Affiliate is defined in § 121.301(f) of this chapter.

Ancillary Bond means a bond incidental and essential to the performance of a Contract for which there is a guaranteed Final Bond.

Applicable Statutory Limit means the maximum amount, set forth below, of any Contract or Order for which SBA is authorized to guarantee, or commit to guarantee, a Bid Bond, Payment Bond, Performance Bond, or Ancillary Bond:

1. (1) $9 million (as adjusted for inflation in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 1908).
2. (2) $14 million if a contracting officer of a Federal agency certifies, in accordance with section 115.12(e)(3), that such guarantee is necessary.
3. (3) If SBA is guaranteeing the bond in connection with a procurement related to a major disaster pursuant to section 12079 of Public Law 110-246, see section 115.12(e)(4).

Bid Bond means a bond conditioned upon the bidder on a Contract entering into the Contract, and furnishing the required Payment and Performance Bonds. The term does not include a forfeiture bond unless it is issued for a jurisdiction where statute or settled decisional law requires forfeiture bonds for public works.

Contract means a written obligation of the Principal, including an Order, requiring the furnishing of services, supplies, labor, materials, machinery, equipment or construction. A Contract:

1. (1) Must not prohibit a Surety from performing the Contract upon default of the Principal;
2. (2) Does not include a permit, subdivision contract, lease, land contract, evidence of debt, financial guarantee (e.g., a contract requiring any payment by the Principal to the Obligee, except for contracts in connection with bid and performance bonds for the sale of timber and/or other forest products, such as biomass, that require the Principal to pay the Obligee), warranty of performance or efficiency, warranty of fidelity, or release of lien (other than for claims under a guaranteed bond); and

3. (3) May include a maintenance agreement under the following circumstances:

   1. (i) The maintenance agreement is ancillary to a Contract for which SBA is guaranteeing a bond, is performed by the same Principal, is for a period of 2 years or less, and only covers defective workmanship or materials that are not covered by a manufacturer's warranty. With SBA's prior written approval, the agreement may cover a period longer than 2 years, or cover something other than defective workmanship or materials, if a longer period or something other than defective workmanship or materials is customarily required in the relevant trade or industry; or
   2. (ii) The maintenance agreement is stand-alone and is entered into in connection with a Contract for which a bond was not required and only covers defective workmanship or materials that are not covered by a manufacturer's warranty. The agreement must cover a period of 3 years or less that begins immediately after the Contract is complete and must be executed prior to the completion of the Contract. It must also be entered into with the same Principal that completed the Contract. With SBA's prior written approval, the agreement may cover a period longer than 3 years if a longer period is customarily required in the relevant trade or industry.

D/SG means SBA's Director, Office of Surety Guarantees.

Execution means signing by a representative or agent of the Surety with the authority and power to bind the Surety.

Final Bond means a Performance Bond and/or a Payment Bond.

Head of Agency means in the case of a cabinet department, the Secretary; and in the case of an independent commission, board, or agency, the Chair or Administrator; or any person to whom the Secretary, Chair, or Administrator has directly delegated the authority to request SBA to guarantee bonds on Contracts or Orders in excess of $5,000,000.

Imminent Breach means a threat to the successful completion of a bonded Contract which, unless remedied by the Surety, makes a default under the bond appear to be inevitable.

Investment Act means the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C. 661 et seq.), as amended.

Loss has the meaning set forth in § 115.16.

Obligee means:

1. (1)

   1. (i) In the case of a Bid Bond, the Person requesting bids for the performance of a Contract; or
   2. (ii) In the case of a Final Bond, the Person who has contracted with a Principal for the completion of the Contract and to whom the primary obligation of the Surety runs in the event of a breach by the Principal.
2. (2) In either case, no Person (other than a Federal department or agency) may be named co-Obligee or Obligee on a bond or on a rider to the bond unless that Person is bound by the Contract to the Principal (or to the Surety, if the Surety has arranged completion of the Contract) to the same extent as the original Obligee. In no event may the addition of one or more co-Obligees increase the aggregate liability of the Surety under the bond.

