Small Business Administration
Every GovConFeed story on Small Business Administration — contract awards, policy, enforcement, and protests, newest first.
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Policy
SBA's 2-year JV rule — and why competitive 8(a) JV approvals stopped
Same JV partners can submit offers for 2 years from the date of the first contract before being deemed affiliated. Plus: SBA no longer approves JV agreements for competitive 8(a) contracts (sole-source still allowed).
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Policy
SBA suspends 1,000+ firms, terminates 800+ in 8(a) program — and shifts to race-neutral review
A cascade of enforcement actions in Q1 2026: over 1,000 8(a) firms suspended, 800+ in termination proceedings, and formal guidance that 8(a) eligibility is now evaluated on individualized social-disadvantage evidence, not group membership. New-firm admissions dropped from ~525/year to 65 in 2025. What current participants actually need to do.
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Policy
WOSB and EDWOSB Certification: How It Actually Works (Self-Certification Ended in 2020)
WOSB/EDWOSB self-certification for federal set-asides ended October 15, 2020, not February 2026 as originally reported — corrects the article's invented 2026 date with the real history and explains the three current certification paths.
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Policy
HUBZone clock: redesignated areas expire July 1 — many firms don't realize it
When SBA updated the HUBZone map in 2023 reflecting 2020 census data, many areas that lost qualified status got a 3-year grace period as 'Redesignated Areas.' That grace period ends July 1, 2026. Firms with principal offices in those zones lose eligibility unless they relocate.
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Policy
SBA's January recertification rule guts small-business M&A valuations
Effective January 17, 2026, an SBA final rule requires recertification of small-business size status on a triggering event — and only acquirers who were small themselves can keep the status. The valuation hit on small-business sellers is real and immediate.
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Awards
SDVOSB firms: cert backlog cleared, federal goal raised to 5%, $31B target
The 12-day VetCert turnaround and the FY24 NDAA's increased SDVOSB spending goal create the strongest tailwind for veteran-owned small businesses in years. Self-certification is dead; certified firms own the upside.
