Proposed Rule2025-15704
Tribal Consultation for SBA's Office of Capital Access and Access to All Agency Financial Assistance, Contracting, Business Counseling and Technical Assistance Programs, Identifying Issues and Best Practices
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Published
August 18, 2025
Issuing agencies
Small Business Administration
Abstract
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announces that it is holding a tribal consultation meeting in Wayland, Michigan requesting comments and input on all issues or concerns relating to any of SBA's programs. Specifically, SBA seeks comments on how best SBA can provide access for tribally-owned small businesses to SBA's various financial assistance programs under SBA's Office of Capital Access as well as its contracting, business counseling and technical assistance programs. SBA is requesting general comments and input on how these programs are working and is inviting suggestions on potential avenues for making the programs more efficient or reducing any unnecessary regulatory burden associated with the programs.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 157 (Monday, August 18, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 157 (Monday, August 18, 2025)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 40047-40048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-15704]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 157 / Monday, August 18, 2025 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 40047]]
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
13 CFR Parts 124 and 125
Tribal Consultation for SBA's Office of Capital Access and Access
to All Agency Financial Assistance, Contracting, Business Counseling
and Technical Assistance Programs, Identifying Issues and Best
Practices
AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration.
ACTION: Notice of tribal consultation meeting.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announces that it
is holding a tribal consultation meeting in Wayland, Michigan
requesting comments and input on all issues or concerns relating to any
of SBA's programs. Specifically, SBA seeks comments on how best SBA can
provide access for tribally-owned small businesses to SBA's various
financial assistance programs under SBA's Office of Capital Access as
well as its contracting, business counseling and technical assistance
programs. SBA is requesting general comments and input on how these
programs are working and is inviting suggestions on potential avenues
for making the programs more efficient or reducing any unnecessary
regulatory burden associated with the programs.
DATES: The Tribal Consultation meeting date is Wednesday, September 17,
2025, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (EDT), Wayland, Michigan. The Tribal
Consultation meeting pre-registration deadline date is September 12,
2025.
ADDRESSES:
1. The Tribal Consultation meeting will be held at Gun Lake Casino
Resort, 1123 129th Avenue, Wayland, MI 49348.
2. Send pre-registration requests to attend and/or testify to Diane
Cullo, Assistant Administrator of SBA's Office of Native American
Affairs, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street SW,
Washington, DC 20416; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#36725f5758531875435a5a597645545718515940"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="115578707f743f52647d7d7e516273703f767e67">[email protected]</span></a>; or Facsimile to (202) 481-
2177.
3. You may submit written comments to SBA by sending them to Diane
Cullo, Assistant Administrator, Office of Native American Affairs, U.S.
Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street SW, Washington, DC 20416;
or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6e2a070f000b402d1b0202012e1d0c0f40090118"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6a2e030b040f44291f0606052a19080b440d051c">[email protected]</span></a>; or Facsimile to (202) 481-2177.
If you wish to submit confidential business information (CBI),
please submit the information to Diane Cullo, Assistant Administrator,
Office of Native American Affairs, U.S. Small Business Administration,
409 3rd Street SW, Washington, DC 20416 and highlight the information
that you consider to be CBI and explain why you believe this
information should be held confidential. SBA will review the
information and make a final determination of whether the information
will be published or not.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane Cullo, Assistant Administrator,
Office of Native American Affairs, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ebaf828a858ec5889e878784ab98898ac58c849d">[email protected]</a> or (202) 619-
0518 or by facsimile to (202) 481-2177.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
SBA is seeking input from the Native American community on any
concerns relating to the general management and operation of SBA's
Capital Access and Government Contracting and Business Development
programs. Specifically, SBA is seeking comments and input on access to
capital for tribal entities. SBA reduces risk and enables easier access
to capital through the 7(a) Loan Program, SBA's primary business loan
program, the 504-loan program, and the microloan program. SBA is
requesting general comments and input on how SBA's financial assistance
programs and services are working and is inviting comments and
suggestions on potential avenues for continuing to make all programs
and services more effective and efficient while continuing to reduce
regulatory burden on customers and participants.
