APPEAL TO SBA OFFICE OF HEARINGS AND APPEALS
SIZE DETERMINATION APPEAL
BEFORE THE UNITED STATES SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
OFFICE OF HEARINGS AND APPEALS
IN THE MATTER OF:
Appeal of: [________________________________]
Appellant
Solicitation/Contract No.: [________________________________]
SBA Size Determination No.: [________________________________]
Decided by: [________________________________] (Area Office)
SIZE APPEAL
I. APPELLANT INFORMATION
Appellant Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
DUNS/UEI Number: [________________________________]
CAGE Code: [________________________________]
Telephone: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
Counsel for Appellant (if represented):
Attorney Name: [________________________________]
Firm: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
Telephone: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
Bar Admission: [________________________________]
II. APPEAL JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT
This appeal is filed pursuant to 13 CFR 121.1009 and 13 CFR Part 134, Subpart B.
Size Determination Being Appealed:
SBA Area Office: [________________________________]
Size Determination Number: [________________________________]
Date of Size Determination: [__/__/____]
Date Appellant Received Size Determination: [__/__/____]
Timeliness:
This appeal is timely filed within 15 calendar days of receipt of the size determination, as required by 13 CFR 134.304(a).
Date of Appeal: [__/__/____]
Days Elapsed Since Receipt: [____] days
III. PROCUREMENT INFORMATION
Contracting Agency: [________________________________]
Solicitation/Contract Number: [________________________________]
NAICS Code: [________________________________]
Size Standard: ☐ $[________________________________] (revenue) ☐ [____] employees
Set-Aside Type:
☐ Small Business Set-Aside
☐ 8(a) Business Development Program
☐ HUBZone
☐ Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
☐ Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)
☐ Economically Disadvantaged WOSB (EDWOSB)
☐ Other: [________________________________]
IV. STANDING
Appellant has standing to file this appeal pursuant to 13 CFR 134.302 because:
☐ Appellant is the protested concern found to be other than small
☐ Appellant is the protester adversely affected by the size determination
☐ Appellant is the contracting officer
☐ Appellant is the SBA's Associate Administrator for Government Contracting
☐ Other: [________________________________]
V. SUMMARY OF SIZE DETERMINATION
The SBA Area Office found that [Concern Name] is:
☐ Other than small because:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
☐ Small because:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Specific Findings at Issue:
-
[________________________________]
-
[________________________________]
-
[________________________________]
VI. ISSUES ON APPEAL
The Appellant respectfully requests that OHA review the following issues:
Issue 1: [________________________________]
Statement of Issue:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Issue 2: [________________________________]
Statement of Issue:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Issue 3: [________________________________]
Statement of Issue:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
VII. STATEMENT OF THE CASE
A. Factual Background
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
B. Procedural History
Date of Solicitation: [__/__/____]
Date of Proposal Submission: [__/__/____]
Date of Award (if applicable): [__/__/____]
Date of Size Protest: [__/__/____]
Date of Size Determination: [__/__/____]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
VIII. ARGUMENT
A. Standard of Review
OHA reviews size determinations under the substantial evidence standard. A size determination will be overturned if it is based on a clear error of fact or law. 13 CFR 134.314.
B. Argument on Issue 1: [________________________________]
The Area Office erred because:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
The correct application of law/regulation requires:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Supporting Evidence:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
C. Argument on Issue 2: [________________________________]
The Area Office erred because:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
The correct application of law/regulation requires:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Supporting Evidence:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
D. Argument on Issue 3: [________________________________]
The Area Office erred because:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
The correct application of law/regulation requires:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Supporting Evidence:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
IX. RELIEF REQUESTED
The Appellant respectfully requests that OHA:
☐ Reverse the size determination and find Appellant is a small business
☐ Reverse the size determination and find the protested concern is other than small
☐ Remand the matter to the Area Office for further proceedings consistent with OHA's decision
☐ Vacate the size determination due to procedural error
☐ Other relief: [________________________________]
X. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
Pursuant to 13 CFR 134.204, I hereby certify that on [__/__/____], I served a copy of this Appeal Petition and all attachments upon the following by [method of service]:
1. SBA Official Who Issued the Size Determination:
Name: [________________________________]
SBA Area Office: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
Method of Service: ☐ Email ☐ Certified Mail ☐ Overnight Delivery
2. Contracting Officer:
Name: [________________________________]
Agency: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
Method of Service: ☐ Email ☐ Certified Mail ☐ Overnight Delivery
3. SBA Office of General Counsel, Associate General Counsel for Procurement Law:
Address: 409 Third Street, SW, Washington, DC 20416
Email: [email protected]
Method of Service: ☐ Email ☐ Certified Mail ☐ Overnight Delivery
4. All Other Parties (Protester/Protested Concern, as applicable):
Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
Method of Service: ☐ Email ☐ Certified Mail ☐ Overnight Delivery
Signature: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]
XI. ATTACHMENTS
☐ Exhibit A: Size Determination Being Appealed (REQUIRED)
☐ Exhibit B: Size Protest
☐ Exhibit C: Appellant's Response to Size Protest
☐ Exhibit D: [________________________________]
☐ Exhibit E: [________________________________]
☐ Exhibit F: [________________________________]
☐ Exhibit G: [________________________________]
XII. SIGNATURE AND CERTIFICATION
I, the undersigned, certify that:
-
I have read this appeal petition and to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief, there is good ground to support it;
-
The appeal is not interposed for delay;
-
All statements of fact are true and accurate to the best of my knowledge;
-
I am authorized to file this appeal on behalf of Appellant.
