Skip to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.
The Wifcon Forums and Blogs - 27 Years Online

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

 

SmallGovCon.com

A blog by Koprince Law LLC in General

  • Entries

    2,216

  • Comments

    101

  • Views

    219,722

Entries in this blog

SmallGovCon Week in Review: July 13-17, 2026

Happy Friday! It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through July! We hope your summer has been filled with meaningful hangouts with family and friends, vacation adventures, and a little extra time to enjoy the season. As we head into the second half of summer, we’re grateful for your continued support of SmallGovCon and look forward to sharing more tips, updates, and resources to help your contracting business thrive. Have a great weekend. This week in federal government contracting saw

When Today Becomes the Next Business Day: GAO’s Strict Rules for the Timely Submission of Bid Protests to Solicitation Terms 

What time does the day end? Most people would answer that a day ends at midnight. However, a recent GAO decision highlights that, for purposes of filing a pre-award bid protest with the GAO, the business day ends at 5:30 p.m. ET when the GAO closes its doors for the day. Confusingly, this can result in a protest that was technically filed on a Friday after 5:30 p.m. ET, not actually being filed until Monday, the next business day. A recent GAO decision explores this phenomenon and clarifies fili

GovConFAQ: How Do I Count My Joint Venture’s Receipts When Determining My Size?

Joint ventures are an increasingly common teaming structure in small business federal government contracting. They offer small businesses (and even some SBA-approved large business mentors) the opportunity to perform set-aside contracts as part of a team allowed to leverage the size and status(es) of its managing venturer. But with their growing popularity and obvious appeal amongst the small business community comes the often-asked question of how to calculate a joint venture’s receipts towards

SmallGovCon Week in Review: July 6-10, 2026

Happy Friday! The 4th of July weekend was a great chance to slow down, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy some good food and fireworks (or drones, in our case). The only downside? The weather has been incredibly hot and humid but that’s typical for summer here in Kansas. We hope you had a great week and are staying cool. Here’s what is happening in federal government contracting this week. Key stories include GSA AI proposed rules, and Congress having a lot to do this summer.

SAM Registration: Defining “Immediate Owner” and “Highest-Level Owner”

SAM.gov is something every federal government contractor has to deal with for actions like searching solicitations and registering to be a federal contractor. As every federal contractor wanting to do business with the federal government has to register on SAM, the questionnaires on SAM must cover a wide array of different possible businesses and business structures. As much as SAM tries to make sure to cover all the possibilities, inevitably, there are some questions that could have so many ans

Event Announcement: GovCon Roundup Live, July 15, 1:00pm EDT, Expanding VOSB and SDVOSB Opportunities & Navigating the SBA Certification Minefield

Please join me on the GovCon Roundup Live, with Carroll Bernard and Steven Koprince to discuss several important developments affecting veteran-owned small businesses in federal contracting. Here are the details: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 1:00 – 2:30 PM Eastern Free to attend Here is the link for registration: https://lnkd.in/gKJVaqBg The post Event Announcement: GovCon Roundup Live, July 15, 1:00pm EDT, Expanding VOSB and SDVOSB Opportunities & Navigating the SBA Certificatio

Happy Independence Day from SmallGovCon!

We at SmallGovCon want to wish you and yours a wonderful Independence Day. Be safe this weekend and remember what the day is all about. It is a time to remember what unites as a nation, and consider our shared values and ideals. We hope you have a chance to relax, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy the 4th! We leave you with these words from the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Crea

COFC: Limitation on Subcontracting Certification Trips Up Contractor Where Solicitation Requires it to be Signed and Attached

When it comes to federal contracting, there are parts that are very detail-oriented.  Countless signatures for countless certifications. We certainly empathize with contractors on this aspect of federal contracting. But just because we are empathetic does not mean that a contractor can ignore such requirements. In a recent decision, Revelations Counseling & Consulting, LLC v. United States, 180 Fed. Cl. 721 (2026), the Court of Federal Claims (COFC) made it very clear: Where the solicitation

