That is a serious consideration. If the recipient fully expends their funds prior to December 31, 2021, they will be asked to certify that proceeds have been used on eligible expenses. Number of Restaurant Revitalization Fund Applications by Eligibility and Funding Status. Hes also encouraged people to stop working from home and head back into their offices in an effort to move forward after two years of absolute chaos and devastation. SBA took steps to detect fraudulent or ineligible applications. In 2020, independent locations declined by 8 percent, according to The NPD Group. "This should be the driving factor in bipartisan support for replenishing the RRF. Copyright 1999 2023 GoDaddy Operating Company, LLC. By June 2021, the funds $28.6 billion had been disbursed to 100,000 applicants in grants averaging $283,000. Everything from labor to packaging to utilities have gotten more expensive, and that ongoing rise in the cost of doing business continues to have a disproportionate impact on small businesses like restaurants. Most recipients (72 percent) reported they were owned by women, veterans, or members of socially and economically disadvantaged groups. The 177,000 restaurants that applied but didn't receive RRF funding represent around 20% of the industry, according to the National Restaurant Association, suggesting another round of restaurant-specific federal grants could improve the industry's recovery. This is not an infusion of funds into the RRF currently; in fact, a new law was introduced and passed by the House of Representatives to replenish the RRF with more than $40 billion, but it did not pass the Senate (See June 2022 update below). We are beyond disappointed that this massive government funding proposal ignores the needs of 177,300 neighborhood restaurants and bars impacted by the pandemic, IRC executive director Erika Polmar said. About 40% of eligible applicants received awards from the resulting Restaurant Revitalization Fund before it was depleted. Restaurant owners plead for Congresss help after omicron surge. 1101 W. Mineral Ave. Ste. So, however, is this: Once government begins to pursue the chimera of ever-more-perfect fairness, it finds actually, it incites more and more factions claiming that justice demands their inclusion in the governments ever-expanding plans for smoothing lifes rough surfaces. Let Restaurant Dive's free newsletter keep you informed, straight from your inbox. Congress can talk about refilling the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, but it can never be full enough to service all factions who can claim, with some plausibility, that they experienced unfairness not easily distinguished from that suffered by factions who benefited from the first $28 billion. According to the SBA, the grants are being released to operators in the order their applications were received. Two senators and two congressmen signed a letter Tuesday asking the Small Business Administration to update Congress on its plans to disburse $180 million in unallocated Restaurant Revitalization Fund money. Apr 7, 2022. The unions proposals often focus on specific changes to systems workers interact with all day, every day, including equipment and mobile ordering. Less than 10 days after the SBA launched the RRF Portal, the applications submitted equated to more than twice the amount of funds available. Published: Jul 14, 2022. (Recommendation 1), The Associate Administrator for the Office of Capital Access should assess how the design of RRF pre-award controls may have adversely affected applicants from U.S. territories, and identify and document steps to mitigate this issue for future programs. All Applicants that do not fully expend award funds . These restaurants fighting for survival cannot go it alone any longer, and should not be treated as a spot in the rear-view mirror of Congress.". If H.R. GAO reviewed SBA documentation, analyzed SBA data on the program's applicants and recipients, and interviewed SBA officials and representatives of industry associations. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. "With the looming threat of another variant and growing challenges of inflation for both operators and consumers, the economic boost RRF will provide for those 177,000 restaurants would reach far into our communities," Sean Kennedy, NRA's executive vice president of public affairs, wrote in the letter. Small businesses of long standing, and families who went into debt to launch, say, restaurants or bars or bakeries just before the pandemic, now have blighted futures the caprice of rotten luck. In January 2023, SBA stated that recipients have until March 2023 to exhaust RRF funds. The CARES Act includes a provision for GAO to monitor federal efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. ET, 5 store-level changes driving the Starbucks union, How 6 restaurant giants are hiking menu prices, Starbucks faces corporate employee revolt, Wendys offers franchisees reduced royalty rate, slashes fees on new restaurants, Bonchon to double US presence within 