In with the new … but what happened to out with the old?

That's the question on the mind of one small business group, which was hoping that incoming Small Business Administration head Steven Preston would break with his predecessor and identify which companies have received government contracts.

The issue is important because it goes to the heart of allegations that large corporations are masquerading as small businesses to cash in on billions of dollars in government contracts earmarked for small firms.

Lloyd Chapman, president and founder of the Small Business League, has been pressuring to get the names released, but said late yesterday that Preston had rebuffed his request.