Earlier this week, on January 13, 2021, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued an interim final rule that allows companies in the 8(a) Business Development (8(a) BD) program to extend their participation in the program for up to one additional year. The extension is intended to help small businesses that were participants in the 8(a) BD program as of March 30, 2020 (the date of the nationwide coronavirus emergency disaster declaration) and that may have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in their ability to participate and receive the full benefits of the program.  This article briefly discusses the interim final rule.