United States Code
USC most recently checked for updates: Dec 06, 2024
For the purposes of this chapter, a small-business concern, including but not limited to enterprises that are engaged in the business of production of food and fiber, ranching and raising of livestock, aquaculture, and all other farming and agricultural related industries, shall be deemed to be one which is independently owned and operated and which is not dominant in its field of operation.
In addition to the criteria specified in paragraph (1) and subject to the requirements specified under subparagraph (C), the Administrator may specify detailed definitions or standards by which a business concern may be determined to be a small business concern for the purposes of this chapter or any other Act.
The standards described in paragraph (1) may utilize number of employees, dollar volume of business, net worth, net income, a combination thereof, or other appropriate factors.
When establishing or approving any size standard pursuant to paragraph (2), the Administrator shall ensure that the size standard varies from industry to industry to the extent necessary to reflect the differing characteristics of the various industries and consider other factors deemed to be relevant by the Administrator.
Not later than 30 days after
The Administrator shall establish an alternative size standard for applicants for business loans under section 636(a) of this title and applicants for development company loans under title V of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C. 695 et seq.), that uses maximum tangible net worth and average net income as an alternative to the use of industry standards.
In carrying out this subsection, the Administrator may establish or approve a single size standard for a grouping of 4-digit North American Industry Classification System codes only if the Administrator makes publicly available, not later than the date on which such size standard is established or approved, a justification demonstrating that such size standard is appropriate for each individual industry classification included in the grouping.
The Administrator shall not limit the number of size standards established pursuant to paragraph (2), and shall assign the appropriate size standard to each North American Industry Classification System Code.
A person may file a petition for reconsideration with the Office of Hearings and Appeals (as established under section 634(i) of this title) of a size standard revised, modified, or established by the Administrator pursuant to this subsection.
A person filing a petition for reconsideration described in subparagraph (A) shall file such petition not later than 30 days after the publication in the Federal Register of the notice of final rule to revise, modify, or establish size standards described in paragraph (6).
The Office of Hearings and Appeals shall use the same process it uses to decide challenges to the size of a small business concern to decide a petition for review pursuant to this paragraph.
The publication of a final rule in the Federal Register described in subparagraph (B) shall be considered final agency action for purposes of seeking judicial review. Filing a petition for reconsideration under subparagraph (A) shall not be a condition precedent to judicial review of any such size standard.
The Office of Hearings and Appeals shall begin accepting petitions for reconsideration described in subparagraph (A) after the date on which the Administration issues a rule or other guidance implementing this paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (B), petitions for reconsideration of size standards revised, modified, or established in a Federal Register final rule published between
For purposes of this chapter, any reference to an agency or department of the United States, and the term “Federal agency”, shall have the meaning given the term “agency” by section 551(1) of title 5, but does not include the United States Postal Service or the Government Accountability Office.
For purposes of section 636 of this title, the term “qualified Indian tribe” means an Indian tribe as defined in section 5304(a) 1
For purposes of section 636 of this title, the term “homeowners” includes owners and lessees of residential property and also includes personal property.
For the purposes of this chapter, the term “small agricultural cooperative” means an association (corporate or otherwise) acting pursuant to the provisions of the Agricultural Marketing Act (12 U.S.C. 1141j), whose size does not exceed the size standard established by the Administration for other similar agricultural small business concerns. In determining such size, the Administration shall regard the association as a business concern and shall not include the income or employees of any member shareholder of such cooperative.
The term “prime contract” has the meaning given such term in section 8701(4) of title 41.
The term “prime contractor” has the meaning given such term in section 8701(5) of title 41.
The term “simplified acquisition threshold” has the meaning given such term in section 134 of title 41.
The term “micro-purchase threshold” has the meaning given such term in section 1902 of title 41.
The term “total purchases and contracts for property and services” shall mean total number and total dollar amount of contracts and orders for property and services.
The term “bundled contract” means a contract that is entered into to meet requirements that are consolidated in a bundling of contract requirements.
The term “separate smaller contract”, with respect to a bundling of contract requirements, means a contract that has been performed by 1 or more small business concerns or was suitable for award to 1 or more small business concerns.
In this chapter, the term “qualified HUBZone small business concern” has the meaning given such term in section 657a(b) of this title.
The term “service-disabled veteran” means a veteran with a disability that is service-connected (as defined in section 101(16) of title 38).
Upon submission of proper documentation to the Administrator, the extension of a time limitation under subparagraph (A) shall be equal to the period of time that such veteran who owned or controlled such a concern was on active duty as described in that subparagraph.
The provisions of subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall not apply to any programs subject to the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 (2 U.S.C. 661 et seq.).
The term “ESOP” has the meaning given the term “employee stock ownership plan” in section 4975(e)(7) of title 26.
The term “surviving spouse” has the meaning given such term in section 101(3) of title 38.
In this chapter, the term “major disaster” has the meaning given that term in section 5122 of title 42.
In this chapter, the term “small business development center” means a small business development center described in section 648 of this title.
In this chapter, the term “region of the Administration” means the geographic area served by a regional office of the Administration established under section 633(a) of this title.
In every contract, subcontract, cooperative agreement, cooperative research and development agreement, or grant which is set aside, reserved, or otherwise classified as intended for award to small business concerns, there shall be a presumption of loss to the United States based on the total amount expended on the contract, subcontract, cooperative agreement, cooperative research and development agreement, or grant whenever it is established that a business concern other than a small business concern willfully sought and received the award by misrepresentation.
Each solicitation, bid, or application for a Federal contract, subcontract, or grant shall contain a certification concerning the small business size and status of a business concern seeking the Federal contract, subcontract, or grant.
A certification that a business concern qualifies as a small business concern of the exact size and status claimed by the business concern for purposes of bidding on a Federal contract or subcontract, or applying for a Federal grant, shall contain the signature of an authorized official on the same page on which the certification is contained.
The Administrator shall promulgate regulations to provide adequate protections to individuals and business concerns from liability under this subsection in cases of unintentional errors, technical malfunctions, and other similar situations.
Each business certified as a small business concern under this chapter shall annually certify its small business size and, if appropriate, its small business status, by means of a confirming entry on the Online Representations and Certifications Application database of the Administration, or any successor thereto.
Not later than 1 year after
Subject to section 647(a) of this title and notwithstanding section 647(b)(1) of this title, the Administrator may provide disaster assistance under section 636(b)(2) of this title to aquaculture enterprises that are small businesses.
In this chapter, the term “venture capital operating company” means an entity described in clause (i), (v), or (vi) of section 121.103(b)(5) of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor thereto).
In this chapter, the term “hedge fund” has the meaning given that term in section 1851(h)(2) of title 12.
In this chapter, the term “private equity firm” has the meaning given the term “private equity fund” in section 1851(h)(2) of title 12.
The term “subcontract” means a legally binding agreement between a contractor that is already under contract to another party to perform work, and a third party, hereinafter referred to as the subcontractor, for the subcontractor to perform a part, or all, of the work that the contractor has undertaken.
The term “first tier subcontractor” means a subcontractor who has a subcontract directly with the prime contractor.
The term “at any tier” means any subcontractor other than a subcontractor who is a first tier subcontractor.
In this chapter, the term “Puerto Rico business” means a small business concern that has its principal office located in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.