SmallGovCon Week In Review: May 1-5, 2017

Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Whether you are celebrating the Mexican Army’s “unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla” back in 1862 or just looking for an excuse to grab a cold margarita on the patio, I hope you have a wonderful May 5.

Even though it’s not an official holiday here in the U.S., it’s still Friday–and that means it’s time for our weekly roundup of government contracts news. This edition of SmallGovCon Week In Review includes a defense contractor heading to prison in connection with a $53 million fraud and gratuity scheme, the GAO provides six recommendations to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse, California lawmakers debate “blacklisting” contractors who work on the President’s proposed border wall, and more.

  • With last week’s potential government shutdown temporarily averted, contractors breathed a sigh of relief, but what happens in a few months? Forbes takes a look at the toll a shutdown would take on women federal contractors. [Forbes]
  • Federal News Radio gives us a look at eight trends its expects to continue into 2018 for federal contractors. [Federal News Radio]
  • A defense contractor will be spending five years in prison after being sentenced for a $53 million fraud and gratuity scheme. [United States Department of Justice]
  • The GAO makes six recommendations to reduce fraud, waste and abuse in small business research programs. [GAO]
  • What can Congress and the administration do now to speed up the modernization of IT procurement? [Defense Systems]
  • California lawmakers are debating whether to blacklist contractors who help build the president’s proposed border wall. (My opinion: regardless of one’s political leanings, punishing contractors for working on federal government contracts of any type is a very bad idea). [NPR]
  • Government contracts guru Mark Amtower busts seven pervasive contracting myths. [Washington Technology]