SBA allows participants to remain in the 8a Certification program for nine years but, due to the pandemic and uncertainty of federal opportunities some participants have considered requesting a suspension until the pandemic subsides. To assist participants Congress has been working to extend the program for one year for those who have entered the program on or before September 9, 2020 under Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. This extension would provide companies a maximum of ten years in the program, as opposed the required nine years. The bill has now been