5 years, NRA: One-third of operators predict ghost kitchens will decline, How Retailers Can Embrace New Collaborations with Brands, Reimagining the dine-in experience with technology, How Restaurants Can Turbocharge Loyalty Programs with Payment Data, Starbucks fired a union organizer. Keep reading to learn more about RRF grant updates, eligibility, RRF forgiveness, and more. Among its objectives, this report examines recipient characteristics, SBA's internal controls and fraud risk management practices, and SBA's efforts to monitor recipients. However, in May, the Senate didn't pass the proposed increase, which was viewed by many as a setback. This is not an infusion of funds into the RRF currently; in fact, a new law was introduced and passed by the House of Representatives to replenish the RRF with more than $40 billion, but it did not pass the Senate (See June 2022 update below).It is not clear how, when, or to whom these RRF grants will be issued, so do not throw away any correspondence from the SBA because you may be one of the lucky stores to receive an extremely late RRF grant!As we learn more from the Small Business Administration (SBA) about the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) and any updates surrounding it, we will continue to make updates on the blog post and right here on The Tip Share!Read the full Blog Post: https://rasiusa.com/blog/restaurant-revitalization-fund-updates/Listen to the full Podcast Episode: https://anchor.fm/the-tip-share/episodes/Restaurant-Revitalization-Fund-RRF-Updates---August-2022-e1mtkjl/a-a8e5o0oSocial Handles: RASI Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rasinc__/RASI Twitter: https://twitter.com/RASInc_RASI Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RestaurantAccountingServicesIncRASI LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restaurant-accounting-services-inc-rasi Chapters:00:00 Intro00:15 $180 Million in RRF Unspent Funds - August 2022 Update00:48 What's next for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund in 2022 and into 2023?#RASI #FocusOnFoodNotFinances#restaurantaccounting #restaurantaccountingservices #restaurantaccountingsoftware #restaurantpurchasing #restaurantpurchasingprogram #restaurantbudgets #restaurantbudgeting #foodcosting #menuengineering #restaurantoperations #restaurantpayroll #restaurantHR #restaurantcompliance #restaurantconsulting #restaurantinventorymanagement #openingarestaurant #restaurantstartup Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts. CPF, documento de identificao ou Cdigo da Conta. The Restaurant Revitalization Fund covered period begins on February 15, 2020 and ends on March 11, 2023. The U.S. House and Senate passed a bill, S.4008, which wouldve added $40 billion to the plan a significant increase over the approximate $29 billion originally proposed in the RRF. Publicly Released: Jul 14, 2022. Supply chain shortages are still a massive problem for restaurants, and the cost of doing business grows by the day. What are eligible expenses and restrictions that RRF grant recipients should know about? Senha. Today's announcement is great news for those 169 operators fortunate enough to receive an RRF grant, but hundreds of thousands more are struggling with uncertainty. Is the grant money taxable and are the expenses deductible? "After navigating an unpredictable supply chain, multiple COVID-19 surges, and dealing with revenue-hampering restrictions, these businesses have two years of crushing debt," Erika Polmar, the IRC's executive director, said in a statement. What to do? No later than December 31, 2021, all recipients are required to report to the SBA how much of their RRF grant has been used against each eligible use category. It should take place Monday or Tuesday . The American Rescue Plan created the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Painel do Inscrito. (Recommendation 7), Restaurant Revitalization Fund: Opportunities Exist to Improve Oversight. Oops. 3807 (117th). Despite literal years of exhortations from everyone from Tom Colicchio to Elizabeth Warren for Congress to provide aid to restaurants, neither the Biden administration nor Congress has acted in a way to provide meaningful, comprehensive assistance. Its abundantly clear that the Biden administration considers the pandemic to be basically over. This recommendation will remain open until SBA (1) assesses how the design of RRF pre-award controls may have adversely affected applicants from U.S. territories, and (2) documents steps to mitigate this issue for future programs. According to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), the amounts received from the SBA in the form of a Restaurant Revitalization Grant shall not be included in gross income (non-taxable); additionally, the expenses incurred are deductible. Something went wrong. The RRF is actually part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which was established in March 2021. Writing for Reason, he noted six weeks ago that Open Table, the reservation app, shows that close to 95 