Small government contractors lost an important ally last week–and many of us lost a great friend.
Becky Peterson, the longtime Interim Executive Director of the Association of Procurement Technical Centers, passed away on Thursday. Her legacy lives on in the amazing network of PTACs across the country.
I am on my way home from San Diego, where I spent yesterday at the APTAC Spring Conference. My presentation focused on recent major legal updates in government contracting, including key provisions of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, implementation of the All Small Mentor-Protege Program, and more.
It’s been a rainy spring here in Lawrence, but the sun is finally out today. And speaking of sunshine, I’ll be in sunny San Diego on Monday to speak at the APTAC Spring 2017 Training Conference. I am looking forward to catching up with many of my favorite “PTACers” next week.
Before I head to the West Coast, it’s time for our weekly rundown of government contracting news and commentary. In this week’s SmallGovCon Week In Review, a contractor has agreed to pay nearly $20 million to resolve accusations of overcharging the VA, the GSA is considering removing a mandate requiring industry partners to participate in the new Transactional Data Reporting pilot, the GAO concludes that DoD’s buying power is on the rise, and much more.
For me, the theme this week has been “rock stars.” I began the week with my friends at APTAC–the rock stars of procurement counseling. And last night, I enjoyed 3 1/2 hours of the rock stars of, well, rock stars, as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played the Sprint Center in Kansas City.
Even as the refrain from “Badlands” keeps running through my head (not a bad thing!) I haven’t forgotten that it’s Friday–and that means it’s time for the SmallGovCon Week In Review. In this week’s edition, Samantha Bee offers a pointed but humorous take on the pace of progress for WOSBs, a contractor is accused of SDVOSB fraud in a $23 million case, the SBA is proposing to consolidate the SBIR and STTR Policy Directives, and much more.
I am about to leave St. Louis, where I have been since Sunday for the APTAC Spring Conference. My presentation yesterday focused on common misunderstandings about the SBA’s size and socioeconomic rules (for example, a state WBE certification doesn’t mean that a contractor is a federally-certified WOSB). Thank you to all of the “PTACers” who attended my presentation and asked such great questions.
But for me, the highlight of the trip was yesterday’s luncheon, where the APTAC membership surprised me with a special “Friend of APTAC” award. I am incredibly grateful and humbled to be honored by APTAC in this way. Thank you very much to Terri Bennett, Jason Porch, Becky Peterson, and all of APTAC for this great honor.
I’ve said it once (actually, I’ve said it many times), but if you are a small business in government contracting, you owe it to yourself to see what your local PTAC can do for you. Visit the ATPAC website to get started.
I am back in Lawrence after a great trip to Idaho for the Idaho Small Business Symposium. My presentation at the ISBS focused on big legal changes on the horizon in small business contracting, including the SBA’s proposed universal mentor-protege program.
Thank you to all of the small business owners, government officials, and others who attended my session or stopped by to visit me at the Koprince Law booth. And a special thanks to Lee Velten and Gary Moore of the Idaho PTAC, who put together this fantastic event.
Next up for me: the APTAC Spring Conference in St. Louis, where I look forward to seeing a lot of familiar faces–including my friend Guy Timberlake of the American Small Business Coalition, who will also be speaking at APTAC. If you are a “PTACer,” I look forward to seeing you in St. Louis!
I am back in Kansas after a great trip to Salt Lake City, where I spoke at the 10th Annual PTAC Procurement Symposium. My presentation covered important new developments in government contracting, including the SBA’s proposed new “universal” mentor-protege program, the new WOSB sole source authority, and more.
Many thanks to Fred Lange, Chuck Spence, and their team at the Utah PTAC for inviting me to speak. Thanks also to all of those who attended the conference and made this such a great event.
I will be here in Lawrence for a few weeks, and then it is on to Washington, DC, where I will be sitting in on Supreme Court oral arguments in the Kingdomware SDVOSB/VOSB case and speaking on Kingdomware and other timely government contracting topics at the APTAC Fall Conference.