SBA field staff or others designated by the D/HUB will conduct program examinations.

A program examination is an investigation by SBA officials, which verifies the accuracy of any certification made or information provided as part of the HUBZone application or recertification process. Examiners may verify that the concern met the program's eligibility requirements at the time of its certification or, if applicable, at the time of its most recent recertification.

(a) SBA may conduct a program examination at any time after the concern submits its application, during the processing of the application, and at any time while the concern is a certified HUBZone small business concern.

(b) SBA will conduct program examinations periodically as part of the recertification process set forth in § 126.500.

(c) Upon receipt of specific and credible information alleging that a certified HUBZone small business concern no longer meets the eligibility requirements for continued program eligibility, SBA will examine the concern's eligibility for continued participation in the program.

(a) SBA may conduct a program examination, or parts of an examination, at one or more of the concern's offices. SBA will determine the location and scope of the examination and may review any information related to the concern's HUBZone eligibility including, but not limited to, documentation related to the location and ownership of the concern, compliance with the 35% HUBZone residency requirement, and the concern's “attempt to maintain” (see § 126.103) this percentage.

(b) SBA may require that a HUBZone small business concern (or applicant) submit additional information as part of the program examination. If SBA requests additional information, SBA will presume that written notice of the request was provided when SBA sends such request to the concern at a mailing address, email address or fax number provided in the concern's profile in the Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) or the System for Award Management (SAM) (or successor systems). SBA may draw an adverse inference from a concern's failure to cooperate with a program examination or provide requested information and assume that the information that the HUBZone small business concern (or applicant) failed to provide would demonstrate ineligibility, and decertify (or deny certification) on this basis.

(c) The concern must retain documentation provided in the course of a program examination for 6 years from the date of submission.

(a) Timing. SBA will make its determination within 90 calendar days after SBA receives all requested information, when practicable.

(b) Program examinations on certified HUBZone small business concerns. If the program examination was conducted on a certified HUBZone small business concern—

(1) And the D/HUB (or designee) determines that the concern is eligible, SBA will send a written notice to the HUBZone small business concern and continue to designate the concern as a certified HUBZone small business concern in DSBS (or successor system).

(2) And the D/HUB (or designee) determines that the concern is not eligible, the concern will have 30 days to submit documentation showing that it is eligible. During the 30-day period, such concern may not compete for or be awarded a HUBZone contract. If such concern fails to demonstrate its eligibility by the last day of the 30-day period, the concern will be decertified.

(c) Program examinations on applicants. If the program examination was conducted on an applicant to the HUBZone program—

(1) And the D/HUB (or designee) determines that the concern is eligible, SBA will send a written certification notice to the concern and designate the concern as a certified HUBZone small business concern in DSBS (or successor system).

(2) And the D/HUB (or designee) determines that the concern is ineligible, SBA will send a written decline notice to the concern.