On December 29, 2014, the Small Business Administration issued long overdue proposed amendments to its regulations (with 60 days for comments) to implement many of the provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013 relevant to small business contracting.

Most notable is the complete overhaul of the calculation of the limitations on subcontracting requirement. The amendment proposes a major shift in the way the calculation is performed. The current method requires the prime contractor to be responsible for the specified percentage of cost of performing the contract (with variations depending on whether it is a contract for services, supplies, construction, or specialty trade construction). The amendment proposes shifting the calculation from this cost-based approach to the amount paid to the prime, which must be more than the specified percentage paid to other than “similarly situated” subcontractors. The proposed revision is intended to be easier to calculate, but complexities remain.
Continue Reading Significant Changes on the Horizon to Key SBA Regulations, Including the Limitations on Subcontracting