Government

From Kimberly Blake Pincheira; Southwest Outreach Director; Office of U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell; 3/28/11

Would you like to meet leaders from SBA? Or give input on new regulations? Or learn the advantages of new tools coming out of the Small Business Jobs Act?

On Wednesday, April 13^th, SBA will be conducting a Listening Tour to discuss changes as a result of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (SBJA).

Seattle will be one of the 13 cities on the tour. We will be discussing how the SBJA will affect small business and to also listen to small business owners about how they would like some of the regulations written. Several program heads from SBA Headquarters will be attending, such as Joe Jordan who is the Associate Administrator for Government Contracting. Besides government contracting issues, other topics include access to capital, exporting, and business counseling. Below are the topics that will be covered at the Listening Tour. Register.

Jobs Act Tour – Breakout Sessions

Small Business Jobs Act Provisions Affecting Small Business Participation in Government Contracting

· SBA’s Office of Government Contracting and Business Development will take general comments on key contracting provisions, including:

· multiple-award contract set-asides

· contract bundling accountability

· consolidation of contracts requirements

· subcontracting; plan improvements, misrepresentations, and timeliness of payment

· mentor-protégé programs for women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, and HUBZone businesses

· presumption of loss to the federal government and willful misrepresentation of size and status by business owners

· annual certification of size requirement

Opportunities in Accessing Capital

· SBA's Office of Capital Access will discuss opportunities to accessing capital, and how SBA loan programs (including new Jobs Act tools) can help.

New SBA Loan Programs

· SBA's Office of Capital Access will discuss major new lending initiatives, including Advantage loans, 504 re-financing, the Dealer Floor Plan pilot, and more.

Investing in Counseling and Training Services to Support the Growth of Small Businesses

· SBA's Office of Entrepreneurial Development will discuss the Jobs Act's support for your local Small Business Development Center and other resources to provide free counseling and training in areas such as exporting.

Expanding Exporting Opportunities for Small Businesses

· SBA's Office of International Trade will discuss new exporting tools such as increased loan sizes, the Export Express program, and state-level STEP grants made possible by the Jobs Act as well as new efforts under the National Export Initiative to double exports over the next five years.

Lender Roundtable (for Prospective and Current SBA Lenders)

· SBA's Office of Capital Access will discuss new efforts to simplify and streamline loan programs and requirements, while also enhancing customer service in areas such as lending policy, processing, and oversight operations.

Size Standards Overview*

· SBA's Office of Size Standards will discuss: how size standards are calculated (methodology), the order in which NAICS sector size standards will be reviewed over the next three fiscal years, and other updates.