8(a) Joint Venture Fraud Allegations Lead to False Claims Act Settlement

The SBA’s joint venture rules can be strict. Mistakes like failing to update a joint venture agreement, inserting ambiguous provisions in a joint venture agreement, or relying on an expired mentor-protege agreement can be costly.

Good faith mistakes are one thing–the joint venture may lose out on a contract, but probably won’t face other penalties. But when the government believes that a contractor knowingly violated the joint venture rules, the repercussions can be much more serious–as seen in a recent False Claims Act settlement involving allegations of fraud under the 8(a) joint venture regulations.

Continue reading

Koprince Law LLC’s New 8(a) Program GovCon Handbook is Live!

Well folks, the wait is finally over! The Second Edition of our popular GovCon Handbook on the SBA’s 8(a) Program is live, and it’s available here. In this revised, updated, and expanded Handbook, Steven Koprince and I give you the run-down on all things 8(a) (and as always, we do so in plain English).

Whether you are considering applying to the 8(a) Program, in the midst of the application process, already years into your 8(a) Program term, or a recent graduate/non-8(a) entity hoping to team with an 8(a) company one of these days–this book is for you. It covers everything under the 8(a) sun, including:

Continue reading

Coming Next Week: Koprince Law LLC’s New 8(a) Program GovCon Handbook!

The 8(a) Program is tremendously powerful and can be a springboard to massive success in the government contracts marketplace. But the many (many!) rules surrounding the 8(a) Program are complex, and even savvy 8(a) contractors–not to mention first-time applicants–easily can become confused.

I am pleased to announce that next week, Koprince Law LLC will publish a Second Edition of our popular GovCon Handbook on the 8(a) Program. In this revised, updated and expanded Handbook, my colleague Nicole Pottroff and I will cover the 8(a) Program’s rules in detail, including:

Continue reading

Event: SBA Training Webinar on 8(a) Joint Ventures

8(a) joint ventures are a powerful tool–both for non-8(a)s to participate in 8(a) contract opportunities and for 8(a) companies to gain valuable experience in their industries. But it is crucial that 8(a) joint ventures follow all of SBA’s requirements if they want to get (and keep) 8(a) awards.

Some of those requirements underwent significant revisions this past year. Join Shane McCall and me on February 9 for the SBA Training Webinar: 8(a) Joint Ventures, where we will discuss the ins and outs of 8(a) joint ventures and keep you up-to-date on all of SBA’s requirements.

Please register here. Hope to see you there!

New GovCon Handbook Arriving Soon! The 8(a) Program 2021 Edition

I’m so excited to announce that a new Koprince Law LLC GovCon Handbook entitled, The 8(a) Program, is coming soon! This handbook–complete with all the SBA’s important changes from the past couple years–was co-authored by myself and Steven Koprince. It will be published through Amazon in the coming weeks. And don’t worry, we will keep you updated on the publication date and how to reserve an advance copy.

If you are thinking about applying to the 8(a) Program, currently going through the application process, or have already been admitted–this is the book for you. This book provides guidance on every step of the process, in plain English. It can help you navigate the ins and outs of the 8(a) Program, and even assist you in utilizing the full extent of your 8(a) Program opportunities. Stay tuned for more details!

2020 Rewind: The Year’s Biggest Government Contracting News Affecting Small Businesses

Let’s face it: most people won’t look back on 2020 with anything remotely approaching nostalgia.  Here at Koprince Law LLC, we are eager to turn the page and move on with 2021, too. 

But small businesses shouldn’t forget 2020 completely.  The year brought many important developments, including major changes to some key government contracting rules that our readers should remember.  So here, in a nutshell, are the most important 2020 government contracting changes and legal developments for small businesses. 

Continue reading