Friday marked a new federal holiday for Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery by marking the day enslaved people in Texas learned they were free. This is the first new federal holiday since first holiday to be approved since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established in 1983. Many government agencies were closed on Friday and so we bring this week in review a little later due to the holiday.

As we recognize this new national holiday, here’s some other notable news in the federal government.

Happy Friday blog readers! Can you believe that it is already June? The sunshine and warmer temperatures have returned here in the Midwest and I, for one, am grateful for it. We hope you can get out and enjoy the sunshine this weekend.

There has been a lot of activity in the federal government contracting arena this week. Some noteworthy items are the announcements from the Biden administration concerning agency hiring initiatives, a 5% increase in federal contracts set asides for small disadvantaged businesses, and legislation that will examine if federal agencies should relocate from Washington D.C. Read on for all the details. We hope you have a wonderful weekend!

It’s been a very soggy week in the Midwest and we are looking forward to our normal sunny weather here in Lawrence, Kansas. We hope you are staying dry and the sun is shining bright in your neck of the woods.

There has been a lot of activity in federal government contracting news this week including more big announcements for small businesses and federal government contractors concerning the latest executive orders on cybersecurity requirements. The SBA made an announcement about expanding HUBZone opportunities and supplements on DFARS regulations were released concerning past performance of subcontractors and joint venture partners, as well as information about post award debriefings.

We hope you enjoy your weekend and catching up on the federal government contracting news in the articles listed below.

This week on the blog we continue to bring you coverage of federal government contracting news as government agencies search for solutions to cyber security challenges and, in response, contractors enhance their own cyber defenses.

Here are a several other happenings in federal government contracting news for this week, including an announcement from Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, announcing the latest application data results for the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), passed as part of the American Rescue Plan.

Have a great weekend.

It will be a great weekend to celebrate Mother’s Day and show all those hard working moms out there some appreciation. We hope you can get out and enjoy the wonderful spring weather and make the day special for the mothers in your life. As a wise person once said:

“A Mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take.” – Cardinal Mermillod.

For those moms who are into federal contracts, and all others in the contracting world, here’s what’s happening in federal government contracting news, this week.

If April showers bring May flowers, Lawrence, Kansas should be a kaleidoscope of color next week. The rain was so heavy at one point our street became a river for a few hours. The sun is shining today, however, and you can almost see the grass growing. It’s time to fire up the lawn mower and the grill and enjoy the longer, warmer days.

Just like the weather, there have been a few changes in federal government contracting, this week. Here are a few newsworthy articles, including an update on minimum wage increases for federal contractors, a new loan program for restaurants, and updates on the President’s Made in America policies. Have a great weekend!