SBA News

The U.S. Small Business Administration.
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Rule change will allow more travel agencies to qualify for SBA aid

Helena IR

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Small Business Administration has increased its revenue-based size standards for travel agencies from
$1 million to $3 million, allowing more of these companies to qualify for federal assistance under the agency’s size standards. The
new size standard, published as a final rule in the Federal Register on May 31 is effective July 1.
Travel agencies that fall within the SBA size standard are eligible for SBA assistance, including small business loan programs.

These travel agencies will be eligible to apply for SBA’s contracting and business development programs such as the 8(a) Business
Development Program and HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program; and compete for federal contracts worth an estimated
$347 million through small business set-asides and other contracting incentive programs.
For additional information on the new size standard, visit the SBA’s Office of Size Standards Web page at http://www.sba.gov/size, and
click on “What’s New?”

For more information about all of the SBA’s programs for small businesses, call the SBA Answer Desk at 1-800 U ASK SBA or TDD
704-344-6640, or visit the SBA’s extensive Web site at http://www.sba.gov.

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Disaster loan deadline extended to Sept. 30

The U.S. Small Business Administration has extended to Sept. 30, the nationwide filing deadline for small businesses affected by
the Sept. 11 attacks to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs).
The previous deadline was May 22.

The SBA administrator urged business owners to file their applications as soon as possible.
Small businesses may apply for a working capital loan of up to $l.5 million. The interest rate on these loans is 4 percent with a
maximum term of up to 30 years. The SBA determines the amount of economic injury, the term of each loan and the payment
amount based on the financial circumstances of each borrower.

For an online application and instructions on how to complete it, go to http://www.sba.gov/disaster/eidl.html on the SBA Web site.

Businesses interested in applying for an economic injury disaster loan can contact the nearest SBA disaster area offices to obtain an
application. The office with the address Ft. Worth, TX 76155 (1-800-366-6303) serves Montana.

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