The new Limitation on Subcontracting (LOS) rules became effective on June 30, 2016.  As is usually the case in the realm of small business contracting, there will be a lag time until the FAR “catches up” with the new SBA …

The HUBZone program will see significant changes to its rules as a result of major SBA changes set to take effect in late August.  These changes apply generally to two aspects of the HUBZone program: that relating to the SBA’s …

The WOSB Repository has moved from the General Login System (GLS) to the new SBA One Contracting Portal at certify.sba.gov.  SBA has posted PowerPoint presentations to assist you with the WOSB/EDWOSB self-certification process. In this new portal, WOSB business owners will …

In a unanimous opinion overturning the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must consider whether two veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs) can perform a proposed contract before …

The federal acquisition councils have published a final rule aimed at reducing situations in which federal prime contractors name small business subcontractors in their bids, but then do not follow through in hiring those subcontractors when the contract is won. …

In its June newsletter PilieroMazza, a law firm specializing in government contracting, noted “hard data and anecdotal evidence indicate that, to reach its full potential, the HUBZone Program needs to be simpler and more business friendly.” Two bills are working …

Two bills are working their way through the legislative process to make a significant change to the HUBZone program. Sen. David Vitter (R-La), chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, has introduced legislation that extends HUBZone redesignation status from three …

An agency’s solicitation was not unreasonably vague where the solicitation defined “relevant” past performance to include projects of “a similar dollar value and contract type.” In a recent bid protest decision, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims rejected a protester’s …

SBA has announced that its final rule implementing the long-awaited expansion of the mentor-protégé joint venture program under the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) will be released this month. The new program, available to all categories of small businesses, not …

The Small Business Administration published the final rule to implement requirements for small business federal contractors set by Congress in the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act. The new rules take effect on June 30, according to the Federal Register notice. …

Deltek named the Defense, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security and Agriculture departments as the top five government agencies for small business contracting, accounting for 80% of small business spend.

The VA’s Mentor Protégé Program (MPP) is closed and there are no plans to reopen it.  Instead, the VA pointed to the SBA’s announcement that they will expand their current 8(a) MPP to other minority groups, to include Veteran-Owned Small …

According to the fed Acquisition.gov website, the primary difference between a statement of work (SOW) and a performance work statement (PWS) is a SOW is written to identify the job and direct the contractor specifically how to do it. “Here’s …

The SBA has issued a final rule implementing the changes to the limitations on subcontracting enacted by Congress in the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act. The SBA’s final rule takes effect June 30, 2016–and will significantly change the way the limitations on …

Businesses interested in using the new self-certify option to become a WOSB or a EDWOSB are in a confusing predicament. Stated simply, the SBA has launched a new portal to help women-owned businesses better manage the WOSB self-certification process – …

Did you know that the Alaska PTAC is hosted by the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA)? For many years, PTAC was a partner program of the Alaska Small Business Development Center (and still is). Then, last year, the University of …

The “Rule of Two” has a well-established place in federal contracting.  Federal Acquisition Regulations Part 19.502-2(a) states: “Each acquisition of supplies or services that has an anticipated dollar value exceeding $3,500…but not over $150,000…is automatically reserved exclusively for small business …

A lot of commercial companies are exploiting people interested in doing business with FEMA and other federal agencies, charging them hundreds of dollars to “help” complete necessary and even optional registrations.  For example, registering with FEMA is optional and you …

Women-owned businesses employ millions of American workers in communities all over the U.S. But when it comes to receiving federal contracts and capital, women are still under-represented. That’s according to a recent study commissioned by the U.S. Small Business Administration. …

Do you provide products or services that federal agencies need when there is an emergency? Do you provide temporary labor services or trucking, construction, water, food, mobile home rental, environmental remediation, tents or office rental? Government agencies need to be …