(January 31, 2005) The deadline to submit comments to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on key issues relating to small business size standards has been extended to April 3.

The SBA  extended the deadline by 60 days in response to requests from the public to allow more time to submit comments given the importance of the issues affecting small business.

In March 2004, the SBA proposed restructuring its size standards to reduce the number of size categories from 37 to 10 categories and expressing all size standards in terms of the number of the company’s employees.  After receiving numerous comments from the public expressing concern about this new approach, the SBA withdrew its proposal for further study.

Before the SBA considers a different approach to restructuring its size standards, it is seeking comments on a number of issues, including:

• approaches by which to simplify size standards;
• calculating business employment size;
• use of receipts to measure employment size;
• designating size standards on federal procurements;
• establishing a separate set of size standards for federal procurements;
• establishing tiered size standards for small business sub-categories;
• simplification of the affiliation and joint venture provisions;
• grandfathering existing small businesses from revised size standards;
• identifying the use of size standards on non-SBA federal programs and regulations; and
• the impact of size standard changes.

The SBA will also be conducting a series of public meetings across the country on size standards to listen to ideas and concerns from the small business community. The SBA will consider a new size standards proposal once it has completed a thorough review of comments received from the public.

Submit comments to:

• Gary M. Jackson
  Assistant Administrator for Size Standards
  409 Third Street, SW.
  Washington, DC 20416
  E-mail: restructure.sizestandards@sba.gov (include RIN 3245-ZA02 in subject line of the message)
  Fax: (202) 205-6930

For more information on the proposed restructuring or to submit comments, please visit the SBA website at www.sba.gov.

Staff Contact: Julianne Broyles