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Blogs

SmallGovCon.com

SmallGovCon Week in Review: January 26-30, 2026

It’s Friday and time for another SmallGovCon Week in Review. As we finish out January we hope everyone is staying warm with all the snow and cold weather across the country. I was in Washington DC this week for a court hearing, and it’s clear the cold and snow has really done a number on half the country. There was snow on the ground when I left Kansas City and snow on the ground in DC, and every place in between. Grab a hot cup of cocoa (as sung by the The Von Trapp children) and warm up w
SmallGovCon.com

Year in Review: Top SmallGovCon Posts of 2025

Hello, SmallGovCon readers! As we do each year, this post revisits the most popular SmallGovCon articles that were posted in 2025, as well as the most popular all-time posts in 2025. As we move deeper into 2026, I look to to reflect on these important and well-liked posts from 2025. Below, we summarize the blogs written in 2025 that were the most visited as well as the perennial favorites from years past that were the most read in 2025. It’s a good chance to look back on the important articl
SmallGovCon.com

Why File: An Appeal of an 8(a) Program Termination

In a previous blog post, Why File: An Appeal of SBA’s 8(a) Program Denial, we covered the process for appealing SBA’s denial of admission into the 8(a) Business Development Program (AKA 8(a) Program). We discussed what happens when a business is stopped at the door – denied entry altogether in the program. But what happens when a concern already admitted into the 8(a) Program is terminated by SBA? Here, we will touch on the arguably more consequential scenario of an 8(a) Program participant’s te
SmallGovCon.com

BREAKING: SBA’s Newly-Released 8(a) Program Mandate with “Clarifying Guidance” Regarding Social Disadvantage Criteria Brings Far More Confusion Than “Clarity”

On January 22, 2026, SBA issued brand new “SBA Guidance” to its Office of Government Contracting and Business Development and its Office of Field Operations via a highly confusing 8(a) Program Mandate. On its Website, SBA labels it “Clarifying Guidance That Race-Based Discrimination is Not Tolerated in the 8(a) Program[,]” and further labels it the “Latest Action” in our Federal Government’s “Year-Long Effort to Dismantle DEI Discrimination, Expose Fraud, and Restore Fairness in Federal Contract
SmallGovCon.com

SmallGovCon Week in Review: January 19-23, 2026

Happy Friday! We are preparing for the snow that’s impacting much of the nation. But amidst the frenzy of dealing with the transitory, we also wanted to remember Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy this week and all that he has taught us about the “the arc of the moral universe.” We would do well to reflect on Dr. King’s enduring legacy of service and justice. And now for the updates in federal contracting. This week in federal government contracting there has been a lot of buzz about the SBA’s
SmallGovCon.com

Back to Basics: SDVOSB Program Eligibility

Recently, SBA’s VetCert Program announced that it had gotten through its backlog, meaning that the system has returned to normal, so to speak. With this in mind, many new service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) no doubt are looking at getting into the SDVOSB program. Indeed, some of you reading this may be the owners of some of those businesses. Considering that we just looked at an SDVOSB appeal regarding the control requirements for an SDVOSB, today, we’re going to go further
SmallGovCon.com

OHA SDVOSB Appeal: Voting Provisions Scuttle Veteran Control

In a recent decision, SBA’s Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) emphasized the importance of a careful reading and complete understanding of the control and ownership requirements for Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs). This decision provides contractors with an excellent opportunity to brush up on SBA’s control rules regarding qualifying and non-qualifying owners. As the appellant found out in this case, while it may seem to some at first glance that simple majority owne
SmallGovCon.com

SmallGovCon Week in Review: January 12-16, 2026

Happy Friday! We are already halfway through January and 2026 is off to a quick start. This week’s federal contracting headlines point to a busy year ahead, but we hope you have time for some rest and relaxation this weekend after a productive week. In this week’s federal government contracting news, look for updates on how agencies are using AI in all aspects of acquisition and their missions and an emphasis on using different tools to fight fraud. DLA’s foundation to use AI is bui
SmallGovCon.com

GAO Checks the Math: An Agency’s Failure to Document OCI and Best-Value Decision Results in Sustained Protest

In the procurement process, agencies are afforded a significant amount of discretion when selecting an awardee. When an agency’s decision is protested, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) focuses primarily on the reasonableness of the agency’s conclusions. But when an agency fails to show its rationale behind a decision, GAO is unable to conclude that the agency’s decision was reasonable. In a recent GAO decision, Castro & Company, B-423689 (Comp. Gen. Nov. 13, 2025), GAO sustaine
SmallGovCon.com

Webinar Announcement: Understanding the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program, January 22, 2026 hosted by Idaho APEX Accelerators

Please join federal government contracts attorney, Nicole Pottroff, as she breaks down the key elements of the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program. You’ll learn how this program can help small businesses enhance their capabilities and compete for larger contracts—with the support of an experienced mentor. The session will also cover how mentor-protégé joint ventures can create new contracting opportunities and expand your footprint in the federal marketplace. Topics will include: Who is eligible
SmallGovCon.com

SmallGovCon Week in Review: December 22, 2025 – January 9, 2026

We hope you had a wonderful holiday season filled with time well spent with friends and family, moments of rest, and opportunities to recharge. As we step into a brand new year, we’re excited about what’s ahead and grateful to be back into the swing of sharing insights and updates with you. We took a short pause from our Friday Week in Review over the past few weeks to enjoy the holidays and as a result, today’s edition features more articles than usual. There’s plenty to catch up on, so grab a
SmallGovCon.com

FAR 2.0 Update: Part 33 Protests, Disputes, and Appeals

Many federal contractors have heard about the revamping of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Variously called FAR 2.0, the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul, and most commonly simply RFO, this project has been undertaken by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) and the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FAR Council). Initiated by Executive Order in April 2025, the new RFO process has been going quickly, with lots of proposed revisions. Our earlier posts regarding various aspects of
SmallGovCon.com

Happy Holidays!

