[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 143 (Thursday, July 27, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 48614-48616]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-14552]



[[Page 48613]]

Vol. 88

Thursday,

No. 143

July 27, 2023

Part XVII





 Small Business Administration





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Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

  Federal Register / Vol. 88 , No. 143 / Thursday, July 27, 2023 / UA: 
Reg Flex Agenda  

[[Page 48614]]


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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

13 CFR Ch. I


Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

ACTION: Semiannual Regulatory Agenda.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This semiannual Regulatory Agenda (Agenda) is a summary of 
current and projected rulemakings and completed actions of the Small 
Business Administration (SBA). This summary information is intended to 
enable the public to be more aware of, and effectively participate in, 
SBA's regulatory activities. Accordingly, SBA invites the public to 
submit comments on any aspect of this Agenda.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

General

    Please direct general comments or inquiries to Lindsey K. McCready, 
U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW, Washington, DC 
20416; (202) 401-2996; [email protected].

Specific

    Please direct specific comments and inquiries on individual 
regulatory activities identified in this Agenda to the individual 
listed in the summary of the regulation as the point of contact for 
that regulation.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) 
requires SBA to publish in the Federal Register a semiannual regulatory 
flexibility agenda describing those Agency rules that are likely to 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities (5 U.S.C. 602). The summary information published in the 
Federal Register is limited to those rules. Additional information 
regarding all of the rulemakings SBA expects to consider in the next 12 
months is included in the Federal Government's unified Regulatory 
Agenda, which will be available online at www.reginfo.gov in a format 
that offers users enhanced ability to obtain information about SBA's 
rules.

Isabella Casillas Guzman,
Administrator.

           Small Business Administration--Proposed Rule Stage
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Regulation
       Sequence No.                    Title             Identifier No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
203.......................  Small Business Development         3245-AE05
                             Center Program Revisions.
204.......................  Small Business Size                3245-AG16
                             Standards: Adjustment of
                             Alternative Size Standard
                             for SBA's 7(a) and CDC/
                             504 Loan Programs for
                             Inflation; and Surety
                             Bond Limits: Adjustments
                             for Inflation.
205.......................  Affiliation in Small               3245-AH97
                             Business Procurement
                             Programs; Women-Owned
                             Small Business Program.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


             Small Business Administration--Final Rule Stage
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Regulation
       Sequence No.                    Title             Identifier No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
206.......................  Small Business Timber Set-         3245-AG69
                             Aside Program.
207.......................  National Defense                   3245-AH28
                             Authorization Act of
                             2020, Credit for Lower
                             Tier Subcontracting and
                             Other Amendments.
208.......................  Small Business Size                3245-AH93
                             Standards: Adjustment of
                             Monetary Based Size
                             Standards, Disadvantage
                             Thresholds, and 8(a)
                             Eligibility Thresholds
                             for Inflation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


            Small Business Administration--Completed Actions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Regulation
       Sequence No.                    Title             Identifier No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
209.......................  Small Business Size                3245-AH09
                             Standards: Manufacturing
                             and Industries With
                             Employee Based Size
                             Standards in Other
                             Sectors Except Wholesale
                             Trade and Retail Trade.
210.......................  Small Business Size                3245-AH17
                             Standards: Adjustment of
                             Monetary Based Size
                             Standards for Inflation.
211.......................  Small Business Lending             3245-AH92
                             Company (SBLC) Moratorium
                             Rescission and Removal of
                             the Requirement for a
                             Loan Authorization.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (SBA)

Proposed Rule Stage

203. Small Business Development Center Program Revisions [3245-AE05]

    Legal Authority: 15 U.S.C. 634(b)(6); 15 U.S.C. 648
    Abstract: This rule proposes to update the Small Business 
Development Center (SBDC) program regulations by proposing to amend: 
(1) procedures for approving when a new Lead SBDC Center Director is 
selected; (2) procedures and requirements regarding findings and 
disputes resulting from financial exams, programmatic reviews, 
accreditation reviews, and other SBA oversight activities; (3) 
procedures regarding the determination to affect suspension, 
termination or non-renewal of an SBDC's cooperative agreement; and (4) 
provisions regarding the collection and use of the individual SBDC 
client data.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANPRM...............................   04/02/15  80 FR 17708
ANPRM Comment Period End............   06/01/15  .......................
NPRM................................   09/00/23  .......................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Rachel Newman-Karton, Program Manager, Small 
Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW, Washington, DC 20416, 
Phone: 202 619-1816, Email: [email protected].
    RIN: 3245-AE05

[[Page 48615]]

204. Small Business Size Standards: Adjustment of Alternative Size 
Standard for SBA's 7(a) and CDC/504 Loan Programs for Inflation; and 
Surety Bond Limits: Adjustments for Inflation [3245-AG16]

