SBA has apparently (at least to some extent) followed through on its promise to “return” pending individual-owned 8(a) applications for further applicant revisions to demonstrate social disadvantage. Indeed, we now know at least some (if not all) individual-owned 8(a) applicants got such notification and direction from SBA today. And along with it, they all apparently got a 45-day deadline! Fortunately, along with this action, SBA also provided Volume II FAQs about its social disadvantage updates–which appear to answer at least some of our remaining questions.
Continue readingAuthor Archives: Nicole Pottroff
8(a) Program Impacts of SBA’s Final Rule on Social Disadvantage
Our readers already know that SBA finally updated its 8(a) Program social disadvantage regulation to reflect SBA’s current policies and application review standards and procedures. And that new rule takes effect today! We previously blogged on this regulatory update here. We also blogged on the corresponding guidance issued by SBA here. In this article, we will take a more in-depth look at the new final rule, its potential implications, and some of the remaining questions it leaves unanswered.
Continue readingOHA: Venturer Not Affiliated with Joint Venture, SBA Has No Duty Explore Outside Size Protest Record
Affiliation is a notorious term in the world of federal procurement, especially when it comes to SBA size determinations. And affiliation analyses can be even more confusing when it comes to joint ventures. A recent SBA OHA decision, however, answered some common questions regarding joint ventures and affiliation. It also reiterated some fundamental standards of a size determination and OHA size determination appeal.
Continue readingGovConFAQ: How Do I Count My Joint Venture’s Receipts When Determining My Size?
Joint ventures are an increasingly common teaming structure in small business federal government contracting. They offer small businesses (and even some SBA-approved large business mentors) the opportunity to perform set-aside contracts as part of a team allowed to leverage the size and status(es) of its managing venturer. But with their growing popularity and obvious appeal amongst the small business community comes the often-asked question of how to calculate a joint venture’s receipts towards its venturers’ sizes. This GovConFAQ provides the answer.
Continue readingSmallGovCon Week in Review: June 22-26, 2026
Happy Friday! With June wrapping up, we’ve officially reached the halfway point of the year. Mid-year is the perfect time for federal government contractors to focus on the goals ahead and prepare for new opportunities in the months to come. Here’s to finishing June strong and carrying that momentum into a productive and successful second half of 2026! We hope you have a wonderful weekend.
This week in federal government contracting news, a good chunk of the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (aka “FAR 2.0” or the “RFO”) makes its way into formal rulemaking procedures, NASA expands total awards and introduces thousands of new awardees for SEWP (Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement)–NASA’s premier Government-Wide Acquisition Contract, the White House accelerates the governmentwide shift to post-quantum cryptography and stirs up some controversy with a no-bid contract award for its Reflecting Pool renovations, and GAO identifies some anticipated procurement challenges of cloud computing and also, reflects on 2025’s FraudNet Activity Report. But that’s certainly not all. Take a look at this week’s articles for more on these and other happenings in the federal procurement landscape this week.
Continue readingGovCon FAQs: What Costs Can I Exclude From Limitations on Subcontracting Calculations?
If your small business performs federal government contracts, chances are, you’ve already calculated your small business’s compliance with the applicable limitation on subcontracting (LoS) a time or two. But whether you’re new to the LoS equation–or you’ve long since mastered that math–knowing which costs you can exclude from your calculations is vital. Indeed, such can impact everything from the accuracy of a bidder’s regulatory compliance representations and certifications to a contractor’s critical contract performance and subcontracting decisions. In fact, under current SBA affiliation regulations, LoS compliance can even provide a defense to certain contract-specific findings of affiliation. But calculating LoS compliance and determining exactly which costs to include and exclude on a given contract is not always easy or straightforward. And that’s why we so frequently get this question and break down the answer in this article.
Continue readingGovCon FAQs: Should I Apply Simultaneously for All SBA Statuses I’m Eligible For?
In September 2024, following a temporary application and system pause, SBA switched over to a new, streamlined and unified application portal. Now, applications for the SBA’s 8(a) Program, HUBZone Program, Veteran-Owned Programs, and Woman-Owned Programs all go through MySBACertifications.Gov. Unlike prior portals and procedures, through this one, those eligible have the option to apply for multiple SBA small business contracting programs simultaneously. But the question is, what are the potential risks and benefits of doing so?
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