If SBA believes that a concern does not meet the program eligibility requirements, the concern fails to recertify in accordance with the requirements in § 127.400, or the concern has failed to notify SBA of a material change, SBA will propose the concern for decertification from the program.

(a) Proposed decertification. The D/GC or designee will notify the concern in writing that it has been proposed for decertification. This notice will state the reasons why SBA has proposed decertification, and that the WOSB or EDWOSB must respond to each of the reasons set forth.

(1) The WOSB or EDWOSB must respond in writing to a proposed decertification within 20 calendar days from the date of the proposed decertification.

(2) If the initial certification was done by a third-party certifier, SBA will also notify the third-party certifier of the proposed decertification in writing.

(b) Decertification. The D/GC or designee will consider the reasons for proposed decertification and the concern's response before making a written decision whether to decertify. The D/GC may draw an adverse inference where a concern fails to cooperate with SBA or provide the information requested. The D/GC's decision is the final agency decision.

(c) Decertification in response to adverse protest decision. SBA will decertify a concern found to be ineligible during a WOSB/EDWOSB status protest.

(d) Decertification due to submission of false information. If SBA discovers that a WOSB or EDWOSB or its representative knowingly submitted false information, SBA will propose the firm for decertification. In addition, SBA will refer the matter to the SBA Office of Inspector General for review and may request that Government-wide debarment or suspension proceedings be initiated by the agency.

(e) Effect of decertification. Once SBA has decertified a concern, the concern cannot self-certify as a WOSB or EDWOSB, as applicable, for any WOSB or EDWOSB contract. If a concern does so, it may be in violation of criminal laws, including section 16(d) of the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 645(d). If the concern has already certified itself as a WOSB or EDWOSB on a pending procurement, the concern must immediately inform the contracting officer for the procuring agency of its decertification.

(1) Not later than two days after the date on which SBA decertifies a business concern, such concern must update its WOSB/EDWOSB status in the System for Award Management (or any successor system).

(2) If a business concern fails to update its WOSB/EDWOSB status in the System for Award Management (or any successor system) in response to decertification, SBA will make such update within two days of the business's failure to do so.

(f) Reapplication. A concern decertified pursuant to this section may reapply to the program pursuant to § 127.305.