House Bill Would Limit Credit for Small Businesses Falling into Multiple Socioeconomic Categories

A recent bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives seeks to amend the Small Business Act to limit the way agencies take credit for contracting with small businesses that fall into several socioeconomic categories. H.R. 2362, known as the Assuring Contracting Equity Act of 2017, was introduced on May 4, 2017 and would, if passed, add a provision titled “Limitation on Number of Categories for which a Small Business May Qualify.” This provision would prevent a Federal agency from . . . Read More

What’s that Cybersecurity FAR Clause Doing In My Contract?

Many contractors we talk to believe that cybersecurity requirements are exclusively a concern of contractors working with DoD or with highly-classified, top secret projects. While perhaps true to some degree in the past, that belief is now outdated. In recent years, the federal government has steadily expanded the reach of cybersecurity requirements imposed on contractors and contracts of all shapes and sizes, and that trend is expected to continue.  As an example, one year ago this month the government implemented . . . Read More

The Weekly Update May 23, 2017

OTHER NEWS SBA Administrator Linda McMahon Appoints Four Senior Executives, SBA PRESS RELEASE (May 25, 2017) Administrator Linda McMahon of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the appointment of four new Associate Administrators: Peter Cazamias for the Office of International Trade; Robb Wong for the Office of Government Contracting and Business Development; Allen Gutierrez for the Office of Entrepreneurial Development; and Michael Hershey for the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs. In a statement Ms. McMahon said: I am . . . Read More

DOT’s DBE Program Helps Promote Growth

The U.S. Department of Transportation (“DOT”) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (“DBE”) Program provides opportunities for small businesses, owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, Tribes and Alaska Native Corporations, to participate on federally-assisted highway, transit, and aviation projects.  In addition to setting a goal that at least 10% of such contracts go to certified DBEs, the DBE Program provides related opportunities to assist DBEs with business development. Large businesses and non-DBE eligible contractors seeking to do work on DOT-funded . . . Read More

The Weekly Update May 19th, 2017

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Proposed Rule to Revise and Streamline VA Acquisition Regulation To Adhere to Federal Acquisition Regulation Principles The Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) is proposing to amend and update its VA Acquisition Regulation (“VAAR”), to revise or remove any policy that has been superseded by changes in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”), to remove any procedural guidance that is internal to the VA, and to incorporate any new regulations or policies. This proposed rule will correct inconsistencies, . . . Read More

Announcement of New Partners

It is our pleasure to announce that Nichole D. Atallah and Peter B. Ford has become partners of the firm  Ms. Atallah heads the firm’s Labor and Employment practice group. Her knowledge of labor laws in the government contracting setting and her business friendly, common sense approach to complex problems, instills confidence and respect. Ms. Atallah also works with our Litigation group and zealously defends clients faced with a wide range of lawsuits and claims, from wrongful termination to contract . . . Read More

New CVE Guidance on Joint Ventures and Mentor-Protégé Relationships

Earlier this month, the VA’s Center for Verification and Evaluation (“CVE”) published a new VA Verification Assistance Brief, Understanding Joint Venture and Mentor-Protégé Agreement Eligibility (“Assistance Brief”). The Assistance Brief explains the criteria that make a joint venture (“JV”) eligible for verification and inclusion in the VA VetBiz Vendor Information Pages (“VIP”) database, which is helpful given that the VA’s regulations, specifically 38 C.F.R. Part 74, say very little in terms of how a JV can be verified by CVE . . . Read More

Navigating Your DBE Certification

The Department of Transportation’s (“DOT”) Disadvantage Business Enterprise (“DBE”) program is not as well-known as the Small Business Administration’s (“SBA”) 8(a) and other small business programs, but it offers an excellent opportunity for eligible small businesses to expand their reach into state and local markets. The DOT requires that state and local agencies that receive DOT funding spend at least 10 percent of funds for certain projects on contracts with certified DBEs, which include woman- and minority-owned businesses. The DOT . . . Read More