SBA·Small business
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SBA size standards: comments close Nov 20

The SBA Office of Advocacy notice says that "on September 24, 2026, the Small Business Administration (SBA) extended the public comment periods for two proposed rules on small business size standards that were published on August 20, 2026, for an additional 60 days." The proposed rule "proposes new size standards for 338 industry groups and industries," consolidating standards "primarily at the 4- and 5-digit NAICS levels," adjusting thresholds under a revised methodology, "shifting some industries from receipts-based to employee-based measures, and generally increasing size standards so that more firms qualify as small." The second document is the 2026 Revised Size Standards Methodology white paper. "Both comment periods are now extended through November 20, 2026." The notice says the changes "are expected to classify additional firms as small, thereby expanding eligibility for SBA loan programs, federal contracting set-asides and preferences."

Key dateNovember 20, 2026comment_close
StatusComment open
ConfidenceConfirmed

What changed

The SBA Office of Advocacy notice says that "on September 24, 2026, the Small Business Administration (SBA) extended the public comment periods for two proposed rules on small business size standards that were published on August 20, 2026, for an additional 60 days." The proposed rule "proposes new size standards for 338 industry groups and industries," consolidating standards "primarily at the 4- and 5-digit NAICS levels," adjusting thresholds under a revised methodology, "shifting some industries from receipts-based to employee-based measures, and generally increasing size standards so that more firms qualify as small." The second document is the 2026 Revised Size Standards Methodology white paper. "Both comment periods are now extended through November 20, 2026." The notice says the changes "are expected to classify additional firms as small, thereby expanding eligibility for SBA loan programs, federal contracting set-asides and preferences."

What it means for a DIBBS supplier

DIBBSFlow's reading

DIBBSFlow's reading, from the source above, checked 2026-10-21.

if adopted, the proposal would classify more firms as small and expand eligibility for set-asides in the affected industries. Find the proposed standard for your own NAICS code and check whether its measure changes from receipts to employees. Comments are open through 2026-11-20.

Source:SBA Office of Advocacy, extension notice dated 2026-09-24 (opened 2026-10-21)· Confirmed onOctober 21, 2026

Change log

  • 2026-10-21: added to the watch; source opened 2026-10-21.
  • 2026-10-21: held, Codex returned FIX; gate run 2026-10-21.
  • 2026-10-21: capture extended to every passage the item rests on and body rewritten to the capture; status restored from Held.
  • 2026-10-21: title shortened to a plain headline (Tony's review of the live cards); facts that left the title stay in What changed.

A public log of rule and deadline changes. DIBBSFlow alerts on your NSNs and CAGEs are a separate product.

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