[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 13, Volume 1] [Revised as of January 1, 2005] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 13CFR125.27] [Page 440-441] TITLE 13--BUSINESS CREDIT AND ASSISTANCE CHAPTER I--SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PART 125--GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING PROGRAMS--Table of Contents Subpart D--Protests Concerning SDVO SBCs Sec. 125.27 How will SBA process an SDVO protest? (a) Notice of receipt of protest. Upon receipt of the protest, SBA will notify the contracting officer and the protestor of the date SBA received the protest and whether SBA will process the protest or dismiss it under paragraph (b) of this section. (b) Dismissal of protest. If SBA determines that the protest is premature, untimely, nonspecific, or is based on non-protestable allegations, SBA will dismiss the protest and will send the contracting officer and the protestor a notice of dismissal, citing the reason(s) for the dismissal. The dismissal notice must also advise the protestor of his/her right to appeal the dismissal to SBA's Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) in accordance with part 134 of this chapter. (c) Notice to protested concern. If SBA determines that the protest is timely, sufficiently specific and is based upon protestable allegations, SBA will: (1) Notify the protested concern of the protest and of its right to submit information responding to the protest [[Page 441]] within five business days from date of the notice; and (2) Forward a copy of the protest to the protested concern, with a copy to the contracting officer if one has not already been made available. (d) Time period for determination. SBA will determine the SDVO SBC status of the protested concern within 15 business days after receipt of the protest, or within any extension of that time which the contracting officer may grant. SBA. If SBA does not issue its determination within the 15-day period, the contracting officer may award the contract, unless the contracting officer has granted SBA an extension. (e) Notification of determination. SBA will notify the contracting officer, the protestor, and the protested concern in writing of its determination. (f) Effect of determination. SBA's determination is effective immediately and is final unless overturned by OHA on appeal. If SBA sustains the protest, the concern may not submit another offer as an SDVO SBC on a future SDVO SBC procurement unless it overcomes the reasons for the protest (e.g., it meets the size standard under a different NAICS code or changes its ownership to satisfy the definition of an SDVO SBC set forth in Sec. 125.8).