (e.g., Computer System 
Designs and Related Services). SBA also sought public feedback on a 
number of policy issues regarding its size standards methodology, such 
as whether SBA's proposal to apply eight fixed size standards levels is 
appropriate to simplify size standards and whether SBA should adopt a 
common size standards for related industries although the analysis 
might support a different size standard for each industry.
    As of May 9, 2011, SBA has received over 210 comments to the 
proposed rule which are posted on http://www.regulations.gov. Some 
comments support SBA's proposed increases, some feel that proposed 
increases are too large, and others believe that proposed increases are 
too small. Given the impact the proposed changes might have on affected 
businesses and the lack of consensus in the comments received to date, 
SBA believes that the Agency and the affected industries will benefit 
from more public input before it finalizes any changes. Therefore, SBA 
is extending the comment period to June 15, 2011. This will also give 
more time to affected businesses and interested parties to review the 
proposed changes and prepare accurate, constructive and convincing 
comments to the proposed rule.

    Dated: May 9, 2011.
Joseph Jordan,
Associate Administrator for Government Contracting and Business 
Development.
[FR Doc. 2011-11707 Filed 5-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8025-01-P