Comment on FR Doc # E9-29228

The proposed regulation would clarify when a joint venture may be populated or unpopulated. It indicates that whether a joint venture is populated or not depends on its structure. That is, if it is a separate legal entity such as an LLC, it must have its own employees (populated) however "if a joint venture merely exissts through a written agreement, then it need not have its own employees" (unpopulated). Would the Government award a contract to a not established as a legal entity but set up only through a written agreement and could such an entity register itself in the CCR system? It is our belief that most of the current mentor protege joint ventures receiving awards are unpopulated LLCs. We recommentd tha SBA allow for unpopulated joint ventures set up as LLCs (separate legal entities).