    Legal Authority: Pub. L. 111-240, sec. 1116
    Abstract: SBA will propose amendments its size eligibility criteria 
for Business Loans, certified development company (CDC) loans under 
title V of the Small Business Investment Act (504) and economic injury 
disaster loans (EIDL). For the SBA 7(a) Business Loan Program and the 
504 program, the amendments will provide an alternative size standard 
for loan applicants that do not meet the small business size standards 
for their industries. The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (Jobs Act) 
established alternative size standards that apply to both of these 
programs until SBA's Administrator establishes other alternative size 
standards. For the disaster loan program, the amendments will provide 
an alternative size standard for loan applicants that do not meet the 
Small Business Size Standard for their industries. SBA loan program 
alternative size standards do not affect other Federal Government 
programs, including Federal procurement.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANPRM...............................   03/22/18  83 FR 12506
ANPRM Comment Period End............   05/21/18  .......................
NPRM................................   08/00/23  .......................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Dr. Khem Raj Sharma, Chief, Office of Size 
Standards, Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20416, Phone: 202 205-7189, Fax: 202 205-6390, Email: 
[email protected].
    RIN: 3245-AG16

205. Affiliation in Small Business Procurement Programs; Women-Owned 
Small Business Program [3245-AH97]

    Legal Authority: 15 U.S.C. 632(a); 15 U.S.C. 637(m)
    Abstract: Following revisions to the requirements in SBA's 8(a) 
Business Development and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business 
programs, SBA is issuing conforming revisions to its affiliation rules 
that govern all of the small-business procurement programs and to the 
Women-Owned Small Business program. These revisions will ensure 
consistent requirements for ownership and control across SBA's 
procurement programs.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NPRM................................   09/00/23  .......................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Sam Le, Director of Policy, Planning and Liaison, 
Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street SW, Washington, DC 20416, 
Phone: 202 619-1789.
    RIN: 3245-AH97

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (SBA)

Final Rule Stage

206. Small Business Timber Set-Aside Program [3245-AG69]

    Legal Authority: 15 U.S.C. 631; 15 U.S.C. 644(a)
    Abstract: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA or Agency) is 
amending its Small Business Timber Set-Aside Program (the Program) 
regulations. The Small Business Timber Set-Aside Program is rooted in 
the Small Business Act, which tasked SBA with ensuring that small 
businesses receive a fair proportion of the total sales of government 
property. Accordingly, the Program requires Timber sales to be set 
aside for small business when small business participation falls below 
a certain amount. SBA considered comments received during the Advance 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 
processes, including on issues such as, but not limited to, whether the 
saw timber volume purchased through stewardship timber contracts should 
be included in calculations, and whether the appraisal point used in 
set-aside sales should be the nearest small business mill. In addition, 
SBA is considering data from the timber industry to help evaluate the 
current program and economic impact of potential changes.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANPRM...............................   03/25/15  80 FR 15697
ANPRM Comment Period End............   05/26/15  .......................
NPRM................................   09/27/16  81 FR 66199
NPRM Comment Period End.............   11/28/16  .......................
Final Rule..........................   11/00/23  .......................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Sam Le, Director of Policy, Planning and Liaison, 
Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street SW, Washington, DC 20416, 
Phone: 202 619-1789.
    RIN: 3245-AG69

207. National Defense Authorization Act of 2020, Credit for Lower Tier 
Subcontracting and other Amendments [3245-AH28]

    Legal Authority: Pub. L. 116-92
    Abstract: Section 870 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 
2020 (NDAA 2020) made a change that will require SBA to amend its 
regulations. Specifically, the language of NDAA 2020 requires SBA to 
alter the method and means of accounting for lower tier small business 
subcontracting. This proposed rule may also contain several smaller 
changes that might be necessary to implement this provision and other 
provisions in NDAA 2020.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NPRM................................   12/19/22  87 FR 77529
NPRM Comment Period End.............   02/17/23  .......................
Final Rule..........................   09/00/23  .......................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Brenda J. Fernandez, Analyst, Office of Policy, 
Planning and Liaison, Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street 
SW, Washington, DC 20416, Phone: 202 205-7337, Email: 
[email protected].
    RIN: 3245-AH28

208. Small Business Size Standards: Adjustment of Monetary Based Size 
Standards, Disadvantage Thresholds, and 8(a) Eligibility Thresholds for 
Inflation [3245-AH93]

    Legal Authority: 15 U.S.C. 632(a); 15 U.S.C. 637(a)(6)(A)
    Abstract: SBA intends to issue this rulemaking to adjust its 
monetary small business size standards (i.e., receipts, net income, net 
worth, and financial assets) for the effects of inflation that have 
occurred since the last inflation adjustment, which was effective on 
August 19, 2019. SBA is required by its regulations in 13 CFR 
121.102(c) to review the effects of inflation on its monetary standards 
at least once every five years. As in previous adjustments, SBA will 
apply the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) price index as a measure of 
inflation. This action will restore small business eligibility to 
businesses that have lost that status due to inflation.

