On December 6, 2022, the SBA held a virtual Q&A session to discuss the roll-out of the Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) certification program. They will be assuming responsibility as of January 2023 and the SBA will begin accepting applications for certification on January 9, 2023. Through the Q&A session, the SBA provided some tips for contractors, an explanation of the processes that are controlling the SBA’s SDVOSB and VOSB certification program, and even gave attendees a preview of the software that will be used. Of course, SmallGovCon was there to get all the details so that we can break them down for you.
Continue reading…SmallGovCon Week in Review: November 28-December 2, 2022
Happy Friday, Readers! December is already here and as we kick off the holiday season, it’s hard to believe that the year is wrapping up already. And speaking of “wrapping” there’s sure to be some of that in the next few weeks. My advice is to pace yourself. The holiday season often feels like we are sprinting, as we try to get it all done and to attend all the holiday festivities. Make sure you slow down enough to really enjoy friends and family. I’ve been enjoying our downtown holiday lights which get better every year, it seems.
Continue reading…GAO Sustains Protest to Best Value Trade Off Where Agency Only Considers “Outstanding” Proposals, Without Weighing Price/Non-Price Factors
The federal government contracting solicitation, proposal, and selection processes are something that all federal government contractors should strive to know. These methods, found in FAR parts 14 and 15, respectively, can be boiled down to two methods: sealed bidding and contracting by negotiation. Contracting by negotiation can occur either through a competitive award or a sole source award. When used effectively, the parts of the FAR clue contractors into the methods that agencies use to evaluate proposals and can help contractors tailor their proposals to better target agencies’ needs, thereby increasing chances of award. Of particular importance is the method an agency will use to evaluate proposals, and the weight given to technical components of the proposal against the weight given to price. In KPMG LLP, B-420949 (Nov. 7, 2022), GAO takes a look at how agencies evaluate technical proposals and price, and how those evaluations work together in a best-value tradeoff decision.
Continue reading…SBA Issues Final Rule on SDVOSB Certification
SBA has issued its final rule for its takeover of the Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Certification program. The rule will have an effective date of January 1, 2023. We discussed the proposed rule in our post here. Below are a few key takeaways from the final version of the rule.
Continue reading…Govology Webinar Event: 2022 Government Contracts Year-End Review, December 8, 2022, 1:00 pm EST
In this webinar, Govology Legal Analyst Steven Koprince and I will cover the most important legal developments for federal contractors in 2022, including new small business rules, recent domestic preference changes under the Buy American Act, key provisions of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, and much more. I hope you will join us. Registration Link is here.
Happy Thanksgiving from SmallGovCon!
Happy Thanksgiving! Here at SmallGovCon, we strive to provide concise, up-to-date, and actionable legal updates and analysis to people in the federal government contracting community and we want to take this opportunity to thank our blog readers. We hope that you will enjoy a few days off spending time with family and friends. We will provide our regular Week in Review next week. Enjoy that pumpkin pie!
Proposed FAR Regulation Turns up the Heat on Federal Contractor Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting
In an effort to comply with Executive Orders issued by the President, and to lower greenhouse gas effects, the Department of Defense, NASA, and GSA have recently issued a proposed rule that would change the FAR to create further requirements for contractors to report and disclose greenhouse gas emissions, as well as create emission targets. This proposed rule will add various requirements to the FAR that create additional reporting for contractors based on their size. Contractors should review these potential changes carefully, provide comments, and begin preparing for compliance with the new requirements. Below is our summary of the key changes.
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