SBA increases size standards for NAICS Sector 23, Construction effective January 22, 2014

The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) has revised size standards for two industries in NAICS Sector 23, Construction, and retained current standards for the remaining 30 industries in that Sector. Specifically, SBA - increased the size standard for NAICS 237210, Land Subdivision, from $7 million in average annual receipts to $25.5 million; and, - increased the size standard for Dredging and Surface Cleanup Activities from $20 million to $25.5 million, the size standard for which is an "exception" under NAICS 237990, Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction. The SBA had proposed to eliminate Footnote 2 from its table of size standards. Footnote 2 states that to be considered small for purposes of Government procurement, a firm must perform at least 40 percent of the volume dredged with its own equipment or equipment owned by another small dredging concern. However, based on the comments the Agency received to the proposed rule, it is making no change to the footnote. As part of its ongoing comprehensive size standards review, SBA evaluated all size standards for industries in NAICS Sector 23 to determine whether they should be retained or revised. Approximately 480 additional firms will be small under the new size standards and eligible for SBA's loan and Federal procurement programs. You may read/download SBA's final rule at www.regulations.gov (search on "RIN 3245-AG37" [without quotes]). You may also review the originally proposed rule together with all of the comments submitted by going to www.regulations.gov. The proposed rule and the comments are included in the same docket. The revised size standards are effective January 22, 2014.