Rule2025-10156
HUBZone Program Updates and Clarifications, and Clarifications to Other Small Business Programs; Correction
Primary source
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Published
June 4, 2025
Effective
June 4, 2025
Issuing agencies
Small Business Administration
Abstract
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is correcting a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on December 17, 2024. The rule clarified and improved policies surrounding a comprehensive revision to the HUBZone Program regulations published in 2019, among other changes. This document is making several technical corrections to the final regulations.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 4, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 4, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 23609-23610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-10156]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 106 / Wednesday, June 4, 2025 / Rules
and Regulations
[[Page 23609]]
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
13 CFR Parts 125 and 126
RIN 3245-AH68
HUBZone Program Updates and Clarifications, and Clarifications to
Other Small Business Programs; Correction
AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration.
ACTION: Correcting amendments.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is correcting a
final rule that was published in the Federal Register on December 17,
2024. The rule clarified and improved policies surrounding a
comprehensive revision to the HUBZone Program regulations published in
2019, among other changes. This document is making several technical
corrections to the final regulations.
DATES: Effective June 4, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alison Amann, Office of General
Counsel, (202) 205-6841, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e7868b8e948889c9868a868989a7948586c9808891"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="94f5f8fde7fbfabaf5f9f5fafad4e7f6f5baf3fbe2">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 17, 2024, SBA published a final
rule amending the regulations pertaining to the HUBZone program and
SBA's other small business contracting programs to reduce unnecessary
or excessive burdens on small businesses, clarify certain policies, and
make the regulations governing SBA's contracting programs more
consistent. 89 FR 102448. This is the second set of corrections. The
first set of corrections was published in the Federal Register on
February 18, 2025. 90 FR 9673. This document augments those
corrections.
The final rule made several amendments to Sec. 121.103. While
making those changes, SBA intended to make a corresponding amendment to
the citation cross-referenced in SBA's joint venture regulations at
Sec. 125.8(a) but that corresponding amendment was inadvertently
omitted from the final rule. Currently, Sec. 125.8(a) references
exceptions to affiliation for SBA-approved mentor-prot[eacute]g[eacute]
agreements at Sec. 121.103(h)(4). This correction fixes that citation
so that Sec. 125.8(a) references Sec. 121.103(b).
The final rule created new Sec. 125.12, addressing size
recertification and small business program status recertification. This
correction fixes the numbering of the subparagraphs in paragraph (g) of
Sec. 125.12.
The final rule amended Sec. 126.103 by revising the definition of
``Employee.'' In the proposed rule preceding the final rule, SBA had
proposed to require an employee to work at least 80 hours per month.
Based on the comments received, SBA did not implement this proposal.
Instead, the final rule provided that an employee was an individual who
worked at least 10 hours per week during the relevant four-week period.
However, in the final rule, two subparagraphs in the definition of
``Employee'' inadvertently retained the proposed 80-hour standard
instead of the 10-hour-per-week standard. This correction fixes that
error.
The final rule amended Sec. 126.200 by revising paragraph (d)(3),
which addresses ``Legacy HUBZone Employees.'' The final rule
inadvertently retained references to annual recertification, which was
eliminated in the final rule. This correction removes the references to
annual recertification and replaces them with the term ``HUBZone
certification anniversary date.''
The final rule amended the definition of ``reside'' in Sec.
126.103 to remove voter registration cards from the listing of
documents that SBA would accept as proof of HUBZone residency, since
voter registration cards generally do not include issue dates. However,
SBA inadvertently failed to make the corresponding change to Sec.
126.304, which addresses the documents that a firm must submit to be
certified as a HUBZone small business concern. This correction fixes
that omission by removing the reference to voter registration cards
from Sec. 126.304.
List of Subjects
13 CFR Part 125
Government contracts, Government procurement, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Small businesses, Technical assistance,
Veterans.
13 CFR Part 126
Administrative practice and procedure, Government procurement,
Penalties, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Small businesses.
Accordingly, 13 CFR parts 125 and 126 are corrected by making the
following correcting amendments:
PART 125--GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING PROGRAMS
0
1. The authority citation for part 125 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 632(p), (q), 634(b)(6), 637, 644, 657f,
657q, 657r, and 657s; 38 U.S.C. 501 and 8127.
Sec. 125.8 [Amended]
0
2. Amend Sec. 125.8, in paragraph (a), by removing ``Sec.
121.103(h)(4)'' and adding in its place ``Sec. 121.103(b)''.
Sec. 125.12 [Amended]
0
3. Amend Sec. 125.12 by redesignating paragraphs (g)(i) and (ii) as
paragraphs (g)(1) and (2).
PART 126--HUBZONE PROGRAM
0
4. The authority citation for part 126 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 632(a), 632(j), 632(p), 644 and 657a.
Sec. 126.103 [Amended]
0
5. Amend Sec. 126.103, in the definition of ``Employee'', by:
0
a. In paragraph (2)(ii), removing the text ``80 hours or more'' and
adding in its place the text ``at least 10 hours per week''; and
0
b. In paragraph (2)(iii), removing the text ``80 hours'' and adding in
its place the text ``10 hours per week''.
Sec. 126.200 [Amended]
0
6. Amend Sec. 126.200 by:
0
a. In paragraph (d)(3)(i)(A), removing the text ``(or recertification
date)'' and adding in its place the text ``(or certification
anniversary date)'';
0
b. In paragraph (d)(3)(iii), removing the text ``certification (or
recertification)'' and adding in its place ``the firm's HUBZone
certification date (or certification anniversary date)''; and
0
c. In paragraph (d)(3)(iv), removing the text ``certification date or
recertification date'' and adding in its
[[Page 23610]]
place the text ``HUBZone certification date (or certification
anniversary date)''.
Sec. 126.304 [Amended]
0
7. Amend Sec. 126.304, in paragraph (b)(2), by removing the text ``and
voter registration cards'' and the text ``accompanied by signed
statements explaining why the alternative documentation is being
provided''.
Larry Stubblefield,
Deputy Associate Administrator, Government Contracting and Business
Development.
[FR Doc. 2025-10156 Filed 6-3-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8026-09-P
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