Welcome to Friday, SmallGovCon readers!  Now that the weather is cooling off a little, we hope you’re able to enjoy the great outdoors a little more.  However, before you head outside, maybe you’d like to take a few minutes to check out some articles we’ve selected for you about federal government contracting.  We’d especially like to turn your attention to our first featured article about National PTAC Day coming up next week with a special shout-out to them for all the great work they do supporting small businesses. Other interesting news includes the remaining CIO-SP4 protests and how to prepare for a continuing resolution in government funding. Enjoy the articles and have a fantastic weekend!

Happy Labor Day weekend, Readers! Here are 5 fun facts about Labor Day according to Google:

-The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.

-By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday.

-Some records show that in 1882, Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, suggested setting aside a day for a “general holiday for the laboring classes” to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.”

-Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, New Jersey, proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.

-According to the New Jersey Historical Society, after President Cleveland signed the law creating a national Labor Day.

Have a great, relaxing, long weekend and here are some newsworthy articles in federal government contracting this week.

Happy Friday, Readers. We have been in the midst of a heatwave here in Kansas with temperatures at 100 degrees and the humidity at 91%. Whew! We are very grateful for air conditioning during the dog days of summer. Here’s an interesting fact. The ancient Romans called the hottest, most humid days of summer “diēs caniculārēs” or “dog days.” The name came about because they associated the hottest days of summer with the star Sirius. Sirius was known as the “Dog Star” because it was the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog).

There was a lot of news and announcements in Federal government contracting this week such as several executive orders and proposed rules impacting federal government contractors related to the Buy American Act and boosting federal competition, and the U.S. Small Business Administration has an update on successfully awarding over $7.5 billion in Shuttered Venue Operators Grants (SVOGs) as well as announcing the opening of the paycheck protection program direct forgiveness portal.

Here’s hoping that the weather is cooler in your neck of the woods. Stay cool and have a great weekend!