Here in the Midwest, it seems we’re all looking for the first signs of fall even as summer continues (be that leaves changing color or pumpkin spice sightings).

As we finish up the summer and look towards fall, please enjoy some interesting tidbits from the government contracting world. This week, the FAR is updating rules about electronic transmission of task orders, the Alliant 2 small business contract continues to generate headlines, and agencies are releasing a flurry of solicitations.

It’s back to school week here in Lawrence. Kind of like parents doing a back to school shopping spree, the federal government’s spending calendar is also seeing more activity. The fourth quarter of the government’s fiscal year regularly sees a big spike in government spending.

Here is a roundup of some interesting happenings in government contracting world, including the draft STARS III IT solicitation for small businesses and new IRS procurement methods.

• GSA announces STARS III IT contract for small businesses. [fedscoop]
• Wilbraham business owner agrees to pay $1.3 million to federal government to settle false-claims case. [Masslive]
• DOJ not joining whistleblower’s False Claims Act case against companies with Navy contracts. [legalnewsline]
• IRS tries agile acquisition for data tools. [FCW]
• Department of Defense develops plan to correct contracting practices. [HomelandPrepNews]
• New tool to help contractors comply with federal workplace discrimination rules. [federalnewsnetwork]
• Guilty pleas in government contract furniture bid scheme. [woodworkingnetwork]
• Labor Unveils New Resources to Boost Contractor Hiring Compliance. [NextGov]

Looking for the latest government contracting legal news? Sign up for our free monthly newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Happy February, everybody! After a bit of frigid weather here in Lawrence this past week (though not nearly as frigid as it was for our friends up north), we’re gearing up for a spring-like weekend. Don’t get too jealous: it’ll turn cold again just a few days later. Gotta love that Kansas weather!

Now that the federal government is open again (at least for now), let’s take a look at some of the post-shutdown news in this edition of the Week In Review. We’ll look at federal IT spending, mounting shutdown effects, and, as usual, some contractors behaving badly.

Have a great weekend!