From the inception of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), borrowers questioned the meaning of the economic necessity certification that the Small Business Administration (SBA) required borrowers to make in the PPP loan application. While the SBA provided some definition to this certification in such Frequently Asked Questions as FAQs 31, 37, and 46, uncertainty remained.
PPP Borrowers May Require SBA Consent or Escrowing of PPP Loan Balance in Connection with “Change of Ownership” Transactions
On October 2, 2020 (almost two months after the August 10, 2020 commencement of the acceptance period for forgiveness applications), the Small Business Administration (SBA) released an SBA Procedural Notice (the “Notice”) concerning required procedures for change of ownership of an entity that has received PPP loans (the “PPP Borrower”). Under the Notice, SBA approval
Funds Today, Investigation Tomorrow: SBA OIG Warns of Serious Concerns of Rampant Fraud with COVID-19 Relief Funds and Calls for Immediate Action
On July 28, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued a report titled, “Serious Concerns of Potential Fraud in the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program Pertaining to the Response to COVID-19.” The report identifies and summarizes OIG’s “serious concerns” of potential fraud and calls for “immediate attention and
Coronavirus Update: The SBA Discloses Recipient Identity and Other Information for PPP Loans of $150,000 and Above
On July 6, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has made publicly available various types of information about all Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, and targeted media scrutiny has immediately followed. For loans of $150,000 and above, the SBA has released the loan range (e.g., $150,000 – 350,000, $1,000,000 – 2,000,000, $5,000,000 – 10,000,000) and
Coronavirus Update: SBA and Treasury Release New Forgiveness Applications and Revise Interim Final Rules to Conform to New PPP Flexibility Act Requirements
On Wednesday June 17th, SBA and Treasury issued a revised Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application implementing the extended 24-week “covered period” and the reduction in payroll cost limitation on forgiveness from 75% to 60% of costs, per the PPP Flexibility Act of 2020 enacted June 5, 2020. In addition to revising
Coronavirus Update: New Interim Final Rule Clarifies Key Changes in Paycheck Protection Program
On June 11, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA) posted a new interim final rule (the IFR) which clarifies certain key changes made to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) by the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (Act). We addressed in a previous alert how the Act, signed into law on June 5, 2020,
Coronavirus Update: President Signs New Paycheck Protection Program Changes into Law Offering Greater Flexibility
On June 5, 2020, President Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020, which makes important changes to many aspects of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), including extending the minimum maturity period, extending the forgiveness period, reducing the payroll cost limitation on forgiveness, while eliminating forgiveness if such reduced threshold is not
All Things Protest: CICA Stay Overrides
Crowell & Moring’s “All Things Protest” podcast keeps you up to date on major trends in bid protest litigation, key developments in high-profile cases, and best practices in state and federal procurement. In this episode, hosts Rob Sneckenberg, Olivia Lynch, and Christian Curran discuss the importance of the automatic Competition in Contracting Act stay triggered
Coronavirus Update: The SBA Changes the PPP Eligibility Ground Rules – Providing New Calculation of Employee Count for Affiliates With Questions Remaining on Applicable Headcount for Applicants
On May 18, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA) released a new interim final rule addressing the confusion raised by the SBA’s FAQ 44 on how PPP applicants are to count employees of foreign and U.S. affiliates for purposes of determining eligibility against the 500 or fewer employee size standard provided for in the CARES
Coronavirus Update: SBA Releases Complex PPP Loan Forgiveness Application, Creating Further Need for Guidance
On May 15, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA) released the Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Application which is comprised of a PPP Loan Forgiveness Calculation Form (SBA Form 3508), including related certifications, and worksheets to assist in making the calculations. Although the SBA has yet to release further guidance on PPP Loan