Tag Archives: Federal government contracting

RES 2026 Conference: Rising Together, Las Vegas, NV, March 23-26, 2026

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The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) is Rising Together for the 2026 Reservation Economic Summit. The event features tribal leaders, members of Congress, federal agency representatives, state and local officials, and top CEOs on a national platform.

Our very own federal government contracts attorney and SmallGovCon contributor, Nicole Pottroff, is scheduled to be a panelist on the topic of Navigating the New Regulatory Landscape for Native-Owned Federal Contractors, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 3:30 p.m.-4:20 p.m. – Milano Ballroom II, Caesars Palace. This panel will discuss ways organizations can navigate the changing regulatory rules in federal government contracting. If you are planning on attending this conference, please stop by and say hello to Nicole. Please use this link for more information about the conference and registration.

Webinar Announcement! Understanding the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program, February 17, 2026 hosted by Kansas APEX Accelerators

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First launched in 2016 as the “All Small Mentor-Protégé Program,” this powerful initiative by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has evolved—but it remains a game-changing tool for both small and large federal contractors.

In this informative webinar, we will break down the key elements of the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program. You’ll learn how this program can help small businesses enhance their capabilities and compete for larger contracts—with the support of an experienced mentor. The session will also cover how mentor-protégé joint ventures can create new contracting opportunities and expand your footprint in the federal marketplace. Additionally, we will provide an introduction to the even older DoD Mentor-Protege Program, which set the stage for the SBA’s program, and compare the two programs.

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Year in Review: Top SmallGovCon Posts of 2025

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Hello, SmallGovCon readers! As we do each year, this post revisits the most popular SmallGovCon articles that were posted in 2025, as well as the most popular all-time posts in 2025. As we move deeper into 2026, I look to reflect on these important and well-liked posts from 2025.

Below, we summarize the blogs written in 2025 that were the most visited as well as the perennial favorites from years past that were the most read in 2025. It’s a good chance to look back on the important articles from 2025, and those topics of continuing interest to federal contractors. While there are exceptions, chances are that those topics that were of high interest in 2025 will carry on into 2026.

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Webinar Announcement: Understanding the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program, January 22, 2026 hosted by Idaho APEX Accelerators

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Please join federal government contracts attorney, Nicole Pottroff, as she breaks down the key elements of the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program. You’ll learn how this program can help small businesses enhance their capabilities and compete for larger contracts—with the support of an experienced mentor. The session will also cover how mentor-protégé joint ventures can create new contracting opportunities and expand your footprint in the federal marketplace.

Topics will include:

  • Who is eligible and how to qualify
  • The benefits of participating as a mentor or protégé
  • How to form compliant mentor-protégé joint ventures
  • Key steps in the application process
  • Common myths, misconceptions, and pitfalls to avoid

Register here.

Overview of Recent Updates to Cybersecurity Requirements Under the CMMC Program (Part 2)

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Not long ago, we discussed the basics of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program at DFARS subpart 204.75. Of course, with such a large new system as the CMMC Program, there is more to it than what we reviewed there. In this second set of posts, we will dive deeper into the requirements and procedures of the CMMC Program implemented by DoD back in September 2025, among other items. We will explore what the general rules on what systems are covered by the CMMC Program, when the contractor must be in compliance with the CMMC Program, and what levels will apply for contracts.

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Webinar Announcement: Regulatory Updates in Government Contracting, Nov. 18, 2025

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In this webinar, hosted by the El Paso Texas APEX Accelerators, government contracting attorneys and authors Shane McCall and John Holtz will discuss the most important legal developments for federal contractors in 2025. Specifically, they will discuss the many FAR changes, important new small business rules and processing for various SBA certifications, recent cases pertinent to federal contractors, and more. This presentation will help federal contractors stay up to date on current federal regulatory and legal changes. We hope you will join us!

Please register: Here

Overview of Recent Updates to Cybersecurity Requirements Under the CMMC Program (Part 1)

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On September 10, 2025, the Department of Defense (As all the documents we address use the Department of Defense naming, we will go by that to prevent confusion.) (DoD) implemented the acquisition rules for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program at DFARS subpart 204.75. This follows the federal government’s institution of the CMMC program last year (We explored this a bit with a review of the proposed rules some time before that and noted that initial rules have been in place since 2020.) These rules are present at 32 C.F.R. Part 170. Despite these rules having now been in place for a little while, the scope and complexity of the CMMC program can nonetheless be daunting for contractors to deal with. In this first in a series of posts, we will explore the basics of the CMMC program and what it means for you.

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