Can a firm represent itself to be an SDB if it has not yet been certified as an SDB?

(a) General rule. Except as set forth in paragraph (d) of this section, a firm may represent itself to be an SDB concern in order to receive a preference as an SDB for any Federal procurement program if it has submitted a complete application for SDB certification to SBA or a Private Certifier and it has not received a negative determination regarding that application from SBA or the Private Certifier. A firm that has received a negative determination of ownership and control or a negative determination regarding its disadvantaged status and is awaiting the resolution of its appeal of that determination may not represent itself to be an SDB.

(b) Where applicant becomes successful offeror. If a concern becomes the apparent successful offeror on a contract for which it would receive a benefit for being an SDB while its application for SDB certification is pending, either at SBA or a Private Certifier, the contracting officer for the particular contract must immediately inform SBA's AA/SDBCE. SBA will then prioritize the firm's SDB application and make a determination regarding the firm's status as an SDB within 15 days from the date that SBA received the contracting officer's notification.

(1) Where the apparent successful offeror's completed application is pending an ownership and control determination with a Private Certifier, the concern must inform SBA which Private Certifier has its application. SBA will immediately contact the Private Certifier to require the Private Certifier to complete its ownership and control determination within 5 days of SBA's notification. In appropriate circumstances, SBA may undertake to make the determination itself, and may recoup the cost of the determination from the Private Certifier.

(2) If requested to do so by the procuring activity contracting officer, SBA will determine whether other offerors are SDBs where they have represented that their completed applications for SDB status are pending at SBA or a Private Certifier and they could receive the award if SBA determines that the apparently successful offeror is not an SDB.

(3) If the contracting officer does not receive an SBA determination within 15 calendar days after the SBA's receipt of the notification, the contracting officer will presume that the apparently successful offeror, and any other offerors referred to SBA in connection with the same procurement by the contracting officer, are not disadvantaged, and will make award accordingly, unless the contracting officer grants an extension to the 15-day response period.

(c) Representation as SDB for statistical purposes. A firm may represent itself as an SDB concern for general statistical purposes without regard to any application for SDB certification or its inclusion on the SBA-maintained list of qualified SDB's.

(d) Subcontracting programs. Only firms that are on the SBA-maintained list of qualified SDBs may represent themselves as SDB concerns in order to receive a preference as an SDB for any Federal subcontracting program.

EZCertify 8(a)/SDB Software will automatically complete your SDB Application.

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