(This is Part One of a two-part series on guaranty purchase.)

To request SBA honor its guaranty by purchasing the SBA guaranteed portion of a 7(a) Loan (“guaranty purchase”), Lenders submit a Universal Purchase Package (“UPP”). The UPP is a is the set of documents prepared and submitted by a 7(a) Lender to support the guaranty purchase request. After receiving the guaranty purchase request, SBA’s first step is review of the UPP by the appropriate SBA Center, which is determined based on the loan amount, delivery method, and location of the Borrower. For example, guaranty purchase review for Standard 7(a) loans—which are loans greater than $500,000—begins at the National Guaranty Purchase Center (“NGPC”). For loans $500,000 or less and SBA Express loans, guaranty purchase review begins at the appropriate Commercial Loan Service Center (Fresno or Little Rock, based on the Borrower’s location).