§ 142.9 When will SBA issue a complaint?

(a) SBA will issue a complaint: (1) If the Attorney General (or designee) approves the referral of the allegations for adjudication; and (2) In a case of submission of false claims, if the amount of money or the value of property or services demanded or requested in a false claim, or a group of related claims submitted at the same time, does not exceed $1,000,000. A group of related claims submitted at the same time includes only those claims arising from the same transaction (such as a grant, loan, application, or contract) which are submitted together as part of a single request, demand, or submission. (b) Adjustment for inflation: the maximum amount in paragraph (a)(2) shall be adjusted for inflation in the same manner and to the same extent as civil monetary penalties under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act (28 U.S.C. 2461 note). (c) The complaint must be served not later than the later of: (1) 6 years after the date on which such claim or statement is made; or (2) 3 years after the date on which facts material to the action are known or reasonably should have been known by SBA, but in no event later than 10 years after the date on which the claim or statement was made. [91 FR 13219, Mar. 19, 2026]