SmallGovCon Week in Review: October 19-23, 2026

Happy Friday! We hope you have had a great week and are looking forward to the weekend. Fall has finally arrived here, and we are all hoping to find some time to enjoy the typical fall festivities like pumpkin patches, watching the leaves change, and watching our favorite football teams before it gets too cold.

This week in federal government contracting there was a focus on artificial intelligence, transparency, and further audits in the SBA’s 8(a) Program, among other items. Have a great weekend!

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All Means All: A Small Word With Big Consequences at GAO 

Sometimes, one tiny word can make all the difference. I never truly realized the difference that one word could make until I started law school and the important distinction between “shall” and “may” was engrained into my brain. And this concept can certainly apply to the federal contracting world. In government contracting, a single word can establish the scope of a solicitation requirement, shape how an agency evaluates proposals, and ultimately determine which contractor gets the contract. The word “all” is a good example, and a recent GAO decision illustrates just how much weight that one three-letter word can carry. Specifically, GAO held that the solicitation requirements applied to all submitted carrier commitment letters, not just those that were minimally required.

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SmallGovCon Week in Review: October 12-16, 2026

Dear SmallGovCon readers, we are back with another edition of the Week In Review. Hopefully folks are enjoying some cooler weather this week. We have certainly been seeing nice temperatures in our region to get us ready for fall.

This week included updates about DOGE records, inquiries into the VA records modernization cost, and questions about restructuring at USDA.

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SmallGovCon Week in Review: October 5-9, 2026

Hello, Blog Readers. October is finally here, and with it comes the beautiful colors, cooler temperatures, pumpkin patches, and other fall favorites. Of course, the weather can be a little unpredictable in October, with warm afternoons one day and a definite chill in the air the next, so be sure to enjoy those pleasant fall days when you can.

This week in federal government contracting included a warning about government functions at DoW, and how federal contracting proposals could alter control of intellectual property.

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SmallGovCon Week in Review: September 28-October 2, 2026

Happy Friday and happy October! October brings more than crisp mornings and changing leaves—it marks the start of a new federal fiscal year. For federal government contractors, it’s an ideal time to refresh your capabilities, review your pipeline, and prepare for the opportunities ahead. We’ve seen a lot of changes in the federal regulations and expect more to come so stay tuned to SmallGovCon.com. We will bring you the latest breaking news to keep you in the loop.

This week in federal government contracting, some of the biggest stories include updates on AI monitoring and supply chain concerns for federal contractors.

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SmallGovCon Week in Review: September 21-25, 2026

Happy Friday! Fall is here, bringing some cooler weather and pumpkin everything. For small businesses contracting with the federal government, the SBA has been rolling out some important changes—including proposed updates to size standards and recent changes to the 8(a) program. The size-standard proposal could affect which businesses qualify as “small,” while the 8(a) changes may mean new considerations for current and prospective participants. We have been adding some blog posts about these changes so please stay tuned to SmallGovCon.com for the latest developments.

This week in federal government contracting saw stories related to size standards and government enforcement on bribery and false certifications.

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SmallGovCon Week in Review: September 14-18, 2026

Happy Friday! Another week in the books and it sure was a busy one! For small business owners, that means celebrating the wins, learning from the challenges, and giving yourself a little credit for everything you managed to get done. This weekend we hope you can take a breath, step away from the emails for a bit, and enjoy some time off.

This week in federal government contracting news, stories include a CIO-SP4 post-mortem and new RFO parts being published for comments.

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