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Blogs

SmallGovCon.com

8(a) Protege Not Entitled To Mentor-Protege JV’s Past Performance

A former 8(a) protege was not automatically entitled to take advantage of the past performance it obtained as part of a mentor-protege joint venture, in a case where the former mentor would not be involved in the new contract. In a recent bid protest decision, the GAO held that a procuring agency erred by crediting the protege with the joint venture’s past performance without considering the extent to which that past performance relied on the mentor–and the extent to which the mentor’s absence
SmallGovCon.com

GAO: Awardee Not Required To List Specified NAICS Code In SAM

A common misconception in government contracting is that to be eligible under a particular solicitation, a small business must have the solicitation’s assigned NAICS code listed under its SBA System for Award Management (“SAM”) profile. Not so. GAO, in a recent decision, affirmed this misconception to be false—it found that an awardee’s failure to list the assigned NAICS code under its SAM profile did not make its proposal technically unacceptable. Veterans Electric, LLC, B-413198 (Aug. 26,
SmallGovCon.com

SmallGovCon Week In Review: August 22-26, 2016

Greetings from Oklahoma, where I am wrapping up a busy week of travel that has included speaking engagements both at the Iowa Vendor Conference and The Indian Country Business Summit. While I’ve been on the road, it has also been a noteworthy week in government contracting news. This week, SmallGovCon Week In Review takes a look at stories about the year end spending frenzy, the Freedom of Information Act may undergo major changes, DoD is barely exceeding 50% when it comes to meaningful competi
SmallGovCon.com

Unapproved Addendum Sinks 8(a) Joint Venture’s Bid

An 8(a) joint venture failed to obtain SBA’s approval of an addendum to its joint venture agreement—and the lack of SBA approval cost the joint venture an 8(a) contract. In Alutiiq-Banner Joint Venture, B-412952 et al. (July 15, 2016), GAO sustained a protest challenging an 8(a) joint venture’s eligibility for award where that joint venture had not previously sought (or received) SBA’s approval for an addendum to its joint venture agreement. At the big picture level, SBA’s 8(a) Business Deve
SmallGovCon.com

Thank you, El Paso!

I recently had the pleasure to discuss important government contracting legal updates and their effects on small businesses, at the 11th Annual Veterans Business Conference at Fort Bliss (in El Paso). The Contract Opportunities Center did a fantastic job organizing the conference, which brought together small businesses and government agencies for a wide-ranging discussion on government contracting. My presentation discussed many of the topics we’ve been following at SmallGovCon, including the S
SmallGovCon.com

150 Protests And Counting: GAO Suspends “Frequent Protester”

Citing an abuse of the protest process, the GAO has suspended a company’s right to file bid protests for a period of one year. The GAO’s unusual action was taken after the contractor in question filed 150 bid protests in the ongoing fiscal year alone, most of which have been dismissed for technical reasons.  The GAO’s decision also cites “baseless accusations” made by the protester, including accusing GAO officials of being “white collar criminals” and asserting that “various federal officials
SmallGovCon.com

SmallGovCon Week In Review: August 15-19, 2016

With the Olympics coming to a close this Sunday, we can look forward to getting back to our usual sleeping patterns without the lure of athletes seeking gold in Rio. So while preparations are ongoing for the closing ceremony and the eventual torch hand off to Tokyo, we continue to work to bring you the top government contracting news and notes for the week. In this week’s SmallGovCon Week in Review, a businessman will serve prison time after stealing a veteran’s identity and using it to obtain
SmallGovCon.com

GAO: Unequal Opportunity To Revise Pricing Was Improper

An agency acted improperly by inviting the ultimate contract awardee to revise its pricing, but not affording that same opportunity to a competitor–even though the awardee didn’t amend its pricing in response to the agency’s invitation. According to a recent GAO bid protest decision, merely providing the awardee the opportunity to amend its pricing was erroneous, regardless of whether the awardee took advantage of that opportunity. The GAO’s decision in Rotech Healthcare, Inc., B-41302
SmallGovCon.com

GSA CTA: Each Party Must Hold FSS Contract

Each party to a GSA Schedule Contractor Teaming Arrangement must hold the Federal Supply Schedule contract in question. As demonstrated by a recent GAO bid protest decision, if one of the parties to the GSA CTA doesn’t hold the relevant FSS contract, the CTA may be found ineligible for award of an order under that contract.   The GAO’s decision in M Inc., d/b/a Minc Interior Design, B-413166.2 (Aug. 1, 2016) involved a VA RFQ for healthcare facility furniture and related services.
SmallGovCon.com

SmallGovCon Week In Review: August 8-12, 2016

This week I had the pleasure of speaking at the 20th Annual Government Procurement Conference in Arlington, Texas. It was a great event and I was glad to see so many familiar faces. Next up, I’ll be in Des Moines on August 23rd for the Iowa Vendor Conference, where I’ll be joined by my friend Guy Timberlake for a great day of networking and information sessions. But even as I log miles on the air and on the highways, there’s no mistaking the fact that we’re in the last days of the government fi
SmallGovCon.com

Limitations On Subcontracting: “Affirmative Demonstration” Of Compliance Not Required

An offeror submitting a proposal for a set-aside solicitation ordinarily need not affirmatively demonstrate its intent to comply with the applicable limitation on subcontracting. In a recent bid protest decision, the GAO confirmed that an offeror’s compliance with the limitations on subcontracting is presumed, unless the offeror’s proposal includes provisions that negate that presumption. The GAO’s decision in NEIE Medical Waste Services, LLC, B-412793.2 (Aug. 5, 2016) involved a VA RFQ for
SmallGovCon.com