percent of restaurants open in 2019 are back to accepting reservations. From the recruitment of employees to the constantly rising costs for food, running a restaurant right now is a daily struggle. In 2020 and 2021, restaurants, bars, and other food service businesses experienced substantial revenue loss and unemployment resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Even the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, with its paltry $28.6 billion in initial funding, wasn't enough to meaningfully help most establishments. The first reports were due in December 2021, but 32 percent were overdue as of June 2022. Back in January, a Biden administration official said pretty plainly that the president had no plans to support a new comprehensive stimulus for all Americans, but did hint that there might be something small for restaurants on the way. The SBA is set to award an added $180 million in unspent funds allocated for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) back in 2021. Do it again, but bigger. The Senate has a $48 billion bill, with more than restaurants eligible for revitalization: gyms, minor league sports teams, companies that support live entertainment events (lighting and sound technicians, etc. Will an injustice be done if, with the pandemic receding and the economy reviving, nothing is done for those who missed out in the first-come-first-served scramble for the initial (and perhaps final) $28 billion? Six weeks ago six weeks of economic recovery ago Britschgi noted that in general, there are more small businesses open today than existed before the pandemic. And almost all government-dictated restrictions on commerce have ended. (Recommendation 4), The Associate Administrator for the Office of Capital Access should develop and implement data analytics across RRF awards as a means to detect potentially fraudulent award recipients. There are steps the government can take to support restaurants in every community, and we will continue to press for solutions at the federal, state, and local level.". Esqueci minha senha. The NRA wrote a letter to Congress on Monday urging policymakers to pass legislation that would refill the fund. Four mistakes youre making with home internet. This recommendation will remain open until SBA provides evidence of conducting data analytics across RRF awards to detect potentially fraudulent recipients. WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the release of $83 million dollars in unobligated Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) grants to 169 operators with pending applications. This recommendation will remain open until SBA enhances its post-award reporting procedures to require recipients to report their operating status. And it underscores the inevitable inequities that accompany large-scale government interventions in the economy. The sector still has myriad challenges ahead, but a glimmer of hope as Congress is expected to vote on further aid on May 19a $48 billion bill that would fully fund the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. In 2022, many RRF updates are in the works. The bill would also put $13 billion toward other businesses impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. While SBA prevented over 30,000 suspicious applications from receiving awards, GAO identified systemic control weaknesses. Stay informed as we add new reports & testimonies. 3807 or, the Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022, which would provide about $42 billion to provide fresh funding for the RRF . Lawmakers. We recommended that SBA do so. Cardin's bill, S.4008, would provide $40 billion in additional funding for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. In March 2021, Congress appropriated $28.6 billion to the Small Business Administration to help the food service industry weather the COVID-19 pandemic. Nova Inscrio. What is the timeframe for using the RRF grant money? In addition to restaurants and bars, eligible businesses include food trucks, bakeries, wineries or breweries and inns. The restaurant industry reacts. WASHINGTON The House passed a $55 billion bill Thursday that would provide assistance to restaurants and other small businesses that have struggled because of the coronavirus pandemic. WASHINGTON The House passed a $55 billion bill Thursday that would provide assistance to restaurants and other small businesses that have struggled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Atendimento ao inscrito. Joanna Fantozzi | Apr 06, 2022. