Small Business Administration

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

409 Third Street SW., Washington, DC 20416

Phone, 202-205-6600. Fax, 202-205-7064. Internet, http://www.sba.gov/.

Administrator Aida Alvarez

Deputy Administrator (vacancy)

Chief Operating Officer Chris Sale

Counselors to the Administrator Darryl Dennis, Jeanne Saddler

Chief of Staff Paul Weech

Director, Executive Secretariat Susan Walthall

General Counsel John T. Spotila

Chief Counsel for Advocacy Jere W. Glover

Inspector General Karen S. Lee, Acting

Chief Financial Officer Larry Wilson

Director, National Advisory Council Michael Novelli

Associate Administrator for Disaster Assistance Bernard Kulik

Project Director for Field Operations Brad Douglas

Associate Administrator for Communications and Edward Eugene Carlson

Public Liaison

Assistant Administrator for Congressional and M. Kris Swedin

Legislative Affairs

Assistant Administrator for Equal Employment Erline Patrick

Opportunity and Civil Rights Compliance

Assistant Administrator for Hearings and Appeals Mona Mitnick

Associate Deputy Administrator for Management Lawrence Barrett, and Administration Acting

Assistant Administrator for Thomas Dumaresq

Administration

Assistant Administrator for Human Carolyn J. Smith

Resources

Chief Information Officer Lawrence Barrett

Associate Deputy Administrator for Betsy Myers

Entrepreneurial Development

Associate Administrator for Business Monika Harrison

Initiatives

Associate Administrator for Small Johnnie Albertson

Business Development Centers

Assistant Administrator for Eileen Cassidy, Acting

International Trade

Assistant Administrator for Native (vacancy)

American Affairs

Assistant Administrator for Veterans Clifton Toulson, Jr.

Affairs

Assistant Administrator for Women's Sherrye Henry

Business Ownership

Associate Deputy Administrator for Capital John Gray

Access

Associate Administrator for Jane Butler, Acting

Financial Assistance

Associate Administrator for Don Christensen

Investment

Associate Administrator for Surety Robert J. Moffitt

Guarantees

Associate Deputy Administrator for Government Richard Hayes

Contracting and Minority Enterprise Development

Associate Administrator for Judith A. Roussel

Government Contracting

Associate Administrator for Minority William Fisher, Acting

Enterprise Development

Assistant Administrator for Size Gary M. Jackson

Standards

Assistant Administrator for Daniel O. Hill

Technology

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The fundamental purposes of the Small Business Administration are to aid, counsel, assist, and protect the interests of small business; ensure that small business concerns receive a fair portion of Government purchases, contracts, and subcontracts, as well

as of the sales of Government property; make loans to small business concerns, State and local development companies, and the victims of floods or other catastrophes, or of certain types of economic injury; and license, regulate, and make loans to small business investment companies.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) was created by the Small Business Act of 1953 and derives its present existence and authority from the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.). It also derives its authority from the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C.

661). The Secretary of Commerce has delegated to the Administration certain responsibilities and functions under section 202 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3142) and is further authorized to delegate to the Administrator certain responsibilities and functions under chapter 3 of the Trade Act of 1974

(19 U.S.C. 2101).

Activities

Disaster Assistance The Administration serves as the Federal disaster bank for nonfarm, private sector losses. It lends money to help the victims of floods, riots, or other catastrophes repair or replace most disaster-damaged property. Direct loans with subsidized interest rates are made to assist individuals, homeowners, businesses of all sizes and nonprofit organizations. In addition, low interest long-term loans are available to small businesses and small agricultural cooperatives without credit elsewhere that have sustained substantial economic injury resulting from natural disasters.

For further information, contact the Office of Disaster Assistance. Phone, 202-205-6734.

Capital Access The Office of the Associate Deputy Administrator for Capital Access provides overall direction for the Small Business Administration's finance programs, which include the Office of Financial Assistance, the Investment Division, the Office of Surety Guarantees, and the Office of International Trade. These programs provide a comprehensive array of financial assistance programs for the smallest start-up businesses to those which have been in operation for a number of years and need new capital to expand. The programs range from those needing only a ``microloan'' to those ready for an infusion of private venture capital or long-term financing for the purchase of new equipment or facilities. In addition to lending to businesses which sell their products and services within the United States, the Office of Capital Access also provides direction for the SBA's business development and financial assistance programs for small business exporters.

For further information, contact the Office of Capital Access. Phone,

202-205-6657.

Financial Assistance The Administration provides its guaranty to lending institutions which make loans to small businesses to help them finance plant construction, conversion, or expansion and acquire equipment, facilities, machinery, supplies, or materials. It also provides them with working capital. Since enactment of the act of June

4, 1976 (90 Stat. 663), farms are included within the term ``small business concerns.''

The Administration may provide loan guarantees to finance residential or commercial construction or rehabilitation for sale as well as revolving lines of credit, including those for export purposes, to qualified employee trusts. The Administration may finance small firms that manufacture, sell, install, service, or develop specific energy measures including engineering, architectural, consulting, or other professional services connected with eligible energy measures.

The Administration also provides small-scale financial and technical assistance to very small businesses, through loans and grants to nonprofit organizations that act as intermediaries.

Under the provisions of sections 501-506 of the Small Business Investment Act (15 U.S.C. 695, 696), loans are made to State and local development companies who likewise assist small businesses by

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providing long-term loans for the acquisition of land and buildings, construction, conversion, or expansion of facilities, and the purchase of machinery and equipment.

For further information, contact the nearest Small Business Administration district office.

Investment The Administration licenses, regulates, and provides financial assistance to small business investment companies and section

301(d) licensees (formerly minority enterprise small business investment companies). The sole function of these investment companies is to provide venture capital in the form of equity financing, long-term loan funds, and management services to small business concerns.

For further information, contact the Investment Division. Phone, 202-

205-6510.

Surety Bonds Through its Surety Bond Guarantee Program, the Administration helps to make the contract bonding process accessible to small and emerging contractors who find bonding unavailable. It will guarantee to reimburse a qualified surety up to 90 percent of losses incurred under bid, payment, or performance bonds issued to small contractors on contracts valued up to $1.25 million. The contracts may be for construction, supplies, manufacturing, or services provided by either a prime contractor or subcontractor for governmental or nongovernmental work.

For further information, contact the Office of Surety Guarantees. Phone,

202-205-6540.

International Trade The Office of International Trade provides export financing to small businesses. It administers the Export Working Capital program, which provides short-term, transaction-specific financing for exporting, including pre-export financing of labor and materials, financing receivables generated from these sales, and standby letters of credit used as performance bonds or payment guarantees to foreign buyers.

The Office is a major participant in the U.S. Export Assistance Center (USEAC) initiative, authorized by section 202 of the Export Enhancement Act of 1992. The Centers provide a single point of contact for all Federal export promotion and finance programs in the following cities: Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Long Beach, CA; Miami, FL; Minneapolis, MN; New Orleans, LA; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; San Jose, CA; Seattle, WA; and St. Louis, MO. They integrate representatives of the Department of Commerce, the Small Business Administration, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and the Agency for International Development to deliver services directly and refer clients to appropriate public and private sector partners.

The Office develops and recommends agency policy and procedures to effectively deliver the International Trade program, provides tools for SBA's resource partners, and coordinates activities with agency resource partners and USEAC's to improve accessibility to its programs. The Office also coordinates with other Federal agencies under the auspices of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC) to ensure that trade promotion information and trade events are communicated to the small business community. The Office also works with agencies of the TPCC in coordinating and facilitating trade between the U.S. small business community and businesses and...