On August 20, 2026, the SBA published two proposed rules that would consolidate nearly 1,000 industry size standards into 338 and raise thresholds, newly classifying roughly 110,000–114,500 firms as small (including 37,002 holding ~$71B in FY2025 federal contracts). Public comments are due September 21, 2026.
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SBA proposes biggest size-standards overhaul in decades, expanding 'small' status
Why this matters for founders
Check whether the new 4-digit category thresholds would newly qualify your company for SBA loans and federal set-asides; file a comment by Sept 21 if the reclassification helps or hurts your access.
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