13 C.F.R. § 102.7 – Business information.

(a) In general. Business information provided to SBA from a submitter will only be disclosed in accordance with this section.
(b) Definitions. For purposes of this section:
1. (1) Business information is commercial or financial information obtained by SBA from a submitter that may arguably be protected from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the FOIA.
2. (2) Submitter is any person or entity who provides business information, directly or indirectly to SBA.
(c) Designation of business information. Submitters of business information will use reasonable, good-faith efforts to designate, by appropriate markings, either at the time of submission or at a reasonable time thereafter, any portions of their submissions that they consider to be protected from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the FOIA. Designations will expire ten years after the date of the submission unless the submitter requests, and provides justification for, a longer designation period.
(d) Notice to submitters. SBA will provide a submitter with written notice of a FOIA request or administrative appeal that seeks its business information whenever SBA intends to release that information. The notice will either describe the business information or include copies of the records in the form SBA proposes to release them. SBA will also advise the requester that the submitter is being given the opportunity to object to any proposed disclosure. When notification of a voluminous number of submitters is required, SBA may post or publish such a notice in a place reasonably likely to accomplish notice.
(e) Opportunity to object to disclosure. SBA will give the submitter ten working days from the date of the written notice to submit a detailed written statement specifying all grounds upon which disclosure is opposed. A reasonable extension of time may be granted by the correct office upon good cause shown by the submitter. The submitter's statement must demonstrate why it believes information is a trade secret or commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential. If a submitter fails to timely respond to the notice, such failure will be deemed a waiver by the submitter of any objection to the disclosure of the information. Information provided by a submitter under this paragraph may itself be subject to disclosure under the FOIA.
(f) Notice of intent to disclose. SBA will consider a submitter's objections and specific grounds for nondisclosure in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section in deciding whether to disclose business information. If SBA decides to disclose business information despite the objection of a submitter, SBA will give the submitter written notice, advising the submitter what will be disclosed, and that such disclosure will occur within 10 working days from the date of the notice.