(a) All challenges to the inclusion in the certification database of a VOSB or SDVOSB based on the status of the concern as a small business concern or the ownership or control of the concern, shall be heard by the Office of Hearings and Appeals of the Small Business Administration in accordance with part 134 of this chapter. The decision of the Office of Hearings and Appeals shall be considered final agency action.

(b) The protest procedures described in part 134 of this chapter are separate from those governing size protests and appeals. All protests relating to whether an eligible VOSB or SDVOSB is a small business for purposes of any Federal program are subject to part 121 of this chapter and must be filed in accordance with that part. If a protester protests both the size of the VOSB or SDVOSB and whether the concern meets the VOSB or SDVOSB requirements set forth in § 128.200, SBA will process each protest concurrently under the procedures set forth in parts 121 and 134 of this chapter. SBA does not review issues concerning the administration of a VOSB or SDVOSB contract.

(c) When challenging the SDVOSB status of a joint venture, the managing SDVOSB party to the joint venture must be a certified SDVOSB as of the date of the joint venture's initial offer, including price, for the SDVOSB contract and compliance with the joint venture agreement requirements set forth in § 128.402 is determined as of the date of the final proposal revision for negotiated acquisitions and final bid for sealed bidding.

(d) A concern found not to qualify as a VOSB or SDVOSB in a status protest may not submit an offer on a future VOSB or SDVOSB procurement until the protested concern reapplies to the Veteran Small Business Certification Program and has been designated by SBA as a VOSB or SDVOSB into the certification database. If a concern found to be ineligible submits an offer, 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 VOSB or SDVOSB on a pending procurement, the concern must immediately inform the contracting officer for the procuring agency of the adverse determination.

(1) Not later than two days after SBA's final determination finding a concern ineligible as a VOSB or SDVOSB, such concern must update its VOSB or SDVOSB status in the System for Award Management (or any successor system).

(2) If a business concern fails to update its VOSB or SDVOSB 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.

(3) A concern required to make an update in the System for Award Management (or any successor system) shall notify a contracting officer for each contract with respect to which such concern has an offer or bid pending of the determination made, if the concern finds, in good faith, that such determination affects the eligibility of the concern to perform such contract.

(e) Only interested parties may protest the VOSB or SDVOSB status of an apparent successful offeror for a VOSB or SDVOSB contract. An interested party means any certified VOSB or SDVOSB that submits an offer for a specific VOSB or SDVOSB set-aside contract (including a multiple award contract) or order, or SBA.