Preparing for the Worst

Posted on March 13, 2020 by SmallGovConContributor

The hot topic of late—for good reason—is the coronavirus (or COVID-19), and its incredible impact on people and the world’s economy. It’s inescapable, and turning on the evening news can be downright scary.

We’re all concerned with how to protect our loved ones from the impact of this outbreak. But for business owners—particularly small business owners—those concerns are compounded by the fear of potential economic hardships that are almost certain to come.

In this post, we’ll discuss suggestions as to how a federal government contractor might prepare for disruptions caused by the coronavirus (or other calamities).

SmallGovCon Week In Review: March 9 – March 13, 2020

Posted on March 13, 2020 by Shane McCall

Like the rest of the nation and world, we at Koprince Law are closely watching and listening to the recommendations of our public health authorities on a local, regional, and national level. It’s times like these that remind us (not that we need it) of the importance of the government and government contractors in responding to crises. As Tom Hanks said, listen to what medical authorities recommend.

This week, there was plenty of news about the coronavirus and how it will impact federal contracting, as well as pieces about cyber insurance for government contractors, a timeline for cybersecurity auditors, and questions about GSA’s planned e-commerce initiative.

GAO: VA’s Market Research Improperly Compared Apples to Oranges, Violated Rule of Two

Posted on March 12, 2020 by Shane McCall

Under the VA’s Rule of Two, the VA is required to set aside solicitations for veteran-owned businesses if there is a reasonable expectation of receiving offers from two or more such businesses capable of performing the required work at a fair and reasonable price. But how reasonable does the VA’s expectation have to be in a given procurement?

GAO recently reviewed the reasonableness of VA’s efforts and found them lacking.

GovCon Basics: Common Procurement Methods and Terminology

Posted on March 11, 2020 by SmallGovConContributor

The acronyms and terminology used in federal government contracting can be a labyrinth–one sadly devoid of David Bowie. In this post, we’ll clarify some of the common methods used for government procurements, the regulations defining them, and the terminology associated with them.

SmallGovCon Week In Review: March 2 – March 6, 2020

Posted on March 6, 2020 by Shane McCall

We’ve been enjoying some spring-like weather in these parts lately with highs in the 60s. But March is not just the start of spring, it’s also peak government contracts season.

Here are some interesting stories from the last week in federal government contracting, among them when the first CMMC training course for auditors will come out, e-commerce platforms rumblings, and securing the government’s technology supply chain.

Prime Contractor Can Sponsor Subcontractor’s Claim to Government

Posted on March 4, 2020 by SmallGovConContributor

Let’s say you’re a subcontractor to a prime contractor, which holds a construction contract with the Government. And you run into problems which need to be solved by submitting a claim to the contracting officer.

But, as the subcontractor, you don’t have a contractual relationship (privity of contract, in legal speak) with the Government. Can you still submit the claim?