Memorial Day weekend is almost here, which means the unofficial start to summer! Whether you are hitting the beach or relaxing at home (my plans include BBQ ribs and chicken wings courtesy of the family Big Green Egg), I hope you have an enjoyable long weekend while remembering those that have given their lives to protect our country.

Of course, a relaxing weekend isn’t complete without some good reading material, and we’ve got you covered.  In the final May edition of the SmallGovCon Week In Review, a contracting fraud scheme results in jail time, a bipartisan new bill would help small contractors receive prompt payment for change orders, a survey shows rising confidence among government contractors, and much more.

• A new report looks to assess the competitive landscape for major federal services contracts over $50 million. [FederalTimes]
• Cautious optimism is surrounding a bill that would require the Defense Department to use marketplaces like Amazon to buy commercial goods. [Federal News Radio]
• An interim report from the little-known but important Section 809 Panel has been released, reviewing acquisition regulations and making recommendations for the amendment or repeal of many rules. [Section 809 Panel]
• An eight-month sentence was handed down to a former Navy civilian employee and construction supervisor for false claims related to government contracts and theft. [Times of San Diego]
• Government contracts guru (and friend of the blog) Guy Timberlake takes a look at the government’s FY 2016 small business report card, and concludes that the government isn’t that good at math. [GovConChannel]
• A survey of 424 companies that sell to federal, state, local and educational agencies shows that government contractors overall, have increased confidence in 2017-2018 sales growth. [FederalTimes]
• Proposed cuts totaling $1.4 trillion would include shrinking the federal workforce and cutting spending at non-defense agencies. [Government Executive]
• When the Office of Federal Procurement Policy met with vendors, they pulled together the 10 misconceptions they heard most frequently and gathered them in a myth-busting memo. A few years later, some of those myths remain pervasive. [FederalSmallBizSavvy.com]
• House Small Business Committee Member Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced a new bill to ensure that small business federal contractors get paid in a timely manner for change orders. [Small Business Committee]

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