Signature: [________________________________]
Printed Name: [________________________________]
Title: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]
☐ Appellant (Pro Se)
☐ Counsel for Appellant
FILING INSTRUCTIONS
Electronic Filing (Preferred):
File through SBA's OHA Appeals Platform: https://appeals.sba.gov
Mail Filing:
Office of Hearings and Appeals
U.S. Small Business Administration
409 Third Street, SW, Suite 5900
Washington, DC 20416
Email Filing:
IMPORTANT DEADLINES AND REQUIREMENTS
Filing Deadline
Appeals must be filed within 15 CALENDAR days of receiving the size determination. OHA must receive the appeal by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the 15th day. 13 CFR 134.304(a).
Service Requirements
Appellant must serve a copy of the appeal on ALL of the following:
1. The SBA official who issued the size determination
2. The contracting officer
3. SBA's Office of General Counsel, Associate General Counsel for Procurement Law
4. All other parties to the protest
Contents of Appeal (13 CFR 134.305)
An appeal must contain:
- A copy of the size determination being appealed
- A statement of why the determination is in error
- Argument supporting the appeal
- Request for relief
Response Deadline
Any response to the appeal must be filed within 7 calendar days of service of the appeal. 13 CFR 134.309(c).
New Evidence
OHA generally does not accept new evidence that was not presented to the Area Office. Exceptions may apply if the evidence was not available at the time of the Area Office determination.
OHA Decision
OHA decisions are normally issued within 60 days of close of record. OHA decisions are final and not subject to further administrative review.
PROCEDURAL NOTES
Protective Orders
If the appeal involves confidential business information, Appellant may request a protective order pursuant to 13 CFR 134.205.
Effect on Procurement
Under 13 CFR 121.1009(g), an OHA decision does not disturb contract awards made prior to the decision. However, the decision may affect future procurements.
Judicial Review
OHA decisions may be challenged in federal district court under the Administrative Procedure Act, but such challenges are rarely successful.
COMMON GROUNDS FOR APPEAL
Affiliation Errors
☐ Area Office incorrectly found affiliation based on common ownership
☐ Area Office incorrectly found affiliation based on common management
☐ Area Office incorrectly found affiliation based on identity of interest
☐ Area Office incorrectly applied ostensible subcontractor rule
☐ Area Office failed to consider exception to affiliation
Size Calculation Errors
☐ Area Office used incorrect averaging period
☐ Area Office included ineligible receipts in calculation
☐ Area Office miscounted employees
☐ Area Office applied wrong size standard
Procedural Errors
☐ Size protest was untimely
☐ Protester lacked standing
☐ Area Office did not consider all evidence
☐ Area Office violated due process
SOURCES AND REFERENCES
- 13 CFR Part 134 - Rules of Procedure Governing Cases Before OHA
- 13 CFR 121.1009 - Size Appeals
- SBA OHA Website: https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/oversight-advocacy/office-hearings-appeals
- SBA OHA Appeals Platform: https://appeals.sba.gov
- SBA OHA Decisions Database: https://www.sba.gov/oha-decisions
About This Template
Jurisdiction-Specific
This template is drafted for general use across all U.S. jurisdictions. State-specific versions with local statutory references are also available.
How It's Made
Drafted using current statutory databases and legal standards for government contracts. Each template includes proper legal citations, defined terms, and standard protective clauses.
Important Notice
This template is provided for informational purposes. It is not legal advice. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Last updated: February 2026