Happy Independence Day from SmallGovCon!

Happy 4th of July! We hope that our SmallGovCon readers have a happy and safe holiday. This is a good time to remember that this country would be a far different place had we not achieved independence from the United Kingdom in the manner that we did. And maintaining the independence of this country takes everyone working together and the strength of our government to support the people’s independence and sovereignty. Federal government workers and contractors are crucial to maintaining our country. So raise a glass to them this holiday!

Beta.SAM.gov: Check Early & Check Often!

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times: when it comes to submitting your GAO protest, meeting GAO’s strict timeliness requirements is a must. So is watching out for notices on contract awards posted online. In Prudential Protective Services, LLC, B-418869 (Aug. 13, 2020), the protest was dismissed as untimely because it was filed more than 10 days after notice of the award was posted to beta.SAM.gov.

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Persistence Pays: GAO Sustains After Fourth Protest Due to Unreasonably Narrow Corrective Action

In its recent decision, Peraton, Inc., B-416916.8, et al. (Aug. 3, 2020), GAO ultimately sustained a protest that the Department of State’s corrective action was unreasonably limited—recommending the protester be reimbursed its protest costs in the process.

For more on how it reached this result, buckle up! Because it was a long road for the protester to reach the GAO sustain.

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GAO: Work Must Remain Set Aside for 8(a) Participants Because Not a “New Requirement”

In a recent decision, Eminent IT, LLC, B-418570 (June 23, 2020), GAO held that the Department of State improperly removed a requirement from the SBA’s 8(a) program where the solicitation did not create a “new requirement.”  

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YouTube Tuesday: Writing Your 8(a) Application’s Social Disadvantage Narrative- What the SBA is Looking For

One of the trickiest requirements for admission into the SBA’s 8(a) program is demonstrating social disadvantage. While some groups are presumed socially disadvantaged (as discussed here), social disadvantage can also be demonstrated based on other characteristics not specifically included in the SBA’s regulations. For those characteristics, applicants must submit a “social disadvantage narrative.”

In this video, I provide you the tricks of the trade you’ll need to write a successful narrative:

For assistance drafting your social disadvantage narrative, reach out to us here!

Room for Improvement: GAO Reviews Agency Oversight of Small Business Subcontracting Plans

Recently, GAO published a report on small business subcontracting plan compliance, concluding that agency oversight of these plans need improvement.

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GAO Rules RFQ Requirement Unreasonably Restricted Competition

In recent GAO decision, Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., B-418449 (Comp. Gen. May 18, 2020), GAO reminded the Marine Corps to make sure its RFQ requirements were reasonable—and in line with the underlying contract.

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