We wanted to wish our readers a very happy holiday season! Whether you’re celebrating at home or traveling to see loved ones, we hope the season is merry and bright, safe and warm. We are grateful that we were able to help so many people with our insights, updates, and commentary on the changing federal contracting landscape. We are thankful for all the feedback and insights from our readers as well. Thanks for a wonderful year! The post Happy Holidays! first appeared on SmallGovCon - Governmen
SmallGovCon.com

Wrong Place: GAO Weighs in on 8(a) Program GSA Schedule Eligibility under MAS 8(a) Pool and Finds that SBA Eligibility Finding had to be Challenged at SBA

The GSA instituted a program that would allow 8(a) Program participants to enter into an 8(a) pool for GSA schedules (AKA, GSA Multiple Award Schedule) called the MAS 8(a) Pool. This program would allow 8(a) GSA schedule holders to maintain their 8(a) eligibility for a limited time even after they had graduated from the 8(a) Program. GSA described it this way in 2023: “MAS 8(a) pool contractors will be eligible for sole source awards for as long as they remain active in the 8(a) Program, and
SmallGovCon.com

SmallGovCon Week in Review: December 15-19, 2025

Happy Friday, readers! We know this time of year gets hectic, with all the preparations and lists to check. One thing you don’t have to check is the updates on federal government contracting for the past week. We’ve done that in our Week in Review! Enjoy the latest updates while you do some last-minute shopping and decorating. This week in federal government contracting saw important updates on use of AI, predictions for 2026, and a deadline to submit feedback on the Revolutionary FAR Overha
SmallGovCon.com

Five Tips: For Surviving the End-of-Year 8(a) Audit

If you got an aggressive email from the SBA earlier this month requesting an awful lot of documentation and information in relation to your 8(a) Business Development Program participation—you far from alone. SBA actually sent this December 5th email to about 4300 current and past 8(a) Program participants. And if you too found yourself reading and rereading SBA’s specific requests trying to determine exactly what the SBA is looking for—but to no avail—you are again far from alone. Now, we at Sma
SmallGovCon.com

2025 GAO Bid Protest Report: Numbers Down, Effectiveness Still Even Odds–COFC Shows Increase in Bid Protests

In just a few days the ball will drop on 2025 and we will officially usher in the new year. It’s always a good time for reflecting on the past year and what lies ahead for the new year. And that same sort of review is important when thinking about federal contract bid protests. With that in mind, we are going to take a look at the GAO’s Bid Protest Annual Report. This report is GAO’s summary of bid protests for the previous fiscal year. It contains some important insights for how GAO bid protest
SmallGovCon.com

SmallGovCon Week in Review: December 8-12, 2025

It’s time for another edition of the SmallGovCon week in review. We hope that all of our readers had a productive week. For many (myself included), this week is the time for holiday concerts and performances, including the fabled Nutcracker performance. The Lawrence Arts Center does a Kansas-themed performance that is well-loved by all who watch. There is a grand holiday party and then a dream sequence that takes up the latter part of the ballet. I imagine some 8(a) contractors are wishing the c
SmallGovCon.com

Back to Basics: Covenant Against Contingent Fees

Federal contractors are generally familiar with the many FAR provisions listed in a solicitation or contract. So, it can be tempting to simply gloss over these pages of the solicitation, absentmindedly checking off the right box or signing off on the required representations without familiarizing yourself with each provision–or the consequences that come if each is violated. But naturally, we don’t recommend a cursory review. And one important FAR provision contractors should definitely familiar
SmallGovCon.com

BREAKING: SBA Launches an End of Year 8(a) Program Audit

8(a) Program participants received an early holiday surprise from the SBA’s 8(a) Program this past week. A mass request was sent out to 8(a) Program participants and some graduates requesting extensive (mostly financial) internal documentation so that the SBA could audit the program for any potential fraud, waste, or abuse. While the need to protect taxpayer funds and the 8(a) Program are fundamentally important, such a sudden wide ranging document request came as a surprise to many across feder
SmallGovCon.com

SmallGovCon Week in Review: December 1-5, 2025

Happy Friday and happy December! We hope you had a nice Thanksgiving with friends and family. We all enjoyed our Thanksgiving break and it left us energized for winter and the holiday season. The holiday lights are up here in downtown Lawrence, Kansas and everything is looking very festive. As we start the final month of the year we hope you can enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. Have a great weekend! This week in federal government contracting news included updates on the federal wo
SmallGovCon.com

FAR 2.0 Update: Part 15 – Contracting By Negotiation

As most federal contractors have heard, the Federal Acquisition Regulation is undergoing a major overhaul. FAR 2.0, commonly referred to as the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (or just the “RFO”), is the responsibility of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) and the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FAR Council). Initiated by Executive Order 14275, the new FAR 2.0 process has been going quickly, with lots of proposed revisions. Our earlier posts regarding the RFO can be found her
SmallGovCon.com

Happy Thanksgiving from SmallGovCon!

As we dive into another Thanksgiving season, we wanted to say thank you to all of our wonderful readers who make SmallGovCon such a nice place to write for. We love receiving your comments and questions. Whether you’ve been here for years or just stumbled in recently, we appreciate you. We hope your day is filled with good food, good company, and good cheer. Happy Thanksgiving! The post Happy Thanksgiving from SmallGovCon! first appeared on SmallGovCon - Government Contracts Law Blog.View the f

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