Happy Veterans Day

Posted on November 11, 2020 by Shane McCall

Here at Koprince Law, we salute the service of all veterans and their families, both at home and abroad. Thank you.

Here’s Why “The Other Guy’s Price Is Too Low” Often Fails As a GAO Bid Protest Argument

Posted on November 9, 2020 by Steven Koprince

Maybe it’s happened to you: your company receives a notice of unsuccessful offeror, and your eyes pop. You can’t believe that the winner’s price is so low. “There’s no way they can successfully perform for that,” you say.

But before you file a GAO bid protest, you should carefully check the solicitation’s evaluation criteria. As one unsuccessful offeror recently learned the hard way, GAO often won’t listen to an argument that “the other guy’s price is too low.”

SmallGovCon Week in Review: Nov. 2 – Nov. 6, 2020

Posted on November 6, 2020 by Shane McCall

Happy Friday, SmallGovCon readers. Even as the votes are sifted, the federal government continues to buy goods and services from contractors. To that end, here are some important updates from the last week.

These include veteran-owned small business trends, the critical role of CUI in federal supply chain security, and and update on the rule banning some Chinese equipment.

SDVOSB vs. AbilityOne: VA Violated Rule of Two Again, Court Says

Posted on November 5, 2020 by Steven Koprince

A federal court has ruled that the VA violated the SDVOSB Rule of Two, as well as a more recent statute, by moving SDVOSB set-aside requirements to the AbilityOne program.

If you think you heard this before, you’re not going crazy or living your own personal Groundhog Day. The court’s ruling is just the latest in a long-running debate about how the VA should balance the SDVOSB and AbilityOne contracting preferences.

SBA Confirms Mentor can Own 40% of Protégé and Get 60% of Joint Venture Workshare

Posted on November 4, 2020 by Shane McCall

The SBA’s recent final rule on Mentor-Protégé Program consolidation included a number of important updates and clarifications. Among these was an explanation of the rules involving a mentor owning part of a protégé while also being part of a joint venture with the same protégé. It’s something I’ve always wanted SBA to confirm, so I’m glad they did.

SBA Inspector General Questions Legality of Relaxed HUBZone Residency Rule

Posted on November 2, 2020 by Steven Koprince

Last December, SBA overhauled its HUBZone Program rules in an effort to make it easier for companies to obtain and maintain HUBZone certification–and to help the Government stop falling so woefully short of the three percent HUBZone prime contracting goal.

But now, in a new report, SBA’s internal watchdog is questioning whether one of those HUBZone Program changes went too far.

SmallGovCon Week in Review: Oct. 26 – Oct. 30, 2020

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Shane McCall

Happy Halloween, SmallGovCon readers! My kids are definitely excited about Halloween, even though the trick or treating will be a little different than in years past.

But there is more to be excited about. Next week is National Veteran Owned Small Business Week. Check out SBA’s events and resources for more information, and join us in celebrating the many veteran-owned small businesses around the country.

This week saw a number of important stories, ranging from an idea for a new set-aside category for federal contracts, an update on SBA’s lending in 2020, and a number of enforcement actions involving federal contracting fraud. Read on for more updates.