The next few days will be interesting for government contractors and 8(a) applicants alike as we wait to see what October 1, 2013 will bring: a normal business day, or a full federal government shutdown.
If the shutdown does indeed occur, any days the federal government is closed will be days lost in regards to your 8(a) application, so if you are meticulously counting down the days to see if the SBA really will give you a decision on your 8(a) application within the 90 day processing time frame, you’ll be waiting on that SBA decision letter a little bit longer.
In the mean time, please do continue to meet any deadlines the SBA might have given you, and be sure to track your packages and use signature confirmation–you might need your delivery records later on to prove you actually met your deadline even though the government’s doors were technically closed that day.
Try not to panic and proceed normally when it comes to your 8(a) application; to date the SBA has not issued any public statements about the 8(a) review system and how it will be impacted by a potential shutdown, so unless the SBA issues advice to the contrary, just move forward as if everything is the same.