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. In January 2023, SBA stated that it would offer to participate in a government-wide dialogue to address systemic weaknesses related to IRS and territories' tax validation systems. In January 2023, SBA stated that it was reviewing 10% of RRF awards to confirm eligibility and use of funds compliance. The SBA will work with the Department of Justice to disburse the money, according to the NRA. Forty-three Senate Republicans, objecting to the fact that only a smidgen of the Senate bills cost would be offset by economies elsewhere, on May 19 prevented there being 60 votes to proceed with it. All of the funds had to be used for valid cases and claims up to March 11, 2023. (Recommendation 6), The Associate Administrator for the Office of Capital Access should develop and implement a plan to respond to potentially fraudulent and ineligible RRF awards in a prompt and consistent manner. Washington has succumbed to dangerous groupthink on China, Google releases civil rights review, caving to years of pressure. There are several strategic . Subscribe to Restaurant Dive for top news, trends & analysis, The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines, Permission granted by Starbucks Workers United, The Bornk Tuna Sandwich is Back at Erbert & Gerbert's, Olo and Flybuy Strategic Partnership Launches New Premium, Integrated Olo Expo and Order Fire , Interface Announces Technology Acceleration Program for Franchise Brands & Franchisees, CBS NorthStar and Ovation Join Forces to Boost Restaurant Brands' Revenue, By signing up to receive our newsletter, you agree to our, Webinar For more information, visitRestaurant.org and find us on Twitter@WeRRestaurants, Cision Distribution 888-776-0942 Past-due expenses qualify as RRF expenses. Restaurant Revitalization Fund Distributes $83M in Remaining Funds November 28, 2022 On Nov. 23, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) released a statement about the current state of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RFF), which helped more than 100,000 restaurants and food and beverage business owners during the pandemic. Restaurant Revitalization Fund What's the impact of the Senate's failure to pass RRF? From independent operators to hospitality groups, most are disappointed and some are angry that there remains no federal aid to support struggling restaurants. ABC News reported on the story, where Anon explained how he was fed up with how sensitive people have gotten . They have until March 2023 to spend the money. The bill would provide $42 billion to replenish the RRF. The act illustrates a timeless truth legislative bargaining is additive. SBA does not immediately investigate all potentially fraudulent awards, and instead waits for recipients to submit final reports (which might not be until April 30, 2023). By contrast, almost half of restaurants that didn't receive RRF funding said it's unlikely they will survive the pandemic, and 94% reported an RRF grant would allow them to retain or rehire staff, according to NRA research. 3807), which would refill the Restaurant Revitalization Fund with $42 billion,was reintroduced in. H.R. The U.S. House and Senate passed a bill, S.4008, which would've added $40 billion to the plan - a significant increase over the approximate $29 billion originally proposed in the RRF. 2023 Restaurant Accounting Services Inc. All Rights Reserved. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), signed the letter . In March 2021, Congress appropriated $28.6 billion to SBA for a Restaurant Revitalization Fund to assist the industry. However, for expensesses incurred on February 15, 2020 or after, be careful not to use the following: So long as funds are utilized for eligible applications no later than March 11, 2023, there is no requirement for recipients to repay the funding. According to reporting from CNNs Manu Raju, Senate small business and entrepreneurship committee chairman Ben Cardin said on Tuesday, March 8 that Republican opposition means that the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) will not be replenished. The National Restaurant Association is asking Congress to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund as the Covid omicron variant hits operators' businesses. So, in March 2021, seasonal compassion reinforced a political temptation for all seasons Congresss temptation to make life less unfair. LOOK What Happened When This Restaurant Posted a Politically Incorrect Sign. LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 2, 2022 / The Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) has promising news that funds may be added, however, are not guaranteed just yet. SBA stopped accepting applications in July 2021 with the program oversubscribed and almost all its funds disbursed. This will remain until they fully expend the grant funding or the covered period expires. (Recommendation 3), The Associate Administrator for the Office of Capital Access should enhance RRF post-award reporting procedures by adding requirements for recipients to report their operating status. The age of the Silicon Valley moonshot is over. This plan should include coordinating with the OIG. According to the letter, while the rest of the economy continues to quickly add jobs, restaurant industry job growth in . This recommendation will remain open until SBA (1) provides documentation of its review, and (2) addresses or mitigates any deficiencies identified. After this money was distributed, more than 177,000 applications were left in limbo