The Small Business Administration has restricted the use of robotic processing automation, or RPA, to enter Paycheck Protection Program loan applications amid lenders’ significant difficulties accessing the E-Tran system.
“RPAs burden the processing system and diminish its capabilities,” SBA said in a message to lenders. “Without RPAs, the loan processing system will be more reliable, accessible, and equitable for all small businesses.”
SBA is still permitting lenders to submit PPP applications through application programming interfaces, or APIs. For assistance converting an RPA process to an API, SBA advised lenders to contact agency official Sheri McConville.
“Banks of all sizes worked through the night to process PPP loans with little success,” American Bankers Association President and CEO Rob Nichols tweeted this morning. “Banks are still trying and counting on SBA and Treasury to fix it so we can speed this aid to small businesses that desperately need it.”
Banks of all sizes worked through the night to process #PPP loans with little success. Banks are still trying & counting on @SBAgov and @USTreasury to fix it so we can speed this aid to small businesses that desperately need it.
— Rob Nichols (@BankersPrez) April 28, 2020
Nichols also addressed the challenging reopening of the program in a CBS News interview this morning, emphasizing that banks are “desperate to help their millions of small business customers all across the country.” ABA remains engaged at the highest levels with SBA and Treasury Department officials to facilitate E-Tran access for all banks.
Small business owners are still fighting to get a loan, even with hundreds of billions of dollars available.@edokeefe reports. pic.twitter.com/jAVN1YFk8f
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) April 28, 2020
