The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) office of inspector general has issued a report on eight performance and management challenges facing SBA in fiscal year 2021.
The first two challenges cited are the susceptibility of SBA’s economic relief programs like the Paycheck Protection Program to abuse and fraud risks and the impact of eligibility concerns and inaccurate procurement data in small business contracting programs on the reliability of contracting goal achievements.
“Managing COVID 19 stimulus is the greatest overall challenge facing SBA currently. This crucial new challenge is exacerbated by persisting management and performance challenges best described as systemic. Pandemic response has, in many instances, magnified the challenging systemic issues in SBA’s mission-related work,” the report states.
Other areas that need improvement are the oversight of information technology investments and security risks; risk management and oversight practices; administration of Section 8(a) business development program; identification of improper payments in loan programs; grants management oversight; and disaster assistance program.
SBA removed several challenges from the report to mark its progress in addressing those issues. Those areas are human capital management, exclusions for determining governmentwide federal contracting goal-setting guidelines, quality control program to reduce improper payments and quality control program.
