[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 13, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 13CFR115.32]

[Page 190-191]
 
                TITLE 13--BUSINESS CREDIT AND ASSISTANCE
 
                CHAPTER I--SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
 
PART 115_SURETY BOND GUARANTEE--Table of Contents
 
             Subpart B_Guarantees Subject to Prior Approval
 
Sec.  115.32  Fees and Premiums.

    (a) Surety's Premium. A Prior Approval Surety must not charge a 
Principal an amount greater than that authorized by the appropriate 
insurance department. The Surety must not require the Principal to 
purchase casualty or other insurance or any other services from the 
Surety or any Affiliate or agent of the Surety. The Surety must not 
charge non-Premium fees to a Principal unless the Surety performs other 
services for the Principal, the additional fee is permitted by State 
law, and the Principal agrees to the fee.
    (b) SBA charge to Principal. SBA does not charge Principals 
application or Bid Bond guarantee fees. If SBA guarantees a Final Bond, 
the Principal must pay a guarantee fee equal to a certain percentage of 
the Contract amount. The percentage is determined by SBA and is 
published in Notices in the Federal Register from time to time. The 
Principal's fee is rounded to the nearest dollar and is to be remitted 
to SBA by the Surety together with the form required under Sec.  
115.30(d). See paragraph (d) of this section for additional requirements 
when the Contract amount changes.
    (c) SBA charge to Surety. SBA does not charge Sureties application 
or Bid Bond guarantee fees. Subject to Sec.  115.18(a)(4), the Surety 
must pay SBA a guarantee fee on each guaranteed bond (other than a Bid 
Bond) in the ordinary course of business. The fee is a certain 
percentage of the bond Premium, determined by SBA and published in 
Notices in the Federal Register from time to time. The fee is rounded to 
the nearest dollar. SBA does not receive any portion of a Surety's non-
Premium charges. See paragraph (d) of this section for additional 
requirements when the bond amount or the Contract amount changes.
    (d) Contract or bond increases/decreases--(1) Notification and 
approval. The Prior Approval Surety must notify SBA of any increases or 
decreases in the Contract or bond amount that aggregate 25% or $50,000, 
as soon as the Surety acquires knowledge of the change. Whenever the 
original bond amount increases as a result of a single change order of 
at least 25% or $50,000, the prior written approval of such increase by 
SBA is required on a supplemental Prior Approval Agreement (Supplemental 
Form 990) and is conditioned upon payment by the Surety of the increase 
in the Principal's guarantee fee as set forth in paragraph (d)(2) of 
this section.
    (2) Increases; fees. Notification of increases in the Contract or 
bond amount under this paragraph (d) must be accompanied by payment of 
the increase in the Principal's guarantee fee computed on the increase 
in the Contract amount. If the increase in the Principal's fee is less 
than $40, such increase is not due until all unpaid increases in the 
Principal's fee aggregate at least $40. The Surety's check for payment 
of the increase in the Surety's guarantee fee, computed on the increase 
in the bond Premium, may be submitted in the ordinary course of 
business. Increases in the Surety's fee are not due until they aggregate 
at least $40.
    (3) Decreases; refunds. Whenever SBA is notified of a decrease in 
the Contract or bond amount, SBA will refund to the Principal a 
proportionate amount of

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the Principal's guarantee fee and rebate to the Surety a proportionate 
amount of SBA's Premium share in the ordinary course of business. If the 
amount to be refunded or rebated is less than $40, such refund or rebate 
will not be made until the amounts to be refunded or rebated, 
respectively, aggregate at least $40. Upon receipt of the refund, the 
Surety must promptly pay a proportionate amount of its Premium to the 
Principal.