SmallGovCon Week in Review: June 22-26, 2026

Happy Friday! With June wrapping up, we’ve officially reached the halfway point of the year. Mid-year is the perfect time for federal government contractors to focus on the goals ahead and prepare for new opportunities in the months to come. Here’s to finishing June strong and carrying that momentum into a productive and successful second half of 2026! We hope you have a wonderful weekend. This week in federal government contracting news, a good chunk of the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (aka “

Formal Revolution: FAR Council Releases Proposed Formal Rules to Start RFO Rulemaking Process

The FAR Council has released its first batch of proposed rules to amend the Federal Register to implement the changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement the executive order on Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement. In this post, we will provide an overview of how the RFO is being implemented as part of the formal rulemaking process. Overall, the proposed regulation seems to follow the vast majority of the proposed language that was already issued under the RFO. We’v

“I Could Have Competed” Won’t Cut It: COFC Requires Showing Contractor Could Perform Work if it Wants to Protest Solicitation Terms 

You have your eye on a solicitation. You know the work, you know the customer, and you are certain that you would be a front-runner for the award. Then, you learn that the agency is limiting competition for the procurement, and you can no longer compete for the contract. Immediately, you think that the agency must have made a mistake. After all, you were fully prepared to submit a proposal and perform the work. But is believing you could have competed for the contract and won the award enough to

GovCon FAQs: What Costs Can I Exclude From Limitations on Subcontracting Calculations?

If your small business performs federal government contracts, chances are, you’ve already calculated your small business’s compliance with the applicable limitation on subcontracting (LoS) a time or two. But whether you’re new to the LoS equation–or you’ve long since mastered that math–knowing which costs you can exclude from your calculations is vital. Indeed, such can impact everything from the accuracy of a bidder’s regulatory compliance representations and certifications to a contractor’s cr

SmallGovCon Week in Review: June 15-19, 2026

Juneteenth is a day to celebrate freedom, reflect on history, and recognize how far we’ve come as a country. Observed each year on June 19, it marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas finally learned they were free—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. Whether you’re attending a local event, spending time with family, or simply taking a moment to learn more about the holiday, we hope you have a wonderful weekend. Happy Juneteenth! This week in fe

GAO Sustains Protest Due to Agency’s Inadequate Documentation and Unequal Evaluation of Offerors 

As regular SmallGovCon readers surely know, federal agencies have a great deal of discretion when procuring products and services. Protesters are often facing an uphill battle in attempting to demonstrate an agency abused that discretion in making an award. This is because typically, so long as the agency properly documents its decision making process, sticks to the solicitation terms, and there is documentation in the record that reasonably supports the agency’s decision, GAO will rule in the a

Breaking: SBA Proposes to Remove Social Disadvantage Presumption for 8(a) Program

SBA is proposing to amend its 8(a) Program rules to “remove the rebuttable presumption that individuals belonging to certain designated groups are socially disadvantaged and set forth revised standards for individuals establishing social disadvantage.” This proposed rule continues the trend that has been building since the Ultima decision in 2023. In 2023, a federal court said that the rebuttable presumption of social disadvantage under the 8(a) is unconstitutional as it violates the right to eq

SmallGovCon Week in Review: June 8-12, 2026

Happy Friday! We’ve seen a busy storm season lately across the region and the US. It’s that time of year as we transition from spring to summer. Hope all of our readers are staying safe amidst all this weather. It’s also been a busy week in the federal contracting world, with major developments including NIH shutting down its multiple award contracts, and increased focus on AI at GSA and other agencies. As the week comes to a close, read on to stay up to date on some of these stories. This

Webinar: Mentor-Protégé Agreements, June 25, 2026, hosted by Empire APEX Accelerators

First launched in 2016 as the “All Small Mentor-Protégé Program,” this powerful initiative by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has evolved—but it remains a game-changing tool for both small and large federal contractors. In this informative webinar, SmallGovCon contributor and government contracts attorney, Gregory Weber, will break 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 f

