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SmallGovCon.com

A blog by Koprince Law LLC in General

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Entries in this blog

SmallGovCon Week in Review: May 11-15, 2026

Happy Friday. It’s end of school time in many parts of the country, as students move on a grade or graduate from college. College graduation is a big deal in a college town like ours. Congratulations to all the graduates. And speaking of changes, the federal government contracting world certainly hasn’t slowed down this week. Stories included the large proposed defense budget along with efforts at saving taxpayer money in the defense budget and elsewhere in the federal government. DoD

Back to Basics: Price Realism vs. Price Reasonableness

As part of federal contracting, the total price of each award is disclosed. This is of course a great way to promote trust and transparency in federal contracting and in the handling of taxpayer dollars. But it also leads to other contractors scrutinizing an awardee’s price and thinking one of two things: (1) “That price is too low to do this work”; or (2) “that price is too high for this work.” Naturally contractors will consider protesting on one of those pricing intuitions, but often mix up h

Proposed Updates to DFARS Regarding Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence

It sometimes takes a little time for federal statutes to be reflected in federal regulations. Recent proposed updates to DFARS regarding Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) is a good example of this. These updates, meant to implement sections of the National Defense Authorization Acts of 2020 and 2021, are meant to mitigate risks related to FOCI or beneficial ownership. Today, we shall explore these updates and what they mean for federal contractors. As a brief refresher, a b

SmallGovCon Week in Review: May 4-8, 2026

Happy Friday! Mother’s Day is this Sunday, and it’s a good reminder to slow down and thank the moms, grandmas, stepmoms, and mother figures who somehow keep everything moving. Whether you’re planning a get together, making a phone call, sending flowers, or just spending extra time together, we hope they will feel extra special. Happy Mother’s Day! This week in federal government contracting included a focus on fixed-price contracts, an update on 2024 spending, and new regulatory changes.

EO Maximizes Fixed-Price Over Cost-Reimbursement Contracts

The White House recently released Executive Order 14402 titled Promoting Efficiency, Accountability, and Performance in Federal Contracting (EO 14402). EO 14402 was released on April 30, 2026. This EO requires agencies to use fixed-price contracts over cost-reimbursement wherever possible. Because of its potential impact on federal contractors, let’s walk through the highlights in this post. EO 14402 seeks to solve the problem that “Federal procurement has tolerated unpredictable costs,

The “Once 8(a), Always 8(a)–or HUBZone, SDVOSB, or WOSB” Rule, Where Are We Now?

For better or for worse, these federal procurement “times they are a-changin’.” One obvious source of recent change is the shiny new FAR 2.0, a.k.a. the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO). With the government’s widespread implementation of the RFO and its many procurement rule and procedure updates, we at SmallGovCon have tried to cover as much as possible. But we’re talking about an essential rewrite of the decades-longstanding procurement playbook here. So unsurprisingly, there’s still a lot to

Govology Webinar Announcement: Limitations on Subcontracting: A Step-by-Step Compliance Guide, May 19, 2026

Limitations on Subcontracting (LoS) is one of the most confusing—and most enforced—rules in government contracting. For small businesses and their teaming partners, getting it wrong can lead to serious consequences. And the challenge? You may be asked to prove compliance at any point—before, during, or after contract performance. Our very own SmallGovCon author John Holtz will break down the LoS in clear, practical terms so you can understand what’s required and how to stay compliant.

Webinar Announcement: Legal Updates, May 13, 2026

In this webinar, Gregory Weber and I will discuss some of the most important legal developments which may impact federal contractors in 2026. Specifically, we will discuss recent regulatory updates and decisions affecting small business and federal contracting rules, including the Revolutionary Far Overhaul (RFO) process and updates, as well as sharing RFO examples that are pertinent to federal contractors. Please join us. Registration information here. The post Webinar Announcement: Legal

Koprince McCall Pottroff Names John Holtz and Gregory Weber as Partners

Koprince McCall Pottroff LLC, a boutique federal government contracts firm in Lawrence, KS, is pleased to announce that it has elevated two of its attorneys to partner status. Gregory Weber and John Holtz are now partners at the firm! Greg’s client-focused communication skills and detail-oriented nature helps him to tackle issues for clients with ease. Greg relies on his experience in complex federal and state regulatory matters, along with his skills in research, communication, and drafting

SmallGovCon Week in Review: April 27-May 1, 2026

Happy May Day! May Day, celebrated on May 1st, traces back to old European traditions marking the arrival of warmer weather, complete with dancing around the maypoles. In some places, people still leave little baskets of flowers (called “May baskets”) on neighbors’ doorsteps as a surprise. Here’s hoping someone surprises you today with a basket on your doorstep. It’s also Law Day, when we celebrate the rule of law in our country. While there are no baskets of flowers, feel free to appreciate a l

OMB Continues Push for Commercial Products and Services

In Spring 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14271, titled “Ensuring Commercial, Cost-Effective Solutions for Federal Contracts” which informed agencies that they should emphasize procuring commercially available products and services as much as possible. Fast forward a year later, and it would seem the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) is not seeing the push for utilizing commercially available products and services they expected among federal agencies. So a few we

Webinar Announcement: The SBA Mentor Protégé Program, May 5, 2026 hosted by Washington DC APEX Accelerators

Touted as a “game-changer” when it was first introduced in 2016, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s All Small Mentor-Protégé Program isn’t new anymore. Known now as simply the “SBA Mentor-Protege Program, it is still extremely powerful for large and small contractors alike. In this webinar, I will explain the ins and out of the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program, covering the program’s eligibility requirements, its potential benefits (including the ability to form special mentor-protege Joint Vent

