Facing a Size Protest? SBA Might Want Your Tax Returns

Abrahams Wolf-Rodda – This month's tax filing deadline brought to mind a recent size protest decision that affirmed a finding that a contractor was not a small business because it failed to furnish tax forms or other financial information when it was asked to do so by the Small Business Administration. When a company is faced with its first protest, it can be easy to have an “are you kidding me” reaction and think that if you just fill out the form and submit the data you have, all will be ok since you really are, in fact, a small business. But, as unfair as it may seem, and as this case shows, it’s critical you respond fully—in terms of coughing up the documents SBA has requested.