SBA to Hold Public Field Meetings on Implementation of Small Business Jobs Act

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On March 25, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced plans (76 FR 16703-07) to hold a series of 12 one-day public meetings, starting next week, throughout the United States between March 28 and April 15 to gather input on government contracting and other provisions included within the Small Business Jobs Act (SBJA) of 2010. Another session will be held in Washington, DC on a date still to be determined. Advance registration is encouraged at least one week prior to the scheduled meeting, where feasible.

The SBJA provides additional resources, including increased SBA loans and tax cuts to help small business continue to drive economic recovery and create jobs. The contracting provisions in the law also dovetail with recommendations released by the Interagency Task Force on Small Business Contracting in September 2010.

Three areas will be covered in each meeting:

1) Federal contracting, including use of multiple-award set asides for small businesses, contract bundling, subcontracting, mentor-protégé programs, and misrepresentation and annual certification of size status issues.

2) SBA lending, including efforts to streamline/simplify loan requirements and enhance customer service related to lending policy, loan processing and agency oversight; and

3) SBA export-assistance programs, including increased loan sizes, the Export Express program, state-level STEP grants and other efforts under the National Export Initiative.

The following cities are on the schedule:

· Columbus, OH and Miami, FL (3/28/11)

· New York, NY and Atlanta, GA (3/30/11)

· Boston, MA and San Antonio, TX (4/1/11)

· Albuquerque, NM and San Diego, CA (4/11/11)

· Denver, CO and Seattle, WA (4/13/11)

· Huntsville, AL and Chicago, IL (4/15/11)

· Washington, DC (date and location TBD).

Of particular interest to NOPA and its members may be the government contracting roundtables planned throughout the day at each location. SBA also has invited comments at the meetings and/or in writing through the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Instructions are provided at this site. NOPA will be reviewing this notice and may file comments if there is sufficient member interest and input. Contact Chris Bates at NOPA; Tel: 703/549-9040, x 100) if you wish to contribute input through NOPA on contracting issues raised in the Federal Register notice.

For more information regarding the SBA meetings contact Richard L. Miller, Small Business Job’s Act Tour, Office of Government Contracting and Business Development at 202/205-6895.