In a recent decision, Eminent IT, LLC, B-418570 (June 23, 2020), GAO held that the Department of State improperly removed a requirement from the SBA’s 8(a) program where the solicitation did not create a “new requirement.”
Continue reading…SmallGovCon Week In Review: July 20 – July 24, 2020
Last week, I tried to see the Comet NEOWISE, but I couldn’t locate it. Guess that’s why I’m a lawyer and not an astronomer! Maybe some of you had better luck. As we move through the dog days of summer, I hope all our readers are staying cool and healthy.
This week saw a number of interesting federal contracting stories. Among them were tallying up record federal spending during the pandemic, cyber hygiene as part of CMMC, and potential waivers for the Huawei ban.
Continue reading…Protester Goes Seven for Seven in Arguments Before GAO
Veterans of the bid protest process know that it’s not uncommon for a protester to make half a dozen arguments and prevail on only one.
Know what that’s called? A win. But when a protester goes seven for seven, you have to tip your cap.
Continue reading…SmallGovCon Week In Review: July 13 – July 17, 2020
Happy Friday to you all and here’s to the weekend!
This week saw its fair share of government contracting updates as well. These included STARS III details, progress on GSA’s schedule mass modification, and predictions for a government fourth quarter spending spree.
Continue reading…Newsflash: 8(a) Income and Net Worth Eligibility Standards Increased
As of July 15, the initial caps on net worth, adjusted gross income, and fair market value of assets for the 8(a) program have gone up. The dollar amounts for initial 8(a) economic disadvantage eligibility have increased quite a bit, making more people economically eligible. Read on for the details on this change.
Continue reading…Contractor’s Creative Staffing Proposal Leads to Elimination from Competition
In the competitive federal marketplace, businesses are always looking for ways to make their proposals more competitive. With millions of dollars at stake, it is no surprise that some competitors develop clever approaches to give their proposal a competitive edge.
As one competitor recently discovered, however, there is a point where an offer can get too clever, which may result in proposal elimination. Especially when an agency views the clever approach as violating a solicitation staffing requirement.
Continue reading…FAR Final Rule: Increased Micro-Purchase and Simplified Acquisition Thresholds
The Federal Acquisition Regulation has officially been updated to increase the micro-purchase threshold and the simplified acquisition threshold, effective August 31, 2020. Various federal agencies had already increased the thresholds through deviations, but this rule makes it official across the board. A few additional thresholds will increase due to inflation.
Read on for the details on how this could impact federal procurement.
Continue reading…