UPDATE: Let Your Voice be Heard: Congress Wants to Hear from Small Business Government Contractors
The House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure hearing titled “Leveling the Playing Field: Fostering Opportunities for Small Business Contractors,” originally scheduled for July 8 to address key issues impacting small business government contractors, was postponed. A new date has not been confirmed. It is anticipated that the hearing may be rescheduled for some time in September. Please visit this link for our original client alert. In the meantime, PilieroMazza encourages stakeholders to still submit letters. Sharing your experiences now will . . . Read More
2025 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 July 7, 2025, WHD increased the prevailing H&W fringe benefits from a rate of $5.36 per hour to $5.55 per hour. Where a contractor is obligated to comply with Executive Order (EO) 13706 sick leave obligations, the rates increased from $4.93 per hour to $5.09 per hour. Updated rates of $2.42 per hour (without the EO) . . . Read More
The CPAR Trap: What SLSCO Teaches Contractors About Challenging Performance Ratings
Contractor Performance Assessment Reports (CPARs) are a critical currency in the world of government contracting—shaping future awards, past‐performance evaluations, and a contractor’s reputation. Positive assessments can help contractors secure future work with the government, while even a single marginal or unsatisfactory rating can ripple across future procurements, damaging a contractor’s competitive standing for years. When a contractor receives a negative CPAR, it must act quickly to correct issues with the ratings and recommendations before government customers rely on the negative . . . Read More
DOJ Uses FCA to Target DEI Policies and Antisemitism: The Impact on Government Contractors
Click here to view the recorded session. In the wake of Executive Order 14173, federal contractors face heightened scrutiny of their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The EO requires contractors to certify that DEI programs comply with federal anti-discrimination laws. Now, the Justice Department has announced it will use the False Claims Act (FCA) as an enforcement tool to target companies that maintain DEI programs in violation of the EO and current Administration policies. The announcement may substantially impact the . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – July 10, 2025
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 Orders Full-Scale Audit of 8(a) Program: What You Should Do to Prepare, PilieroMazza Client Alert, Jon Williams , Meghan F. Leemon The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced an “immediate and full-scale audit” of its 8(a) business development program. The announcement stems from a “years-long fraud and bribery scheme involving a former federal contracting officer and two 8(a) contractors,” . . . Read More
Lawmakers Sound Alarm Over VA’s AI-Driven Contract Terminations: What to Do If You’re Terminated
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is facing growing scrutiny from Congress after it abruptly canceled hundreds of contracts—many of which support critical services for veterans—based in part on recommendations from a hastily developed artificial intelligence (AI) tool. On June 13, 2025, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Angus King (I-ME), members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (Committee), sent a letter to Acting VA Inspector General David Case urging a formal investigation into the VA’s contract termination process. If . . . Read More
SBA Orders Full-Scale Audit of 8(a) Program: What You Should Do to Prepare
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced an “immediate and full-scale audit” of its 8(a) business development program. The announcement stems from a “years-long fraud and bribery scheme involving a former federal contracting officer and two 8(a) contractors,” as detailed in a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release . This scheme involving two 8(a) contractors appears to be isolated to a few bad actors rather than broader issues with the social and economic disadvantage requirements of the 8(a) program. Nevertheless, SBA is . . . Read More
Let Your Voice be Heard: Congress Wants to Hear from Small Business Government Contractors
On July 8, 2025, the House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure (Subcommittee) will hold a hearing titled “Leveling the Playing Field: Fostering Opportunities for Small Business Contractors.” The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) is coordinating the submission of letters of support to ensure small business voices are heard by the Subcommittee. Why Your Letter Matters—and How to Submit It Letters of support will be accepted through Tuesday, July 15. This is a crucial opportunity for small business . . . Read More
The Unusual Case of Obtaining a “Pause” on Performance After Missing the Filing Deadlines
One of the primary benefits of filing a protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is that it automatically puts the awarded contracts on hold, stopping the agency from proceeding with performance. To reap the benefits of the automatic stay, however, the law requires protesters—in a post-award posture—to file their protests within ten days of contract award or five days after the close of a requested and required debriefing, as applicable. The time limits are tight, but the reward can . . . Read More
SVOG Grant Recipients Face Renewed Scrutiny: Understanding Your Appeal Rights When SBA Rescinds Prior Grant Approval
Recently, the Small Business Administration (SBA) began issuing letters to recipients of grant funds under the $16.25 Billion COVID-era Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program, rescinding grant recipients’ eligibility for the program and demanding full or partial repayment of the grants. In many cases, the notices were a shock to grant recipients who went through multiple rounds of the grant approval process and received audit approval for their use of grant funds. Now, they face a daunting 30-day deadline for repayment of hundreds of . . . Read More