at the SBA. In the initial shutdowns, more than eight million industry employees were laid off or furloughed. Among the 435 congressional districts, surely not one lacks businesses eligible for aid, especially from the Senate bill. Restaurant Revitalization Award Portal. Recipients cannot claim wages paid with RRF grant money as wages for purposes of the ERTC or PPP forgiveness. And SBA has not proactively used data analytics or information from enforcement entities to identify potentially fraudulent award recipients. An estimated 90,000 restaurants have already closed their doors during the pandemic, and that number will likely continue to grow. UPDATE: April 6, 2022:Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) introduced a bill similar to the one before the House Tuesday night. For example, SBA considered applications made through external vendors to be low-risk, but over 4,000 recipients who applied through such a channel have been flagged for suspected fraud or ineligibility, including an alleged fraudster who received $8 million. Hence the Replenishment Act. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. It's unclear whether Democrats in the evenly split Senate will be able to win over at least 10 Republicans to overcome the 60-vote threshold to end any potential filibuster and pass the measure. CEO of Berryhill Baja Grill restaurants in Houston, Jeff Anon, decided to take matters into his own hands in regards to declaring his right to free speech. The SBA closed the program and stopped accepting applications on July 2nd, 2021. Expect to see many more restaurant closures in the coming months. They are on the verge of closing permanently as a result.". Even the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, with its paltry $28.6 billion in initial funding, wasnt enough to meaningfully help most establishments. H.R.3807 - Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act of 2021 117th Congress (2021-2022) Bill Hide Overview More on This Bill Constitutional Authority Statement CBO Cost Estimates [0] Subject Policy Area: Commerce View subjects Give Feedback on This Bill Contact Your Member Summary (2) Text (3) Actions (17) Titles (3) Amendments (1) Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R, PA) and Earl Blumenauer (D, OR), and Sens. Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) Updates - August 2022 97 views Aug 29, 2022 0 Dislike Share RASI - Restaurant Accounting Services Inc 494 subscribers The SBA is set to award an. Both political parties agreed that the RRF should be replenished but couldn't reach a consensus on how to pay for it. This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. It is not clear how, when, or to whom these RRF grants will be issued, so do not throw away any correspondence from the SBA because you may be one of the lucky stores to receive an extremely late RRF grant! Lawmakers approved the measure in a 223-203 vote, with only about a handful of Republicans backing it. Nevertheless, the Replenishment bill barely passed the House 223 to 203 in April, with only six Republicans favoring it and only four Democrats opposed. Consider the House-passed, $55 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act, which could be the No Faction Left Behind Act.. Would a grant recipient ever have to pay back any of the funds? The House passed the Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022 (H.R. And by the third quarter of 2021, Britschgi writes, the number of restaurants had surpassed pre-pandemic levels.. The SBA is set to award an added $180 million in unspent funds allocated for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) back in 2021. Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., splashed cold water on the prospects of the legislation moving forward, comparing it to the stalled Covid relief bill. Until these funds were used up, they were available for eligible entrepreneurs, establishments, and corporations. As a recap, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund was created to give restaurants and other hospitality-related businesses the financial assistance that they need to get through this world-wide pandemic.To ensure all types of restaurant owners receive funding, including smaller establishments and minority . Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) Updates. With so many questions surrounding the RRF, we created this resource and guide to provide answers. This news doesnt exactly come as a surprise, but earlier this year, there was some hope that more money was coming. More than 90,000 restaurants closed permanently or long-term because of the pandemic. But with Congress having adjourned for a two-week recess, the bill won't be considered anytime soon in the Senate. "We must continue to look forward because the enormous challenges of the industry will continue beyond today. In January 2023, SBA stated that it would conduct a review of RRF awards and use the results to inform the effectiveness of pre-award controls. Congress eventually set aside $28.6 billion