(a) To be eligible for award as a small business, an offeror must represent in good faith that it is a small business at the time of its written representation. An offeror may represent that it is a small business concern in connection with a specific solicitation if it meets the definition of a small business concern applicable to the solicitation and has not been determined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to be other than a small business.
(b) The contracting officer shall accept an offeror’s representation in a specific bid or proposal that it is a small business unless
(1) another offeror or interested party challenges the concern’s small business representation or
(2) the contracting officer has a reason to question the representation. Challenges of and questions concerning a specific representation shall be referred to the SBA in accordance with 19.302.
(c) An offeror’s representation that it is a small business is not binding on the SBA. If an offeror’s small business status is challenged, the SBA will evaluate the status of the concern and make a determination, which will be binding on the contracting officer, as to whether the offeror is a small business. A concern cannot become eligible for a specific award by taking action to meet the definition of a small business concern after the SBA has determined that it is not a small business.
(d) If the SBA determines that the status of a concern as a small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business or women-owned small business has been misrepresented in order to obtain a set-aside contract, an 8(a) subcontract, a subcontract that is to be included as part or all of a goal contained in a subcontracting plan, or a prime or subcontract to be awarded as a result, or in furtherance of any other provision of Federal law that specifically references Section 8(d) of the Small Business Act for a definition of program eligibility, the SBA may take action as specified in Sections 16(a) or 16(d) of the Act. If the SBA declines to take action, the agency may initiate the process. The SBA’s regulations on penalties for misrepresentations and false statements are contained in 13 CFR 121.108 for small business, 13 CFR 124.501 for 8(a) small business, 13 CFR 124.1011 for small disadvantaged business, 13 CFR 125.29 for veteran or service-disabled veteran-owned small business, and CFR 126.900 for HUBZone small business.
