We get a lot of questions about federal government contracting as federal government contracting attorneys, which makes sense. One thing we get asked about a lot is the Buy American Act. This is also unsurprising, as the government really did not do the best job in making it clear what this act does. We have talked about the Act before, but now, let’s take a deeper dive into it.
Continue reading…SBA Confirms GSA Schedule-Holders Who Outgrow Size Standard Can Still Get Awarded Set-Aside TOs and Options
Many contractors utilize a GSA schedule contract to provide the Government with their products and/or services. After all the effort it takes to get on a GSA schedule contract, a contractor would certainly not want to lose its chance at a small business task orders issued under it, just because it’s circumstances have changed since it first got the schedule contract as a small business. In a recent decision, the SBA’s Office of Hearings and Appeals (“OHA”) confirmed that even if a business changes size after being awarded a GSA schedule contract, it can still compete for small business task orders from a Blanket Purchase Agreement (“BPA”) awarded under it.
Continue reading…SmallGovCon Week in Review: June 10-14, 2024
Happy Friday! The weather gave us a taste of summer with a heat index of over 100 degrees here in the Midwest. We are grateful for air conditioning here at SmallGovCon. We hope you have been staying cool and have some fun things planned for the weekend. Enjoy!
This week in federal government contracting news there is buzz about AI procurement, supply chain risks, and timing changes on the 8(a) and WOSBS programs from SBA.
Continue reading…Update: SBA Will Eliminate Remaining SDVOSB Self-Certification December 2024
As SmallGovCon readers may recall, SBA has already eliminated the ability to self-certify as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) for all prime contracting opportunities set aside for SDVOSBs. This change occurred January 1, 2024 and meant that self-certified SDVOSBs will no longer be eligible for set-aside and sole source contracts. We wrote about the change here. However, the rule change left in place the self-certification ability for self-certified SDVOSBS, but only for subcontracting purposes and government goaling purposes. This will be changing in December 2024.
Continue reading…SmallGovCon Week in Review: June 3-7, 2024
It’s Friday, which means it’s time for another week in review. We hope you have had a productive week and are ready for a great weekend. This week saw some interesting news including an SBA rule to eliminate self-certification for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses that are awarded Federal Government contracts or subcontracts. You can read more in the link below and we will be blogging on this new development, as well.
Have a great weekend!
Continue reading…Event! MyGovWatch Live: The B2G Roundtable, June 19, 2024, 12:00pm CDT
If you’re interested in winning more B2G business through the bid process, but you don’t have all the answers, join this LIVE forum and talk about this market with people who have helped hundreds of companies win BILLIONS of dollars in government contracts. This month’s co-hosts are, our very own Koprince McCall Pottroff LLC’s, Nicole Pottroff and Gregory Weber who will be joining, Angela Seymour, a seasoned procurement and GovCon professional with an impressive background in public service spanning nearly two decades.
The event host, Nick Bernardo, President & founder of MyGovWatch.com, has over 20 years of experience helping companies of all sizes figure out how to find, compete for, and actually win government contracts. Sign up now to join this free opportunity to speak with experts, who have actually helped people succeed in GovCon, who can answer ALL your questions. Registration link here.
SBA Proposed Rule: Make WOSB, SDVOSB, and 8(a) Regulations More Consistent
If you ask any small business federal government contractor or their attorney for the top complaints about the regulations that apply to the Small Business Administration, inconsistency between the various programs is likely to show up on that list. At first glance, it seems the requirements are pretty standard across the board. However, when you dive deeper, you’ll likely notice that even though the requirements are similar, there are enough small differences in the language you can’t just assume that, say, a requirement for service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) is going to be the same for a woman-owned small business (WOSB) or an 8(a) Program participant.
The differences make it crucial to look at the specific regulations for the specific SBA program to ensure compliance. You can’t just assume that they are the same. Thankfully, it looks like the SBA has finally heard our cries for consistency with a recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, in which it attempts to align the WOSB Program with the new SDVOSB/VetCert Program and the 8(a) Program. And, as an added bonus, the beginnings of what appears to be a plan to make the WOSB certification process a bit easier if your business is already certified under either the 8(a) program or the SDVOSB program.
Continue reading…