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What we do
We help small businesses when they experience excessive or unfair federal regulatory enforcement actions.
Congress established the Office of the National Ombudsman in 1996 to assist small businesses, small government entities, and small nonprofits when they are subject to excessive enforcement by a federal agency. Excessive enforcement may include repetitive audits or investigations, excessive fines, penalties, threats, retaliation or other unfair enforcement action.
As an impartial liaison, we refer comments submitted by a small business to the appropriate agency for high-level fairness review, and we work across the federal government to address those concerns to help small businesses succeed.
On an annual basis, we rate federal agencies using feedback received from the agency questionnaire and criteria such as timeliness and quality of responses.
File a comment
You can file a comment if you’re a small business (or you represent one), a non-profit organization, or a small government entity (population 50,000 or less) and your issue involves a federal agency and federal regulation. There is no charge to file a comment.
Once we have received your comment and supporting documentation, we will try to get a response from the federal agency within 30 business days. Complex comments may take longer.
If you prefer to email or mail in your comment, download the PDF and submit it to:
Email: ombudsman@sba.gov
Mail: U.S. Small Business Administration
Office of the National Ombudsman
409 Third St., SW
Mail code: 2120
Washington, DC 20416
Be sure to describe your issue in detail, state the outcome you’re seeking, and include any supporting documentation, if available.
Annual reports to Congress
The Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA) ensures that small businesses will be heard by federal agencies as they go through the regulatory compliance and enforcement process. The Office of the National Ombudsman submits annual reports to Congress, rating federal agencies on:
- Timeliness in responding to small entity comments
- Quality of response to small entity
- Non-retaliation policies
- Compliance assistance
- SBREFA notification
Regulatory fairness boards
SBA's Administrator is required to appoint 10 small business Regional Regulatory Fairness Boards. The boards are comprised of five volunteer small business owners.
The Regulatory Fairness Boards advise the Ombudsman on matters of federal regulatory concern to small businesses. The Ombudsman coordinates activities of the Regulatory Fairness Boards that help connect small businesses with resources available through the National Ombudsman’s Office.
To apply to become a Regional Regulatory Fairness Board member, email the Office of the National Ombudsman at ombudsman@sba.gov for an application.
| Region | Current members |
|---|---|
|
Region 1 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) |
Heather Cuzzi Melissa Florio Dr. Deborah A. Osgood, PhD Craig Pickell |
|
Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) |
Lisa Coppola Janna Patricia Rodriguez Dr. Kia Grundy Francisco Rodriguez-Castro |
|
Region 3 (Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia) |
Marilyn D. Landis Cynthia Towers Ronald Eagle Everett Browning Sr. Kimberly Daniels |
|
Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee) |
Ken Taunton Larry Turnley Erick Valderrama Riaz Merchant Andre Booker |
|
Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) |
Clifford Bailey Cathy Koch Brian Tretter Siuyuan Katherine Hill |
|
Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas) |
Albert C. "Tre" Black Beverly Thompson Mark Wingate Bettye Payne |
|
Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska) |
Paul Licausi Mindy Rocha Claudia Schabel Tameka Stigers Rachel Daly |
|
Region 8 (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming) |
Matt Greene Ashley Korenblat Reanna Werner Todd Baldwin Jessica Meyers |
|
Region 9 (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the territories of Guam and American Samoa) |
Amy Nguyen Gabriel Monares Andrea Vigil |
|
Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) |
Haydee Alejandra Alarcon Colleen Echohawk Marshall Doyle Douglas Hackler Sr. Pamelyn Wilmot |
Request a speaker
Ombudsman speakers can help small businesses understand how to deal with excessive or unfair regulation. Small business groups, chambers of commerce, schools, colleges, trade associations, local governments, and similar groups can request that staff from SBA’s National Ombudsman speak at an event.
Email ombudsman-events@sba.gov with your event details, including:
- Event name
- Date
- Location
- Topic
- Format (opening remarks, panel, round table, etc.)
Be sure to include your contact information and any other relevant details about the event.
Policy on non-retaliation against small businesses
If a small business requests Ombudsman assistance about SBA regulatory enforcement actions, the agency will not retaliate. SBA will investigate all allegations of retaliation or threats and will refer all allegations to the Inspector General and/or appropriate Management Board Member. Any retaliatory action taken by an SBA employee against a small business will be dealt with according to SBA policy.
Compliance assistance with federal agencies
The Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002 (SBPRA) requires each federal agency to establish a point of contact to act as a liaison between the agency and small business concerns.
See a list of compliance assistance points of contact for each agency.
Contact us
U.S. Small Business Administration
Office of the National Ombudsman
409 Third St., SW
Washington, DC 20416
Email: ombudsman@sba.gov
Phone: 888-734-3247