SmallGovCon Week in Review: October 17-21, 2022

Happy Friday, Readers! The fall leaves are absolutely beautiful here in Lawrence, Kansas right now. We’ve had our first freeze and the mornings have been quite chilly. As the seasons change in Kansas, our temperatures can fluctuate drastically. One day it’s 80 degrees and the next it’s 20. Those weather apps sure do come in handy to help decide which coat to wear. We hope you had a great week and are enjoying the fall beauty in your area of the world.

An announcement was made from the Safer Federal Workforce task force and the Office of Management and Budget releasing guidance to agencies on how to handle vaccine protocols moving forward. You can read more about this and other articles that we found informative below. Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Continue reading

SmallGovCon Week in Review: October 10-14, 2022

Happy Friday, Readers. I don’t know about you, but it feels like fall brings with it a flurry of activity! There are so many community events going on this weekend, it’s hard to decide what to attend. We’re certainly very fortunate to have so many options. I hope you can get out and enjoy the fall activities in your neck of the woods and get in a bit of relaxation, as well. Here are some articles that we found particularly informative concerning federal government contracting this week, including GSA schedule pricing, CIO-SP4, and Polaris updates. Enjoy your weekend!

Continue reading

Pay it Forward, or Pay the Price, Says SBA in Proposed Rules for 8(a) Tribal Entities

In a recent notice for Tribal consultation and request for comments, as well as a published proposed rule, the SBA seems to be signaling an increase in oversight of Native or Tribally-owned entities who are 8(a) Participants. SBA has an apparent goal of enforcing more stringent repercussions for not fully adhering to some stipulations that exclusively pertain to Native or Tribally-Owned participants in the 8(a) Business Development Program. While not final yet, the SBA has placed these potential consequences, the reasoning behind them, and the proposed rule out in the public for discussion. As these actions may present some rather drastic changes for some 8(a) Participants, I have done a quick breakdown of them here.

Continue reading

SmallGovCon Week in Review: October 3-7, 2022

Happy Friday and happy October, Readers. There were a lot of announcements this week in Federal Government Contracting, including new guidance from the White House for federal agencies to increase the share of government contracting dollars to small, disadvantaged businesses (SDBs) in fiscal year 2023. It is part of the administration’s effort to steer $100 billion in new contracting opportunities to minority-owned businesses over the next five years.  The SBA’s  Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman , announced the awarding of $300,000 to deliver existing training programs through the SBA’s Service-Disabled Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program, as well as announcing over $5.4 million in funding through the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program. FAST provides small businesses and startups, particularly those in underserved communities, with specialized training, mentoring, and technical assistance for research and development. Grant selectees can qualify for award amounts of up to $125,000 each. You can read more announcements and other federal government contracting news in the articles below. Have a great weekend.

Continue reading

SmallGovCon Week In Review: September 26-30, 2022

Happy Friday! It’s football season and we couldn’t be more excited about how our Kansas teams are starting the season. This weekend’s match-ups are set to be exciting ones and our fall weather is proving to be perfect for getting out there and cheering on our favorite teams. We hope you can get out and enjoy a game or two this weekend.

Here are some noteworthy happenings in federal government contracting to peruse, this weekend, as well, including some updates on a potential government shutdown. Enjoy!

Continue reading

SmallGovCon Week in Review: September 19-23, 2022

Happy Friday, Readers. We have had some contrasting weather conditions here in Kansas, this week. One day we are at 100 degrees and the next day we are in the 60’s. You know what they say in Kansas? If you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute and it will change. That has certainly been true this week. I think I speak for all of us, when I say that the cooler temperatures of fall are a welcome change from the hot and dry conditions we have experienced throughout the summer.

We hope you are able to get out an enjoy the weather in your neck of the woods this weekend. Here are a few articles we thought were particularly interesting concerning federal government contracting this week, including extension for the SBIR program, more Polaris solicitation drops, and inflation’s effects on contractors. Have a wonderful weekend!

Continue reading

SmallGovCon Week in Review: September 12-16, 2022

Happy Friday, Readers! Our weather here in Kansas has decided it’s not quite ready to be cooler for Fall just yet. You can bet though, when it does, it will decide abruptly. I’m taking my family on a camping trip this weekend to extend summer just a bit longer. Hope you are able to enjoy a great weekend with your family and friends.

Along the way, enjoy this roundup of the latest federal contracting news, including the new DoD deviations on flexibility in the face of inflation and SAM registration delays. Have a great weekend.

Continue reading