As we’ve written about, it seems like there have been more changes to the Buy American Act and domestic preferences in the last few years than in decades before that. Recently, the FAR Council issued a final rule that spells out how the domestic content thresholds will increase over the next few years. This rule is effective October 25, 2022, so contractors need to be preparing for it now.
Continue readingAuthor Archives: Shane McCall
SmallGovCon Week in Review: May 9-13, 2022
Happy Friday blog readers! Hope you are having a nice week. Kick back and relax with the latest federal contracting updates.
This week saw some interesting federal contracting news. GAO has issued a new report on ways the federal government can potentially save billions of dollars in spending and improve efficiency of its programs. Additional stories include an article I’m quoted in from Bloomberg Law discussing U.S. agencies requests for brand name items in contract proposals. Read on for the details and have a great weekend!
Continue readingSmallGovCon Week in Review: May 2-6, 2022
Happy Friday, Readers! The lilacs are blooming and this spring seems to be a particularly good year for them. We are enjoying their sweet scent as we stroll through the neighborhood when we get a dry day to do so. April showers are carrying over into May and we are all ready for some sunshine. Fun Fact: Kansas ranks #8 on the sunniest states list according to stacker.com. See how your state ranks here.
There was news this week on the OBM gearing up to implement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as well as information on challenges for federal contractors due to wage inflation and the war in Ukraine. You can read more about this and other news in federal government contracting in the articles below.
Have a great weekend!
Continue readingThe FAR will Soon Allow Small Business Set-Asides Outside the US
Small business federal contractors may soon want to think about getting new luggage. The FAR will be updated to allow for–but not require–small business set-asides in overseas procurements. This has the potential to open up a substantial number of contracting opportunities to small businesses who have the capabilities to compete. The final rule will be effective May 26, 2022. Here are some of the key details to know about.
Continue readingSmallGovCon Week in Review: April 25-29, 2022
Happy Friday, Readers! It’s time for another addition of the Week in Review. This week saw a lot of interesting updates, including lots of programs for small business owners, a little news on CMMC, and some new initiatives to help contractors navigate the federal marketplace.
Catch up on all the latest, and enjoy the weekend!
Continue readingBack to Basics: Size Protests and Appeals
When a business is poised to win a federal contract award set aside for small businesses, there is always the potential for a competitor to challenge that award on the basis that the proposed winner is not actually a small business based on SBA’s size and affiliation rules. Or, if your company just lost an award, you may consider challenging that the proposed winner is a small business. Either way, it pays to know the basics behind size protests and appeals. While you could read through my recent handbook on Procedures and Pitfalls of Size Protests and Appeals (it’s a good read!), here are some key things to keep in mind when considering size protests and appeals.
Continue readingSmallGovCon Week in Review, April 18-22, 2022
Happy Friday, Readers! I hope you had a very productive week. It’s hard to believe that we are almost through the month of April already and It won’t be long before the kids are out of school. Parents get ready!!!
The world of federal government contracting just seems to get busier and busier. This week there were several articles on the Pentagon’s budget increasing for AI capabilities and the implementation of Buy American Preference for infrastructure. We’ve also included a few cautionary tales on why it’s a terrible idea for contractors, or anyone else, to try to defraud the federal government. Enjoy and have a great weekend!
Continue reading