Additionally, SBA is asking for input on best practices on how
entity-owned firms market their capabilities to procuring agencies. SBA
has found that certain practices may be negatively impacting entity-
owned firms' ability to receive awards. For example, contracting
officers may consider entity-owned firms to be affiliated with each
other when several appear on the same web page or where multiple firms
owned by the same entity have the exact same capabilities and contact
points. SBA is seeking comments and input from firms who have
encountered these or similar issues and how they have been able to
successfully market their sophisticated capabilities while still making
clear to procuring agencies that they are independent small businesses.
Lastly, within the contracting area, the Nonmanufacturer Rule (NMR)
requires that recipients of Federal supply contracts provide the
product of a small business manufacturer or processor if the recipient
of the set-aside contract is not the actual manufacturer or processor
of the product. The NMR generally applies to all business contracts
(i.e., small business set-aside, service-disabled veteran-owned small
business (SDVOSB), Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone),
women-owned small business (WOSB) or economically disadvantaged women-
owned small business (EDWOSB), and 8(a) contracts). SBA has received
some input that the NMR unnecessarily increases the price of
manufactured items purchased by the Government. SBA has also been told
that nonmanufacturers play an integral role in assisting the Government
procure manufactured items when original manufacturers do not wish to
deal directly with the Government. SBA requests comments on the role of
nonmanufacturers, whether there should be any limitations imposed on
the rule, whether the entire value of manufactured items should count
as an award to small business through one of SBA's small business
contracting programs (or only the portion added by the small business
nonmanufacturer), and any other suggestions relating to the NMR.
Tribal Consultation Meeting
The purpose of this tribal consultation meeting is to conform to
the requirements of Executive Order 13175, Tribal Consultations; to
provide interested parties with an opportunity to discuss their views
on the issues; and for SBA to obtain the views of SBA's stakeholders on
ways to maximize efficiency and reduce the burden on small businesses.
SBA considers tribal consultation meetings a valuable
[[Page 40048]]
component of its deliberations and believes that this tribal
consultation meeting will allow for constructive dialogue with the
Tribal community, Tribal Leaders, Tribal Elders, elected members of
Alaska Native Villages or their appointed representatives, and
principals of tribally-owned and ANC-owned firms participating in SBA
programs.
The format of this tribal consultation meeting will consist of a
panel of SBA representatives who will preside over the session. The
oral and written testimony as well as any comments SBA receives will
become part of the administrative record for SBA's consideration.
Written testimony may be submitted in lieu of oral testimony. SBA will
analyze the testimony, both oral and written, along with any written
comments received. SBA officials may ask questions of a presenter to
clarify or further explain the testimony. The purpose of the tribal
consultation is to assist SBA with gathering information to guide SBA's
review process and to potentially develop new proposals. SBA is open to
receiving comments on any SBA small business program that concerns the
Native community but specifically requests comments on those issues set
forth above. Presenters are encouraged to provide a written copy of
their testimony. SBA will accept written material that the presenter
wishes to provide that further supplements his or her testimony.
Electronic or digitized copies are encouraged.
The tribal consultation meeting will be held for one day. The
meeting will begin at 1:00 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. (EDT). SBA will
adjourn early if all those scheduled have delivered their testimony.
II. Registration
SBA respectfully requests that any elected or appointed
representative of the tribal communities or principal of a tribally-
owned, ANC-owned or NHO-owned 8(a) firm that is interested in attending
please pre-register in advance and indicate whether you would like to
testify at the hearing. Registration requests should be received by SBA
by September 12, 2025. Please contact Diane Cullo, Assistant
Administrator, Office of Native American Affairs in writing at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f9bd9098979cd7ba8c959596b98a9b98d79e968f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b0f4d9d1ded59ef3c5dcdcdff0c3d2d19ed7dfc6">[email protected]</span></a> or by facsimile to (202) 481-2950. If you are
interested in testifying please include the following information
relating to the person testifying: Name, Organization affiliation,
Address, Telephone number, Email address and Fax number. SBA will
attempt to accommodate all interested parties that wish to present
testimony. Based on the number of registrants it may be necessary to
impose time limits to ensure that everyone who wishes to testify has
the opportunity to do so. SBA will confirm in writing the registration
of presenters and attendees.
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 634 and E.O. 13175, 65 FR 67249.
* * * * *
Dated: August 14, 2025.
Diane Cullo,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Native American Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2025-15704 Filed 8-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8026-09-P
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