SmallGovCon Week in Review: October 2-6, 2023

This week we had some actual fall temperatures at the SmallGovCon home offices. It’s finally pumpkin spice weather! We’ll be enjoying the fall weather and some football this weekend. Hope you enjoy the fall weather as well, along with some of top federal contracting headlines, including the continuing resolution to fund the government, new cyber rules, and the opening of the 8(a) portal. 

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SmallGovCon Week in Review: September 24-29, 2023

Happy Friday. It’s time to say goodbye to September and welcome in October already. Where does the time go?

As I’m sure you all are aware, this week’s federal government contracting news is all about the possible government shut down and its impact on federal services and federal government contractors. Lawmakers have today and tomorrow to come to some sort of agreement. We’ve included some articles below with additional information on this situation as well as other federal government contracting news. Have a great weekend.

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Small GovCon Week in Review: September 18-22, 2023

Happy Friday, Readers. We hope you have had a great week and are looking forward to the weekend. Talk around the proverbial water cooler, this week, has been about the possible government shut down. On midnight, September 30th, fiscal year 23 will come to an end. Apparently, if certain things aren’t passed by Congress and signed by the President, the new fiscal year will start with a shutdown, and that has a lot of government contractors nervous.

We have included some articles on this topic and other federal government news below. Have a great weekend.

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Event Announcement: Senator Joni Ernst’s Entrepreneur Expo, September 22, 2023 Ames, Iowa

I’m excited to announce that I will be presenting at Senator Ernst’s Entrepreneur Expo in Ames, Iowa. This is a wonderful opportunity for Iowa’s small businesses to learn about government contracting and federal innovation programs. This event will feature successful small business speakers, multiple information sessions with procurement experts, and networking opportunities with federal, state, and local agency officials. I’ll be discussing both the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program and small business joint ventures.

There are multiple programming tracks within the Expo for participants to choose from, as well as networking sessions. Hope to see you there! Free registration at this link. Additional information about this event here.

Govology Webinar: Cracking the Code: NAICS Essentials for Government Contractors, September 12, 2023, 1:00pm EDT

Join this webinar as John Holtz and I explore the pivotal role of NAICS codes in determining eligibility for SBA’s exclusive small business set-aside contracts. Recent revisions in size thresholds, size calculations, and industry classifications within the latest NAICS manual have reshaped the landscape. We’ll also discuss NAICS codes appeals, which can be a powerful tool. Register here.

Clearing Things Up: OHA Remands Matter for Unclear Veteran-Owned Bylaws

SBA administers four socioeconomic programs: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), 8(a) Business Development Program (8(a)) Women-Owned Small Business Program (WOSB) and HUBZone. The SDVOSB, 8(a), and WOSB programs all require that the key owner generally have control over the long-term decision-making and the day-to-day operations of a company. These same rules apply to the veteran-owned small businesses program (VOSB) as well. A recent decision from the Office of Hearings and Appeals at SBA reveals that the operating agreement or bylaws for these types of companies must be very clear about how they are operated.

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SmallGovCon Week in Review: August 28-Sept. 1, 2023

Happy Friday! We always know it’s almost Labor Day when the sunflower fields start blooming in Kansas. They hold a special place in our hearts because they are the state flower. People come from miles around to visit and photograph the beautiful fields each year. I mean, how can you not smile when you see a sunflower, right?

We hope you have some fun plans for the long Labor Day weekend and if you have a bit of spare time, we have provided some interesting articles on what’s happening in federal government contracting below, including new small business data, updated rules on the 8(a) Program, and more. Have a great holiday weekend.

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