Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and is staying safe and healthy! This week, we’ve got an extra helping of news for our roundup of federal contracting updates.

Important updates from the past two weeks included the final CMMC acquisition rule, an update about category management, and some reminders that the Department of Labor is enforcing wage rules for federal contractors.

I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving this year, even if won’t look the same as it may have in past years. It’s still a time to be thankful, enjoy the (possibly virtual) company of family and friends, and eat some great food–with my personal favorite being stuffing!

As you finalize your Thanksgiving menu, read up on these federal contracting stories, including a number of fraud-related enforcement actions, increased use of OTA, and how the pandemic has changed the way federal agencies work.

We sure are enjoying the change to fall weather here in Lawrence, Kansas, home of the SmallGovCon blog! The leaves are beautiful–until you have to start raking them. Hope you are enjoying the weather in your parts, too.

This week saw some important updates in the government contracting world. These included lessons from public and private sector organizations on cybersecurity, a new Army museum, and what a new administration could mean for contractors.

Happy Friday, SmallGovCon readers. Even as the votes are sifted, the federal government continues to buy goods and services from contractors. To that end, here are some important updates from the last week.

These include veteran-owned small business trends, the critical role of CUI in federal supply chain security, and and update on the rule banning some Chinese equipment.

Happy Halloween, SmallGovCon readers! My kids are definitely excited about Halloween, even though the trick or treating will be a little different than in years past.

But there is more to be excited about. Next week is National Veteran Owned Small Business Week. Check out SBA’s events and resources for more information, and join us in celebrating the many veteran-owned small businesses around the country.

This week saw a number of important stories, ranging from an idea for a new set-aside category for federal contracts, an update on SBA’s lending in 2020, and a number of enforcement actions involving federal contracting fraud. Read on for more updates.

We’ve made it through another week–well done! I wanted to give a shoutout to the University of Texas San Antonio PTAC. Steven Koprince and I enjoyed discussing some legal updates with them earlier this week.

This week, we also explored some key changes from the recent SBA rule on Consolidation of Mentor-Protégé Programs. These included changes regarding replacing the three-in-two joint venture rule, consideration of subcontractor experience, joint venture Facility Security Clearance, and joint venture limitations on subcontracting.

But there were a lot of other federal contracting stories this week, including CMMC questions from industry, a micropurchase update on orders, and a public official pleading guilty to acceptance of gratuities.

The cold weather we’ve been getting this week might signal the end of the summer tomatoes and basil. But we can start looking forward to fall in earnest. For one thing, my kids are getting excited about Halloween. I hope SmallGovCon readers also have much to be excited about in the beginning of the federal fiscal year.

To stay on top of what’s going on in federal contracting, remember to check out our upcoming legal update on October 22, but you can also read on for developments including expiring HUBZone flexibilities, brand name or equal rules, and a report on COVID-19 related loan fraud.