Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – August 27, 2026
The Weekly Update recaps recent legislative and regulatory updates affecting government contractors and commercial businesses. If you have questions concerning this content, please email marketing@pilieromazza.com. _____________________________________________ GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS GovCon Due Diligence: The Assets Investors and PE Buyers Need to Understand Before Closing – The GovCon M&A Playbook, Part 3 PilieroMazza Blog; Author: Samuel S. Finnerty A private equity fund acquires an SDVOSB with strong revenue, attractive contract vehicles, and a promising pipeline. The financial diligence checks out, and the customer relationships appear solid. . . . Read More
PilieroMazza Town Hall: Breaking Down SBA’s Massive Proposed Changes to Small Business Size Standards
Click here to view the recorded session. On August 19th, PilieroMazza issued a client alert analyzing the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) significant new proposals to revise its size standards methodology and the size standards applicable across numerous industries. If adopted, these proposals would fundamentally change how small business status is determined for federal contracting and reshape the set-aside contracting landscape. The authors of the client alert, partners Jon Williams and Meghan Leemon, will host a virtual PilieroMazza Town Hall on Thursday, August 27, 2026, from 11am – 12pm ET to discuss . . . Read More
AI, Privacy, and Employees: Understanding Legal Risks and Liabilities for Employers
Click here to view the recorded session. As employers and employees increasingly use artificial intelligence tools in their everyday work, new legal and privacy risks are emerging. This webinar examines how AI is reshaping the workplace, from employee data collection to decision-making and monitoring practices. Attendees will gain insight into this evolving legal landscape, including risks related to bias, data protection, and transparency, along with strategies to use AI responsibly while safeguarding employee rights and minimizing liability. Learning objectives: Identify . . . Read More
Five SBA 7(a) Changes that Could Reshape Business Acquisitions
On August 14, 2026, the U.S. Small Business Administration (the SBA) announced the issuance of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 50 10 8.1, Lender and Development Company Loan Programs, which will become effective on October 1, 2026, according to SBA Policy Notice 5000-880695. SOP 50 10 8.1 will apply to all lending applications that are issued an SBA loan number on or after October 1, 2026, and is intended to build upon the 7(a) lending criteria that were reintroduced pursuant to . . . Read More
GovCon Due Diligence: The Assets Investors and PE Buyers Need to Understand Before Closing – The GovCon M&A Playbook, Part 3
A private equity fund acquires an SDVOSB with strong revenue, attractive contract vehicles, and a promising pipeline. The financial diligence checks out and the customer relationships appear solid. The employees stay and integration proceeds as planned. Then the buyer discovers the company can no longer compete for many of the opportunities that drove its growth projections. A major contract vehicle no longer offers the same access to future work. A mentor-protégé joint venture is less valuable than expected. A facility . . . Read More
The Shifting Landscape for Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence, Part 2: The Current Landscape
In Part 1 of this series, we examined the Department of Defense’s Proposed Rule and how it would broaden the reach of Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) obligations across the defense industrial base. Before looking ahead, it helps to understand how the current framework works. In this installment, PilieroMazza attorneys walk through the foundation of the existing system: obtaining and maintaining a facility security clearance, securing personnel security clearances for the people who run and safeguard the business, and, . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – August 20, 2026
The Weekly Update recaps recent legislative and regulatory updates affecting government contractors and commercial businesses. If you have questions concerning this content, please email marketing@pilieromazza.com. _____________________________________________ GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS SBA to Propose Massive Changes to Its Small Business Size Standards, PilieroMazza Client Alert, Jon Williams, Meghan Leemon Today SBA published stunning proposed changes to its size standards, replacing the August 2025 proposed rule, which we discussed here, as well as revised size standards methodology. From time to time, SBA reviews and proposes changes to its . . . Read More
SBA to Propose Massive Changes to Its Small Business Size Standards
On August 20th, SBA will publish stunning proposed changes to its size standards, replacing the August 2025 proposed rule, which we discussed here, as well as revised size standards methodology. From time to time, SBA reviews and proposes changes to its size standards and those changes are typically incremental and to adjust for inflation. Tomorrow’s proposed changes are massive and will dramatically reshape how small businesses are determined for federal contracting if finalized. One of the major proposed changes is . . . Read More
2026 Newly Increased Health and Welfare Rates on SCA Government Contracts
The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has again issued new Service Contract Act (SCA) health and welfare (H&W) rates. Effective August 10, 2026, WHD increased the prevailing H&W fringe benefits from a rate of $5.55 per hour to $5.92 per hour. Where a contractor is obligated to comply with Executive Order (EO) 13706 sick leave obligations, the rates increased from $5.09 per hour to $5.42 per hour. Updated rates of $2.51 per hour (without the EO) . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – August 13, 2026
The Weekly Update recaps recent legislative and regulatory updates affecting government contractors and commercial businesses. If you have questions concerning this content, please email marketing@pilieromazza.com. _____________________________________________ GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS SBA Finalizes Rule Regarding Social Disadvantage Requirements for Individually-Owned 8(a) Applicants PilieroMazza Client Alert, Meghan Leemon On August 11, just shy of 30 days after comments on the proposed rule closed, SBA issued a final rule entitled “Reforms to 13 CFR 124.103 to remove SBA’s 8(a) Program’s rebuttable presumption of social disadvantage for individually owned firms only. Reforms do . . . Read More