Happy Friday! Monday is our newest federal holiday, Junteenth. Courtesy of History.com, Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. On June 17, 2021, it officially became a federal holiday.
I hope you will enjoy the activities in your community. In our town of Lawrence, Kansas, there is a parade, a free concert and lots of educational events this weekend. I’m really looking forward to it! GSA published a great press release on Junteenth, that we have included below. Lots of activity in the Federal government world this week. We have included some articles that we think are of interest. Have a great weekend!
- GSA reflects on Juneteenth amid continued equity push for Black communities [GSA]
- NAICS Codes & Identifying Bids More Than Meets The Eye [MyGovWatch]
- Government Efficiency and Effectiveness:Opportunities to Reduce Fragmentation, Overlap, and Duplication and Achieve Billions of Dollars in Financial Benefits [GAO]
- US Department of Labor Recovers More Than $171K in Back Pay, Benefits for 11 Workers Shortchanged by Florida Construction Subcontractor [DoL]
- $321 Million FEMA Resource Contract Backed By GAO After Protests [BlmbgLaw]
- Report: GAO Denies Protest of Army Joint Light Tactical Vehicle Contract Award Decision [GovConWire]
- FACT SHEET: Biden Administration Celebrates the 75th Anniversary of Women’s Integration into the Armed Forces [WH]
- Bot brigade marching through Interior to accelerate digital transformation [FedNewsNet]
- White House extends secure software attestation deadlines, offers clarifying guidance [FedNewsNet]
- GSA Offers Update on New Pool for 8(a) Vendors Under Multiple Award Schedule [ExecGov]
- Evolving compliance challenges in the US government contracts market [FinWorld]
- GSA joins EPA in putting the brakes on how employees use generative AI [FedNewsNet]
- Residents of Guam still recovering after typhoon [FedNewsNet]
- Department of Labor to Hold Online Seminars to Educate Current, Prospective Federal Contractors on Prevailing Wage Requirements [DoL]