[[Page 48616]]

    In addition, SBA intends to adjust other monetary thresholds in its 
regulations that are otherwise not adjusted for inflation under FAR 
1.109. These thresholds primarily are those used in the 8(a) Business 
Development and the Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small 
Business (EDWOSB) programs to determine economic disadvantage. Others 
are used to maintain eligibility for the 8(a) program. In some cases, 
these thresholds have not been adjusted for 25 years. This action will 
permit small businesses to retain eligibility as economically 
disadvantaged and eligible for the 8(a) program, despite an increase in 
inflation.
    SBA will publicize the rule via the Small Business Procurement 
Advisory Council, the Integrated Acquisition Environment, fbo.gov, 
press releases, publication of this rule in the Federal Register, 
emails to interested parties, and the size standards website at 
www.sba.gov/size.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interim Final Rule..................   11/17/22  87 FR 69118
Interim Final Rule Effective........   12/19/22  .......................
Interim Final Rule Comment Period      01/17/23  .......................
 End.
Final Action........................   06/00/23  .......................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Dr. Khem Raj Sharma, Chief, Office of Size 
Standards, Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20416, Phone: 202 205-7189, Fax: 202 205-6390, Email: 
[email protected].
    RIN: 3245-AH93

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (SBA)

Completed Actions

209. Small Business Size Standards: Manufacturing and Industries With 
Employee Based Size Standards in Other Sectors Except Wholesale Trade 
and Retail Trade [3245-AH09]

    Legal Authority: 15 U.S.C. 632(a)
    Abstract: The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (Jobs Act) requires 
SBA to conduct every five years a detailed review of all size standards 
and to make appropriate adjustments to reflect market conditions. As 
part of the second 5-year review of size standards under the Jobs Act, 
in this proposed rule, SBA will evaluate all industries in North 
American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Sector 31-33 
(Manufacturing) and industries with employee-based size standards in 
other sectors except Wholesale Trade and Retail Trade and make 
necessary adjustments to their size standards. This is one of a series 
of proposed rules that will examine groups of NAICS sectors. SBA will 
apply its revised Size Standards Methodology, which is available on its 
website at http://www.sba.gov/size, to this proposed rule.
    Completed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Reason                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Final Rule..........................   02/15/23  88 FR 9970
Final Rule Effective................   03/17/23  .......................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Khem Raj Sharma, Phone: 202 205-7189, Fax: 202 205-
6390, Email: [email protected].
    RIN: 3245-AH09

210. Small Business Size Standards: Adjustment of Monetary Based Size 
Standards for Inflation [3245-AH17]

    Legal Authority: 15 U.S.C. 632(a)
    Abstract: In this final rule, the U.S. Small Business 
Administration (SBA or Agency) adjusts all monetary based industry size 
standards (i.e., receipts, assets, net worth, and net income) for 
inflation since the last adjustment in 2014. In accordance with its 
regulations in 13 CFR 121.102(c), SBA is required to review the effects 
of inflation on its monetary standards at least once every five years 
and adjust them, if necessary. In addition, the Small Business Jobs Act 
of 2010 (Jobs Act) also requires SBA to conduct every five years a 
detailed review of all size standards and to make appropriate 
adjustments to reflect market conditions. This action will restore the 
small business eligibility of businesses that have lost that status due 
to inflation.
    Completed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Reason                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Final Action........................   11/17/22  87 FR 69118
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Khem Raj Sharma, Phone: 202 205-7189, Fax: 202 205-
6390, Email: [email protected].
    RIN: 3245-AH17

211. Small Business Lending Company (SBLC) Moratorium Rescission and 
Removal of the Requirement For a Loan Authorization [3245-AH92]

    Legal Authority: Sec. 3(r) and 7(a) of the Small Business Act
    Abstract: SBA intends to publish a notice of proposed rulemaking in 
order to receive comments from the public and the lending industry 
regarding the proposal to lift the moratorium on permitting new Small 
Business Lending Companies (SBLC). SBA intends to also propose removal 
of duplicative forms and other collections of information for the 
Agency's business loan programs.
    Completed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Reason                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NPRM................................   11/07/22  87 FR 66936
Final Rule..........................   05/12/23  88 FR 21890
Final Rule Effective................   05/12/23  .......................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Dianna L. Seaborn, Phone: 202 205-3645, Email: 
[email protected].
    RIN: 3245-AH92

[FR Doc. 2023-14552 Filed 7-26-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8026-03-P