Important Exception to “Size at Initial Offer” Rule Dooms Award to Mentor-Protégé JV

As a general rule, when it comes to compliance with a solicitation’s size standard, what matters is the size of the entity at the time it submits its initial offer per 13 C.F.R. § 121.404(a). This is something we’ve seen several times before in other cases. However, that is just the general rule, and there are several exceptions that can change things greatly. Indeed, when it comes to compliance with SBA’s joint venture requirements, we noted earlier this year (in a decision that preceded the on

Jordan Akins Joins Koprince McCall Pottroff LLC as Associate Attorney and SmallGovCon Contributor!

We are excited to announce that Jordan Akins has joined the firm and will also be a regular SmallGovCon contributor! You can read her full biography here. And check out Jordan’s first post here, discussing SDVOSB status protest best practices. Before joining the firm, Jordan served as General Counsel for the state of Kansas, advising agencies and boards on statutes, regulations, and newly adopted legislation. Her diverse experience in state government helps her break down complex legal issue

Timing is Everything: The Key to Timely SDVOSB Status Protests

When filing a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOSB) status protest, timing is critical. A single missed deadline may be the difference between a successful protest and a protest that is never heard. Missing established filing deadlines can result in your protest being dismissed, regardless of how compelling your arguments are. The Small Business Administration (SBA) will enforce these timing rules strictly. In particular, can a contractor ask the agency to simply investigate a company

Govology Webinar: Ethics in Federal Government Contracting, June 23, 2026

Contracting with the federal government requires companies to operate under heightened ethical and compliance standards. At the same time, competitive intelligence and strategic business development efforts are often critical to remaining competitive in the government marketplace. Understanding where the legal and ethical boundaries exist under procurement law, however, is not always intuitive. In this informative webinar, SmallGovCon contributor and government contracts attorney Nicole

SmallGovCon Week in Review: June 1-5, 2026

Happy Friday and happy June! We’ve received a lot of rain in our neck of the woods recently, so everything is looking green and lush before the heat of summer sets in. There’s the steady hum of lawn mowers as everyone tries to get the grass mowed in between rain showers and the gardens are growing nicely so far. While the cloudy days and frequent storms can be a little inconvenient at times, it’s hard to complain when everything is looking this beautiful. We’re looking forward to all that June h

GovCon FAQs: Should I Apply Simultaneously for All SBA Statuses I’m Eligible For?

In September 2024, following a temporary application and system pause, SBA switched over to a new, streamlined and unified application portal. Now, applications for the SBA’s 8(a) Program, HUBZone Program, Veteran-Owned Programs, and Woman-Owned Programs all go through MySBACertifications.Gov. Unlike prior portals and procedures, through this one, those eligible have the option to apply for multiple SBA small business contracting programs simultaneously. But the question is, what are the potenti

Back to the Drawing Board: SBA OHA Overturns Suspension of 8(a) Contractor

In October 2025, the SBA suspended an 8(a) Program contractor called ATI Government Solutions, LLC (ATI) after suspension under the FAR. ATI appealed the 8(a) suspension, and the decision shows that SBA must still support its actions with adequate evidence, and reasonable argument linked to that evidence. OHA remanded the suspension matter for more documentation from SBA. In ATI Gov’t Sols., LLC, SBA No. BDPT-728 (May 18, 2026), OHA considered the suspension of ATI. SBA had begun an inv

Federal Circuit Refuses to Apply Stricter Injunctive Relief Test to GAO Stays

We have noted in past posts that, in some cases, it may make sense to protest a solicitation evaluation or award decision at GAO simply to get a stay on the award. This is because, if you meet certain deadlines, a stay of award and performance is automatically placed on the procurement for the duration of the protest. Now, there are circumstances in which an agency can override this stay, but the burden is on the agency to show such an override is necessary. The Federal Circuit confirmed this is

Account

Navigation

Search

Search

Configure browser push notifications
Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.