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.

Happy Friday! It’s sunflower season here in Kansas—our state flower—and the sunflowers were at peak bloom over Labor Day weekend. The hot weather didn’t seem to bother them, and it certainly didn’t keep people from coming out to enjoy the beautiful fields this year. It’s a great place to remember how beautiful the world can be. If you have a sunflower field near you, I encourage you to take some time to go see them.

As you head into the weekend, here is our roundup of the latest in federal contracting news.

This week in federal government contracting included stories about the savings from contract cancellations and a continued push for AI use by the federal government.

Happy end of week to our SmallGovCon readers. Hard to believe, but it’s halfway through August. The heat has been unrelenting, but it has to break soon, right. Arounder here, kids are heading back to school and our college town is buzzing with activity. The school year always brings a new level of energy after the slower pace of summer. It’s one of those times of year that reminds us just how special it is to live in a college town. We hope you are looking forward to a great weekend.

This week in federal government contracting saw stories about increased production of key systems, continued funding of the government, and updates on various large contracts.

Happy Friday to our SmallGovCon readers. We hope you are having a great summer and finding some time to get away with family and friends and enjoy some relaxation. I recently spent a week in Colorado with my family and enjoyed some wonderful views and fresh air courtesy of Rocky Mountain National Park. This is the beginnings of the Colorado River, which runs to Mexico. It’s inspiring to know that such a great river starts from such a small stream.

We hope you have time for some rest and relaxation this weekend. Here’s what’s happening in federal government contracting news, including a new SBA website and how the government can procure faster and with more contractors.