With the recent flooding in the east, we hope that our readers who are being affected are staying safe and dry during this challenging time.
In this edition of SmallGovCon Week In Review, the Air Force is struggling to make service contracts competitive, alleged WOSB fraud leads to a civil fraud lawsuit, Guy Timberlake delves into the merits of simplified acquisitions, and much more.
As summer turns to fall (and football season), government contractors are dealing with the flurry of awards, orders and modifications that always accompanies the end of the federal fiscal year. In this week’s SmallGovCon Week In Review, a HUBZone fraudster gets jail time, a Navy report reveals systemic Berry Amendment violations (by the Navy!) and much more.
WOSB and EDWOSB sole source contracts will be authorized under the SBA’s regulations effective October 14, 2015.
In a final rule published today, the SBA implemented regulatory authority pursuant to which Contracting Officers may issue sole source contracts. The question now is whether Contracting Officers will be willing to issue sole source contracts based on the SBA’s rule–or will wait until the FAR Council adopts similar authority.
Of 34 WOSB and EDWOSB set-aside awards examined by the SBA Office of Inspector General, 15 of those awards were improper.
The SBA OIG’s conclusion comes in a new WOSB program report, and suggests that some Contracting Officers are unaware of the WOSB progran’s unique requirements, including the NAICS code limitations for WOSB and EDWOSB set-asides.