Happy New Year! It looks as if the government needed a longer holiday break than planned. As we enter the third week of the shutdown, it’s our hope that the powers-that-be might reach a quick resolution and let government personnel and contractors alike get back to work.

In this two-week New Year’s edition of the Week In Review, we’ll look (of course) at the effects of the shutdown. But we’ll also look at the need for transparency in the upcoming year’s procurement process, how a contract dispute led up to the closing of living history in Washington D.C., and much more.

Happy New Year—2019 is going to be an exciting year!

• ChallengeHER program hoping to get woman owned businesses a better shot in the federal marketplace. [FederalNewsNetwork]
• GAO reports that contractors are violating “Buy American” fine print. [WashingtonTimes]
• Contract dispute with the National Park Service shuts down 45 years of living history. [WAMU]
• SBA announces new rule making in the Federal Register to solicit public comments on HUBZone programs. [FederalRegister]
• The Pentagon removes its top buying weapons negotiator after seeing the receipts. [Govexec]
• How OTA collaborations are streamlining government acquisitions. [FederalNewsNetwork]
• DHA ditches Eagle II contract for GAS, NIH vehicles. [Fedscoop]
• The NIH makes major award announcements in healthcare. [GovconWire]
• Companies wrestling with highly fluid shutdown situation. [Nextgov]
• Government contractors and SBA suffering from Government shutdown. [USAToday]
• Federal procurement enforces bid deadlines during shutdown. [Nextgov]
• Michigan cardboard manufacturer pays a heavy fine under False Claims Act. [Justice.gov]
• Failure to report conflict of interest and falsifying security clearance for a consultant in Colorado end in settlement. [Justice.gov]
• Senior officials at the GPO betrayed “public trust” by hiring unqualified workers, according to an internal report. [NPR.org]
• Administration seeking more transparency and oversight in the federal procurement process. [WashingtonTechnology]

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