SBA Small Business Mentor-Protege Program: Applications Accepted Oct. 1, 2016

Circle October 1, 2o16 on your calendar: that’s when the SBA will begin accepting applications for its new universal small business mentor-protege program. According to the SBA’s new website for the small business mentor-protege program, applications will only be accepted through the SBA’s new certify.sba.gov portal.  The SBA’s new website also has an overview on the small business mentor-protege program itself and a discussion of the eligibility requirements for the program. For prospective m
SmallGovCon.com

SBA OHA: No “Unfair Competitive Advantage” Appeals

The SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals lacks jurisdiction to consider whether an entity owned by an Indian tribe or Alaska Native Corporation has obtained a substantial unfair competitive advantage within an industry. In a recent size appeal case, OHA acknowledged that an unfair competitive advantage is an exception to the special affiliation rules that tribally-owned companies ordinarily enjoy–but held that only the SBA Administrator has the power to determine that an Indian tribe or ANC has o
SmallGovCon.com

SBA’s “Universal” Small Business Mentor-Protégé Program’s Impact On Other Agencies

With the finalization of the new SBA Small Business Mentor Protégé Program, other agencies without statutorily-authorized mentor-protege programs must seek SBA approval of their mentor-protege programs within one year, if they wish those programs to continue. In a final rule scheduled to be effective August 24, 2016, the SBA questioned the need for other agencies (except the Department of Defense) to continue to operate their own mentor-protege programs, but provided a road map for agencies
SmallGovCon.com

SmallGovCon Week In Review: August 1-5, 2016

It’s hard to believe that August is already here. Before we know it, the end of the government fiscal year will be here–and if tradition holds, a slew of bid protests related to those inevitable last-minute contract awards. In our first SmallGovCon Week In Review for August, two big-wig executives who previously plead guilty to charges of conspiracy now face civil claims, some helpful tips on how to prepare for the year-end contracting frenzy, Schedule 70 looks to be improved, a major roadblock
SmallGovCon.com

HUBZone Program: SBA Final Rule Allows NHO Ownership

Native Hawaiian Organizations soon will be able to own HUBZone companies under a new SBA direct final rule published yesterday in the Federal Register. The new rule implements provisions of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, in which Congress instructed the SBA to open the HUBZone program to NHOs. Under current law, NHOs are unable to majority-own HUBZone companies, even though Indian tribes and Alaska Native Corporations can be HUBZone owners.  The new rule, which will amend the S
SmallGovCon.com

GAO: Key Employee’s Resignation Justified Exclusion From Award

It’s the day after you submitted an offer for a big government contract, when one of your key personnel walks into your office. “Thanks for everything you’ve done for me,” she says, “but I’ve decided to take an opportunity elsewhere.” Employee turnover is a part of doing business. But for prospective government contractors, it can be a nightmare. As highlighted in a recent GAO bid protest, a offeror was excluded from the award simply because one of its proposed key personnel resigned after the
SmallGovCon.com

SBA Small Business Mentor-Protege Program: Live Training August 11, 2016

The recently-finalized SBA small business mentor-protege program will change the landscape of set-aside contracting–for large businesses and small contractors alike. I am excited to announce that Koprince Law LLC has partnered with GOVOLOGY to offer a live electronic training on this important new program.  Please join us on August 11, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. Central for this 90 minute training.  The training is open to the public, so please follow this link to register.  If you’re a Koprince Law LL
SmallGovCon.com

SDVOSB Updates: Free Webinar August 4, 2016

It’s been a year of big changes in the government’s SDVOSB programs.  First came the Kingdomware Supreme Court decision, which was soon followed by the SBA’s final rule adopting a new “universal” mentor-protege program–and imposing many new requirements on SDVOSB joint ventures. On Thursday, August 4, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. Central, I will host a free webinar to discuss these important changes.  To register, just follow this link and complete the brief electronic form, or call Jen Catloth of Koprinc
SmallGovCon.com

8(a) Program: SBA Final Rule Makes Important Changes

The 8(a) Program regulations will undergo some significant changes as part of the major final rule recently released by the SBA, and effective August 24, 2016. Here at SmallGovCon, we’ve already covered big changes to the SDVOSB Program and HUBZone Program brought about by the new SBA rule.  But the 8(a) program is affected by the new rule too, and important changes involving eligibility, the application process, sole source awards, NHOs, and more will kick in later this month. The final rule
Don Mansfield's Blog

Should Training Classes Be Required?

It’s time we rethink our approach to the training problem. Our traditional approach is to dictate a blueprint of training classes that must be followed in order to obtain prescribed levels of certification. To put it in acquisition terms, we’ve been using a design specification. What if we were to use a performance specification instead? What might that look like? Before answering these questions, we should identify what it is we are trying to achieve with training. The purpose of traini
SmallGovCon.com

Agency Spam Filter Excludes Proposal; Offeror Loses Protest

An agency’s spam filter prevented an offeror’s proposal from reaching the Contracting Officer in time to be considered for award–and the GAO denied the offeror’s protest of its exclusion. A recent GAO bid protest decision demonstrates the importance of confirming that a procuring agency has received an electronically submitted proposal because even if the proposal is blocked by the agency’s own spam filter, the agency might not be required to consider it. GAO’s decision in Blue Glacier Manag
SmallGovCon.com

SmallGovCon Week In Review: July 25-29, 2016

It’s been a very busy week in government contracting with the SBA issuing its final rule on the small business mentor-protege program. It has given us here at Koprince Law a lot to read over and blog about so that SmallGovCon readers can stay abreast of all of the changes packed inside this lengthy document. But as important as the mentor-protege rule is for small and large contractors alike, it’s not the only government contracts news making headlines this week.  In this week’s SmallGovCon Wee

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