dollars for the RRF in the American Rescue Plan Act. SBA agreed or partially agreed with two recommendations. Restaurant Industry News and Resources in Georgia. For more information, please check out our Privacy Policy. On April 7, 2022, the House passed H.R. Christian Britschgi is dubious. All rights reserved. By the time it closed in July 2021, the RRF. The Small Business Administration (SBA) began accepting applications and awarding funds in May 2021. The U.S. House of Representatives voted yes on a bill Thursday that would provide $42 billion in relief to foodservice businesses that originally applied for the . Use of Funds Validation is now available for Restaurant Revitalization Fund awardees. As a restaurant owner, youve most definitely heard about the varying RRF updates throughout the last year, how they could possibly impact your establishment, and more. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., the main sponsor of the bill, and Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., said Thursday that more than 80 percent of restaurants that didn't receive grants have reported that they are on the verge of permanent closure, citing a survey from the Independent Restaurant Coalition. Ninety-six percent of RRFrecipients said the grant made it more likely that their business would survive. The restaurant industry was the hardest hit by the pandemic. The Small Business Administration (SBA) began accepting applications and awarding funds in May 2021. The legislation would also provide $13 billion for other businesses affected by the pandemic, and it would establish oversight and reporting requirements to ensure grants are awarded properly and to verify the use of funding. The American Rescue Plan created the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. SBA stated that the results of the analysis are scheduled to be completed by March 2023. Dont do that. 3807), that included $42 billion to replenish the RRF, on April 7. The Association was first to lay out the plan for a restaurant industry recovery fund to Congress in April 2020. "I think right now it's hard to as you saw, even with the $10 billion package of new money for Covid unless they can reprogram or repurpose it, it's going to be a hard sell," he said Thursday afternoon as he exited Capitol. GAO maintains that all of the recommendations are valid, as discussed in this report. Washington, D.C. - The National Restaurant Association today sent a letter to Congressional leadership encouraging passage of Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) Replenishment if the program comes up for a vote this week. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023. For more information about the SBA, visit sba.gov. Well, then, what about that will-o-the-wisp, fairness? But what about those other small businesses (gyms, minor league baseball, etc.) Optimal accounting solutions for small, medium, multi-unit concept, franchise, and enterprise restaurant operators. Last year, lawmakers created. This is not an infusion of funds into the RRF currently; in. The median award was about $126,000. This plan should include coordinating with the OIG to align efforts to address fraud. By the time it closed in July 2021, the RRF gave out just about a third of the grant requests that it received because the demand was so great. Just over 100,000 businesses received funding (40 percent of eligible applicants). Nearly 1 year ago, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RFF) stopped taking applications. By December 31, 2021, all Awardees are required to report through this application portal how much of their award has been used against each eligible use category. National Restaurant Association Nov 23, 2022, 16:51 ET WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the release of $83 million dollars in. Stay up to date on the news from Silicon Valley, and how to take back control of your data and devices. The government closed restaurants and bars because they were considered particularly apt to endanger the public by spreading the coronavirus, so the public should compensate everyone for losses suffered on the publics behalf. Initially, nearly $29 billion was appropriated to award eligible restaurants and other establishments to help their businesses in the wake of the pandemic. SBA emphasized pre-award controls to detect fraudulent or ineligible applications but has not assessed their effectiveness. When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type. The Small Business Administration confirmed it will distribute $180 million in unspent money allocated for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund as awards, the National Restaurant Association said in an email to Restaurant Dive. | 2 p.m. Restaurant Revitalization Fund Award Disbursements, May 3July 1, 2021. However, in May, the Senate didnt pass the proposed increase, which was viewed by many as a setback. Taking additional steps to identify and address potentially fraudulent awards in a timely manner could help SBA recover funds.