Tag Archives: small business

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 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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Happy Thanksgiving from SmallGovCon!

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As we dive into another Thanksgiving season, we wanted to say thank you to all of our wonderful readers who make SmallGovCon such a nice place to write for. We love receiving your comments and questions. Whether you’ve been here for years or just stumbled in recently, we appreciate you. We hope your day is filled with good food, good company, and good cheer. Happy Thanksgiving!

SBA Introduces its New Small Business Search System

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Recently, and with very little fanfare, the SBA released its Small Business Search system (SBS), replacing the Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) system that had been in use for a number of years. Per the SBA, existing business profiles have been migrated to this new platform. However, it is a good idea to take a look and see what has been transferred over to be sure that all information for your company has been properly moved over. We’re going to take a quick look at this new system and how to address some common issues. 

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Spell it Out for Me: OHA Finds Joint Venture Agreement Compliant When Reviewed with Operating Agreement

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When an SBA approved mentor and protégé create a joint venture to pursue contracts set-aside for small businesses, SBA requires the mentor-protégé joint venture agreement to contain the requirements found in 13 C.F.R. § 125.8(b)(2). But how closely does the joint venture agreement have to match the language of these required provisions in order to be found complaint?

In DecisionPoint-Agile Defense JV, LLC, OHA considered whether the language in a joint venture’s operating agreement (OA) can be considered alongside the joint venture agreement (JVA) when determining if a JVA meets all the regulatory requirements.

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SBA Proposed Rule: New Size and Status Recertification Standard

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Editor’s Note: SBA implemented this rule effective January 16, 2025.

In a proposed rule in August of 2024, SBA has unveiled a brand new regulation related specifically to recertification of size and status. A frequent question of federal contractors is whether they can continue to be small, or maintain a specific socio-economic status (i.e., WOSB, SDVOSB etc.) after a change in ownership or business structure. The SBA’s size and status recertification standards are currently found in multiple places: the size determination timing regulations, each socio-economic status regulation, and of course in case law. But this would presumably create a one stop shop for size recertification questions, while also changing some of the long relied-upon standards.

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Even Rules have their Limits, Says SBA OHA about the Nonmanufacturer Rule

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In a recent size appeal, the SBA OHA made it clear that the nonmanufacturer rule has it limits, and will not apply depending on the dollar value of the acquisition. OHA reminded contractors that the nonmanufacturer rule applies only to acquisitions over the simplified acquisition threshold.

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Back to Basics: Similarly Situated Entities

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If you are a small business government contractor who ever utilizes subcontractors to complete federal set-aside contracts, knowing what a “similarly situated entity” is for a given contract is vital to your success. So, let’s take it back to the basics of “similarly situated entities.”

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