Small Business Size Standards

What it does

• •Extends the public comment period for proposed Small Business Size Standards from the initial 30-day deadline (September 21, 2026) by an additional 60 days, with new deadline of November 20, 2026.
• •Extends the comment period for the Revised Size Standards Methodology (the updated white paper explaining how SBA establishes and modifies size standards) by the same 60-day extension.
• •Maintains the original August 20, 2026 proposals involving new size standards for 338 industry groups and industries, pending receipt of additional public comments.

Why it matters

• •The extension responds to public requests for additional time to comment and follows SBA's clarification of the impacts of proposed changes, allowing stakeholders more opportunity to review and respond to substantive revisions to how small businesses are classified.
• •Small business size standards determine eligibility for federal small business programs, set-asides, and contracting opportunities, making the proposed changes significant for affected businesses and the federal procurement process.

Who is affected

• •Small businesses in 338 industry groups and industries subject to the proposed new size standards.
• •Federal contractors, government agencies, and organizations that rely on small business classifications for procurement and program eligibility determinations.

What happens next

The SBA will accept public comments until November 20, 2026, via www.regulations.gov or by mail to the Office of Industrial Base Resilience & Contracting, after which the agency will review submissions before finalizing the size standards.