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(a) When agreement cannot be reached between the contracting officer and the SBA Area Office, the contracting officer shall forward to the Headquarters Office of Procurement (Code HS) on an expedited basis, a complete case file with a request that the case be considered for appeal to SBA Headquarters. The contracting officer shall include the data already furnished to SBA, SBA's rationale for proposing to issue a COC, and the contracting officer's comments. The contracting officer shall suspend acquisition action until informed by Code HS of the final decision in the case.
(b) If the Office of Procurement concludes that the referral to SBA should be withdrawn and a contract awarded without benefit of a COC, Code HS shall inform the contracting officer.
(c) If the Office of Procurement agrees with the contracting officer's recommended appeal action, the Assistant Administrator for Procurement shall forward the appeal through the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (Code K) to SBA Headquarters.