Author Archives: Shane McCall

Event: 2026 National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) Conference, August 16-20, 2026

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I’m excited to be presenting “Domestic Sourcing: Buy American Act & Trade Agreements Act” at the 2026 National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) Annual Conference in Orlando on Tuesday, August 18.

My session will explore the Buy American Act and Trade Agreements Act, providing practical guidance and discussing important legal decisions that impact how to navigate these important domestic sourcing requirements in federal contracting.

The NAPEX Annual Conference is a premier professional development event for APEX Accelerators and Small Business Liaison Officers (SBLOs) from across the country. The conference provides opportunities to share best practices, strengthen the government contracting assistance network, and discuss emerging issues affecting the acquisition and supplier communities.

In conjunction with the conference, NAPEX is also hosting the 2026 Industry Expo, which is open to government contractors and industry partners. The Expo offers an excellent opportunity to connect with leading organizations across the defense and government contracting community.

Whether you’re attending the conference for professional development or participating in the Industry Expo to expand your business network, Orlando offers valuable opportunities to learn, connect, and engage with government contracting professionals from across the nation.

If you’ll be attending, I hope you’ll join my session on Tuesday, August 18, and stop by to say hello.

Learn more about the 2026 NAPEX Annual Conference at https://www.napex.us/national-conferences/.

Additional information about the 2026 Industry Expo is available at https://www.napex.us/businessindustryexpoo.

SmallGovCon Week in Review: July 20-24, 2026

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Happy Friday! It’s that time of year when many in our office, and in the federal contracting world, are finding some time for a vacation to reconnect with family and friends. We hope our readers are able to take a break and get some R&R this summer. This weekend, try and find some time to rest, relax, and perhaps enjoy some summer activities.

This week in federal government contracting saw interesting stories including Congress working on some important procurement-related legislation, increased focus on supply chain safety, and steps to enhance whistleblower protections.

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Back to Basics: Trade Agreements Act

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The Trade Agreements Act (TAA) and its companion, the Buy American Act (BAA), both set policies for a preference for increased domestic purchases by the federal government and its contractors. However, the TAA is designed as kind of a counterweight to the BAA. The BAA (passed in 1933), “the first of the major domestic content restriction laws, requires federal agencies to apply a price preference for ‘domestic end products’ and use ‘domestic construction materials’ for covered contracts performed in the United States.” So, the BAA encourages use of US-produced goods.

The TAA, on the other hand, waives some of those BAA requirements for goods coming out of certain favored countries that have trade agreements with the US. In other words, the TAA puts items from those favored countries on an even playing field with the US items. The TAA has some other unique aspects, including a “substantial transformation” test to determine if something is an end product.

In this post, we discuss the basics of the TAA.

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SmallGovCon Week in Review: July 13-17, 2026

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Happy Friday! It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through July! We hope your summer has been filled with meaningful hangouts with family and friends, vacation adventures, and a little extra time to enjoy the season. As we head into the second half of summer, we’re grateful for your continued support of SmallGovCon and look forward to sharing more tips, updates, and resources to help your contracting business thrive. Have a great weekend.

This week in federal government contracting saw articles on pausing parts of CMMC and the role of AI in federal procurement.

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SmallGovCon Week in Review: July 6-10, 2026

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Happy Friday! The 4th of July weekend was a great chance to slow down, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy some good food and fireworks (or drones, in our case). The only downside? The weather has been incredibly hot and humid but that’s typical for summer here in Kansas.

We hope you had a great week and are staying cool. Here’s what is happening in federal government contracting this week. Key stories include GSA AI proposed rules, and Congress having a lot to do this summer.

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Event Announcement: GovCon Roundup Live, July 15, 1:00pm EDT, Expanding VOSB and SDVOSB Opportunities & Navigating the SBA Certification Minefield

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Please join me on the GovCon Roundup Live, with Carroll Bernard and Steven Koprince to discuss several important developments affecting veteran-owned small businesses in federal contracting, including

  • The bipartisan Contract Our Veterans Act of 2026.
  • Critical compliance issue for veteran-owned businesses pursuing VA set-asides: the frequently overlooked limitations on subcontracting certification requirement under VAAR 852.219-75.
  • Why SBA’s strict “unconditional control” rules make certification extremely difficult for franchises
  • Why a veteran must be listed as the company’s highest officer, such as CEO, in the governing documents
  • What “fatal flaws” can undermine an appeal after a certification denial

Here are the details:

  • Wednesday, July 15, 2026
  • 1:00 – 2:30 PM Eastern
  • Free to attend

Here is the link for registration.

Happy Independence Day from SmallGovCon!

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We at SmallGovCon want to wish you and yours a wonderful Independence Day. Be safe this weekend and remember what the day is all about. It is a time to remember what unites as a nation, and consider our shared values and ideals. We hope you have a chance to relax, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy the 4th! We leave you with these words from the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Preamble to the Declaration of Independence