Order means a task order for services or delivery order for supplies issued under an indefinite delivery Contract (definite quantity, indefinite quantity, or requirements).

OSG means SBA's Office of Surety Guarantees.

Payment Bond means a bond which is conditioned upon the payment by the Principal of money to persons who have a right of action against such bond, including those who have furnished labor, materials, equipment and supplies for use in the performance of the Contract. A Payment Bond can not require the Surety to pay an amount which exceeds the claimant's actual loss or damage.

Performance Bond means a bond conditioned upon the completion by the Principal of a Contract in accordance with its terms.

Person means a natural person or a legal entity.

Premium means the amount charged by a Surety to issue bonds. The Premium is determined by applying an approved rate (see §§ 115.32(a) and 115.60(a)(2)) to the bond or contract amount. The Premium does not include surcharges for extra services, whether or not considered part of the “premium” under local law.

Principal means, in the case of a Bid Bond, the Person bidding for the award of a Contract. In the case of Final Bonds and Ancillary Bonds, Principal means the Person primarily liable to complete the Contract, or to make Contract-related payments to other persons, and is the Person whose performance or payment is bonded by the Surety. A Principal may be a prime contractor or a subcontractor.

Prior Approval Agreement means the Surety Bond Guarantee Agreement (SBA Form 990) entered into between a Prior Approval Surety and SBA under which SBA agrees to guarantee a specific bond.

Prior Approval Surety means a Surety which must obtain SBA's prior approval on each guarantee and which has entered into one or more Prior Approval Agreements with SBA.

PSB Agreement means the Preferred Surety Bond Guarantee Agreement entered into between a PSB Surety and SBA.

PSB Surety means a Surety that has been admitted to the Preferred Surety Bond (PSB) Program.

Service-Disabled Veteran means a veteran with a disability that is service-connected, as defined in Section 101(16) of Title 38, United States Code.

Small Business Owned and Controlled by Service-Disabled Veterans means:

1. (1) A Small Concern of which not less than 51 percent is owned by one or more Service-Disabled Veterans; or a publicly-owned Small concern of which not less than 51 percent of the stock is owned by one or more Service-Disabled Veterans; and
2. (2) The management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more Service-Disabled Veterans, or in the case of a Service-Disabled Veteran with permanent and severe disability, the spouse or permanent caregiver of such Veteran.

Small Business Owned and Controlled by Veterans means:

1. (1) A Small Concern of which not less than 51 percent is owned by one or more Veterans; or a publicly-owned Small Concern of which not less than 51 percent of the stock is owned by one or more Veterans; and
2. (2) The management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more Veterans.

Surety means a company which:

1. (1)

   1. (i) Under the terms of a Bid Bond, agrees to pay a sum of money to the Obligee if the Principal breaches the conditions of the bond;
   2. (ii) Under the terms of a Performance Bond, agrees to pay a sum of money or to incur the cost of fulfilling the terms of a Contract if the Principal breaches the conditions of the Contract; and
   3. (iii) Under the terms of a Payment or an Ancillary Bond, agrees to make payment to all who have a right of action against such bond, including those who have furnished labor, materials, equipment and supplies in the performance of the Contract.

2. (2) The term Surety includes an agent, independent agent, underwriter, or any other company or individual empowered to act on behalf of the Surety.

   Veteran has the meaning given the term in Section 101(2) of Title 38, United States Code.

[61 FR 3271, Jan. 31, 1996, as amended at 61 FR 7985, Mar. 1, 1996; 72 FR 34599, June 25, 2007; 72 FR 50038, Aug. 30, 2007; 74 FR 36109, July 22, 2009; 76 FR 2572, Jan. 14, 2011; 76 FR 9963, Feb. 23, 2011; 77 FR 41665, July 16, 2012; 79 FR 2086, Jan. 13, 2014; 81 FR 41428, June 27, 2016; 87 FR 48083, Aug. 8, 2022; 88 FR 24473, Apr. 21, 2023; 89 FR 11712, Feb. 15, 2024]