Don’t Forget the Attachments: A Quick Reminder from SBA’s OHA

Posted on September 1, 2020 by SmallGovConContributor

Did you remember to staple the cover sheet to your TPS report? And, more importantly, if you recently filed a CVE Appeal with the Small Business Administration’s Office of Hearings and Appeals, did you remember to attach a copy of your CVE denial or cancellation?

In OHA’s recent, and very short, decision, Joy Corporation, SBA No. CVE-155-A (Aug. 13, 2020), it reminded appellants that failure to do so will result in almost instant dismissal. To ensure you avoid this fate, read on.

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Press Release: Koprince Law Names Shane McCall New Managing Partner

Posted on August 24, 2020 by SmallGovConContributor

Koprince Law LLC, a boutique federal government contracts firm in Lawrence, KS, is pleased to announce that Shane McCall, editor of the SmallGovCon blog and author of “Procedures and Pitfalls of Size Protests and Appeals,” has been named Managing Partner. In addition, Nicole Pottroff and Haley Claxton have joined the firm’s leadership team as Senior Associate Attorneys.

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Timing Issues: Challenges to Brand Name Salient Characteristics Due Before Proposal Submission, Says GAO

Posted on August 12, 2020 by SmallGovConContributor

Time. It’s a great Pink Floyd song. It’s also something that frequently trips up contractors filing protests before GAO. As one contractor recently discovered, a challenge to the salient characteristics of a brand name product is equivalent to challenging the terms of a solicitation, which carries a different protest deadline than evaluation challenges.

Unfortunately for the protester, its argument did not fair nearly as well as one of David Gilmour’s solos.

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SBA Inspector General Warns of ‘Widespread’ Fraud in COVID-19 Loan Program

Posted on August 3, 2020 by SmallGovConContributor

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General, potential fraudsters have obtained $250 million in federal funds intended to help businesses survive the impact of COVID-19.

The Inspector General also identified $45.6 million in potentially duplicate payments and warned that with well over $220 billion left to give out, rapid changes were needed.

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Protester Goes Seven for Seven in Arguments Before GAO

Posted on July 22, 2020 by SmallGovConContributor

Veterans of the bid protest process know that it’s not uncommon for a protester to make half a dozen arguments and prevail on only one.

Know what that’s called? A win. But when a protester goes seven for seven, you have to tip your cap.

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Contractor’s Creative Staffing Proposal Leads to Elimination from Competition

Posted on July 16, 2020 by SmallGovConContributor

In the competitive federal marketplace, businesses are always looking for ways to make their proposals more competitive. With millions of dollars at stake, it is no surprise that some competitors develop clever approaches to give their proposal a competitive edge.

As one competitor recently discovered, however, there is a point where an offer can get too clever, which may result in proposal elimination. Especially when an agency views the clever approach as violating a solicitation staffing requirement.

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