A Reversal in Course? SBA Rescinds Several 8(a) Suspension Notices

As you may recall, this past December, SBA launched a massive audit of the 8(a) Program, in which 8(a) participants were required to submit a long list of financial documents for review. Many feared it was the beginning of the end of the 8(a) Program when several 8(a) Participants were hit with suspension notifications earlier this year. Most of these suspensions were a result of SBA’s review of the documents collected during the December data call. The basis was often a claimed failure of these

SmallGovCon Week in Review; April 20-24, 2026

Happy Friday! Everything seems a bit more in motion with the longer days of spring, including the feds. It’s been another active week in the federal government contracting world. We’ve included some articles below highlighting what’s been in the news this week. Key stories include a push for more commercial procurement from OMB, and reactions to the EOs barring DEI activities by contractors. We hope you have a great weekend. IBM agrees to pay $17.1M in first big test of new federa

FAR Updates Trade Agreement Act Thresholds

The The Trade Agreements Act (TAA) and its companion, the Buy American Act (BAA), both set policies for a preference for increased domestic purchases by the federal government and its contractors. However, the TAA is designed as kind of a counterweight to the BAA. The BAA (passed in 1933), “the first of the major domestic content restriction laws, requires federal agencies to apply a price preference for ‘domestic end products’ and use ‘domestic construction materials’ for covered contracts perf

SmallGovCon Week in Review: April 13-17, 2026

Happy Friday! We’re keeping a close watch on the skies lately as we’ve some severe spring storms lately. This time of year can bring some intense weather across Kansas, so things can turn unpredictable quickly. Wherever you are, we hope the weather is kind and that you stay safe. Things can sometime get unpredictable in federal contracting too. Now, here’s what’s happening this week in federal government contracting news: the continuing rumblings of AI and cybersecurity are big topics in pro

Back to Basics: The Two-Year Rule

Something we get asked about a lot with regards to joint ventures is the two-year rule (not to be confused with the “Rule of Two,” which concerns contract set-asides).  We have explored this rule in the past on a few occasions, however, it has been a little while since the last such post and it’s been a perennial issue for contractors that we talk to. As such, it would be helpful to have a refresher on this rule, which may help clear up some of those questions. The Basics The rule in

Event Announcement: GovCon Roundup Live, Teaming Agreements, April 15, 2026

We’d like to invite you to a great interactive virtual event coming up — and it’s completely free.  On April 15th, Carroll Bernard and Steven Koprince are hosting Episode 9 of GovCon Roundup Live, and the topic is one that trips up contractors at every stage: teaming. Our very own, federal government contracts attorney, Nicole Pottroff, will be contributing her thoughts to the discussion. Whether you’ve never heard the term or you’ve been navigating teaming agreements for years, this ses

Webinar Announcement: Joint Ventures & Teaming, April 23, 2026 hosted by El Paso Texas APEX Accelerators

If you aren’t able to attend the April 14th webinar on joint ventures & teaming agreements and how they can be essential to winning and successfully performing federal government contracts, here’s another chance! Please join, government contracts attorneys, Nicole Pottroff and John Holtz from Koprince McCall Pottroff, as they explain how to develop, negotiate and administer agreements that are both compliant and effective. The presentations will cover both the key rules (such as flow-do

SmallGovCon Week in Review: April 6-10, 2026

Happy Friday! April has started out in full swing, and it’s already shaping up to be a busy and eventful month. Along with plants being active for spring, this week has been active in the federal government contracting world, with some new developments and policy updates to track. As always, we’ve gathered a selection of relevant articles and insights below to help you stay informed and ahead of the curve. Key updates including a proposed federal budget, increased IT spending review, and new

President’s Executive Order Requires Terms Addressing DEI in Contracts

Recently, President Trump issued an executive order focused on federal contractors and DEI (meaning “Diversity Equity and Inclusion”) initiatives. Through this executive order, the President has quickly placed new requirements on federal contractors and agencies to include specific terms within their contracts and subcontracts. These terms add up to a somewhat lengthy contract clause, with the basic requirement that parties agree to not utilize DEI practices and agree to comply with any investig

SmallGovCon Week in Review: March 30-April 3, 2026

Happy Friday—and welcome to April! Recently, SmallGovCon contributor Nicole Pottroff traveled to Las Vegas to attend and present at the RES 2026 conference, hosted by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development. While there, she took part in a panel titled “Navigating the New Regulatory Landscape for Native-Owned Federal Contractors.” The event brought together professionals from across the industry, offering valuable opportunities for networking, business development, and Nat

Webinar Announcement: Teaming Agreements & Joint Ventures, April 14, 2026 hosted by UT San Antonio APEX Accelerators

For large and small contractors alike, teaming agreements and joint venture agreements can be essential to winning and successfully performing federal government contracts. In this presentation, government contracts attorneys, Shane McCall and Annie Birney from Koprince McCall Pottroff, will explain how to develop, negotiate and administer agreements that are both compliant and effective. The presentations will cover both the key rules (such as flow-downs and ostensible subcontractor affiliation

Back to Basics: Requests for Equitable Adjustment

As any contractor knows, there is no amount of preparation that can ensure a project goes exactly as planned. And unfortunately, when the unexpected happens, contractors may face increased costs, schedule delays, and other obstacles outside of their control. A request for equitable adjustment (or REA) affords contractors the opportunity to seek compensation or additional time for unforeseen conditions. This post will explore REAs and when to consider using such an approach. What is a Req

SmallGovCon Week in Review: March 23-27, 2026

Happy Friday! I just got back from a short trip to the Caribbean to enjoy some relaxation with the fam. We saw some incredible fish, rays, and even a sea turtle, while also making some time for reading on the beach. It’s good to recharge the batteries every once in a while and come back raring to go. But federal contracting news never stops. This week in federal government contracting news including a report that the federal government is looking to hire more employees (but maybe cut down o

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