99 -- SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (SBA) - ADVANCE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING CONCERNING RESTRUCTURING SIZE STANDARDS AND SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH PROGRAM (SBIR)

On December 3, 2004, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM). The ANPRM seeks comments from the public on several issues that were raised during the public comment period of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA or Agency) recently withdrawn proposal to restructure its small business size standards. The issues discussed in this ANPRM address matters pertaining to SBA’s size standards but were not part of the March 19, 2004, proposed changes. To assist SBA with examining how best to restructure and simplify its size standards, the Agency invites comments on these issues to take into consideration in any future proposal. The ANPRM also seeks comments on an issue concerning the participation of businesses that are majority-owned by venture capital companies in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. Specifically, the SBA is seeking comments on whether it should provide an exclusion from affiliation with venture capital companies in determining small business eligibility for the SBIR Program. For further information please see http://www.sba.gov/size/indexwhatsnew.html#anprm.