Discussion of the SBA’s Recent Revisions to its Regulations and Teaming Strategies for 2021

The Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a final rule, effective November 16, 2020, that implemented changes to a number of SBA programs, including the consolidation of the All-Small Mentor Protégé Program with the 8(a) Business Development Mentor-Protégé Program, revisions to its regulations governing joint ventures, and a few affiliation tests, among others.  The final rule has broad implications for both small and large government contractors, particularly those contractors engaging as mentor and protégé and forming joint ventures, and highlights the importance for large and mid-size contractors to build a pipeline of qualified small business partners.  We will discuss some of the final rule’s key changes as well as the practical impact that government contractors must be aware of, such as the interaction of the revised regulations with recent key decisions from the SBA’s Office of Hearings and Appeals interpreting the joint venture requirements. 

Attorneys from Crowell & Moring LLP who regularly counsel all sizes of government contractors will be joined by a special guest, Robb Wong, who served as the SBA Associate Administrator for Government Contracting and Business Development from 2017-2020.  Mr. Wong will provide his perspective as a former SBA government official who had cognizance over SBA’s government contracting regulations and address such issues as the government’s policy objectives underlying the recent rule changes and teaming strategies for government contractors. 

Guest Speaker: Robb Wong, former SBA Associate Administrator for Government Contracting and Business Development (2017-2020)