If April showers bring May flowers, Lawrence, Kansas should be a kaleidoscope of color next week. The rain was so heavy at one point our street became a river for a few hours. The sun is shining today, however, and you can almost see the grass growing. It’s time to fire up the lawn mower and the grill and enjoy the longer, warmer days.

Just like the weather, there have been a few changes in federal government contracting, this week. Here are a few newsworthy articles, including an update on minimum wage increases for federal contractors, a new loan program for restaurants, and updates on the President’s Made in America policies. Have a great weekend!

As you move into the weekend, be on the lookout for the Pink Moon. It’s not really pink though, the name comes from the herb moss pink, also known as creeping phlox, so NASA tells me. This is one of the earliest flowers of spring. So even if you don’t actually see a pink moon, it still means spring is here.

Along with the moon, be sure to check out these government contracting updates, including a report on SBA review of PPP loans, changes to beta.SAM, and calls for emerging technologies for DoD.

Lately, I’ve been enjoying attending my daughter’s soccer games on the weekend. It’s nice getting out into the fresh air. Hope you are able to enjoy some fresh air this weekend as well. But before you do, check out the latest updates in government contracting.

This week saw some important updates in the federal contracting world. These included new details about the GSA administrator, a potential increased emphasis on evaluation of past performance, and DOD’s innovation ecosystem.

As I drove into work today, the redbuds are in full bloom. The purple flowers are the first to appear, after a long, cold winter and it’s a pretty sight and a sure sign that spring is here. Hope you are able to enjoy some nice spring weather this weekend and immerse yourself in the beauty in your part of the world.

But before you start the weekend, catch up on some key news in the federal contracting world. This included contractors anticipating the next big spending bill, new picks for leaders at DoD acquisition and GSA, and DoD seeing increased interest in its Defense Innovation Unit.

Hard to believe it, but March has come and gone and now we’re one quarter of the way through 2021! As you try and figure out where the year has gone this weekend, peruse these government contracting updates that reflect on what has occurred and what could happen during the rest of 2021.

Some of the key stories this week included a DOD review of CMMC, the PPP Extension Act, and an extension on for expiring SAM.gov registrations.

Our hometown Jayhawks basketball team didn’t fare so well in the NCAA tournament. That’s alright; spring is right around the corner. And with it some nice weather across the country. Hope you are able to enjoy the outdoors this weekend.

But before the weekend arrives, this week brought some interesting updates in government contracting, including the details on the regulatory freeze from the Biden administration, IT modernization developments, and preparing for a CMMC assessment.

March Madness begins today and as residents of a city where basketball reigns supreme (Lawrence, Kansas) I can tell you that we are all beyond excited about the NCAA tournament. We have our brackets completed and locked in so let the games begin!

We are also seeing signs of Spring as the temperatures are warming, the rain is falling and the plants are starting to look green and bright after a long, cold winter. It’s a season of change which is also true in the world of government contracting with the announcement of a new SBA Administrator. Here are some highlights from this week.