(a) The Women's Business Centers (WBC) program has grown and evolved to provide a variety of services to many entrepreneurs ranging from those interested in starting businesses to those looking to expand an existing business.

(b) The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), through the Office of Women's Business Ownership (OWBO), is responsible for the general management and oversight of the WBC program. The SBA issues an annual cooperative agreement to recipient organizations for the delivery of assistance to individuals and small businesses. The WBC program acts as a catalyst for providing in-depth, substantive, outcome-oriented business services, including training, counseling, and technical assistance, to women entrepreneurs and both nascent and established businesses, a representative number of whom are socially and economically disadvantaged. By providing training and counseling on a wide variety of topics through WBCs, the SBA meets the needs of the individual client in the local marketplace.

(c) Unless otherwise indicated, all deadlines referred to in this Part are measured in terms of calendar days.