SmallGovCon Week in Review: February 9-13, 2026

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Shane McCall

Happy Friday the 13th! We hope your day is off to a lucky start and that everything is running smoothly. As a quick reminder, Valentine’s Day is tomorrow—so if it slipped your mind, there’s still time to grab some chocolate and flowers (and maybe avoid any Friday the 13th surprises!).

Valentine’s Day Fun Facts:

The Oldest Valentine: The oldest known valentine was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Teachers Get the Most Love: Teachers receive the highest number of Valentine’s Day cards, followed by children, mothers, and wives.
Flower Power: Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day are the busiest holidays for florists, with 189–250 million roses grown for the holiday.
Not Just for Humans: About 3% of pet owners give Valentine’s Day gifts to their pets.

We hope you get to spend time celebrating with your loved ones this weekend. Enjoy!

Now, on to this week in federal government contracting news. Key stories including the cancellation of CIO-SP4 and SBA moving forward with additional 8(a) terminations.

Why File: A Refresher on Challenging Solicitation Terms in a Pre-Award Protest

Posted on February 12, 2026 by Annie Birney

It is not uncommon for a disappointed bidder to consider filing a protest only after the agency has issued the award. While this is understandable, sometimes the basis for protesting stems from a misunderstanding of the solicitation’s terms, or that the terms felt unreasonably restrictive. However, unfortunately for the eager protester, it is by that point generally too late to challenge the terms of the solicitation.

In a previous blog, Why File: A GAO Pre-Award Protest, we provided an overview of different reasons to file a pre-award protest. As noted there, the most common basis for a pre-award protest is a challenge to the solicitation terms.

SmallGovCon Week in Review: February 2-6, 2026

Posted on February 6, 2026 by Shane McCall

Happy Friday! It’s time for another week in review. There was a lot happening across the federal government this week, as you can see from the long list of articles included below. We hope you have a chance to sit back, relax, and catch up on everything that unfolded. Have a wonderful weekend in your neck of the woods.

This week saw stories on ending the government shutdown, new spending bills, and cybersecurity.

OHA Reminder: Compliance with SBA Joint Venture Requirements is Determined at Final Proposal Revisions

Posted on February 6, 2026 by John Holtz

In most size and status protests, SBA’s Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) will determine an offeror’s eligibility for a procurement as of the date of initial offer including price for that procurement. Indeed, with regards to SDVOSBs and VOSBs specifically, 13 C.F.R § 134.1003(e)(1) states that “[i]f the VOSB or SDVOSB status protest pertains to a procurement, the Judge will determine a protested concern’s eligibility as a VOSB or SDVOSB as of the date of its initial offer or response which includes price for a competitively awarded VOSB/SDVOSB contract, order, or agreement, and as of the date of award for any sole source VOSB or SDVOSB award.” But there is an important exception to this rule (something another company found out regarding its mentor-protégé joint venture recently) in that very clause, and, recently, OHA pointed this out in a GSA-led protest of an SDVOSB joint venture (VSBC-459-P, January 15, 2026). Today, we’ll look at that decision.

Webinar Announcement! Understanding the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program, February 17, 2026 hosted by Kansas APEX Accelerators

Posted on February 4, 2026 by Shane McCall

First launched in 2016 as the “All Small Mentor-Protégé Program,” this powerful initiative by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has evolved—but it remains a game-changing tool for both small and large federal contractors.

In this informative webinar, we will break down the key elements of the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program. You’ll learn how this program can help small businesses enhance their capabilities and compete for larger contracts—with the support of an experienced mentor. The session will also cover how mentor-protégé joint ventures can create new contracting opportunities and expand your footprint in the federal marketplace. Additionally, we will provide an introduction to the even older DoD Mentor-Protege Program, which set the stage for the SBA’s program, and compare the two programs.

Bridge to Nowhere: COFC Says Incumbents not Guaranteed Bridge Contract During CICA Stay

Posted on February 3, 2026 by Gregory Weber

Losing an award can be quite tough, especially when you are the incumbent on the preceding related contract. Often, a salve for an incumbent contractor’s pain can be a bid protest which may result in a bridge contract to that incumbent for the period of the protest. This actually was a fairly common practice for many years in federal contracting. Consequently, many contractors have interpreted such an incumbent bridge contract as a requirement, not simply a course of dealing. However, the United States Court of Federal Claims has highlighted the harsh reality that the incumbent is absolutely not guaranteed a bridge contract after a bid protest, and the agency may take other actions with the named awardee without violating the stay’s requirements.

SmallGovCon Week in Review: January 26-30, 2026

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Shane McCall

It’s Friday and time for another SmallGovCon Week in Review. As we finish out January we hope everyone is staying warm with all the snow and cold weather across the country. I was in Washington DC this week for a court hearing, and it’s clear the cold and snow has really done a number on half the country. There was snow on the ground when I left Kansas City and snow on the ground in DC, and every place in between.

Grab a hot cup of cocoa (as sung by the The Von Trapp children) and warm up with the latest in federal government contracting news, including the suspension of many 8(a) companies and a close review of 8(a) contracts by DoD, along with news on a potential shutdown.