Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – February 26, 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 . _____________________________________________ PilieroMazza Earns Top Ranking for Government Contracting Thought Leadership in 2026 JD Supra Readers’ Choice Awards, PilieroMazza News PilieroMazza is proud to announce that the Firm was named Top Government Contracting Firm in the 2026 JD Supra Readers’ Choice Awards , recognizing leading firms and authors for thought leadership and reader engagement throughout 2025. In addition to the firmwide honor, Jackie Unger earned individual recognition as #1 in Government Contracts , . . . Read More
Navigating the DOW 8(a)/Set-Aside Audit and Termination Threat
On January 16, 2026, Secretary Hegseth announced in a video posted on X that the DOW would undertake an audit of all 8(a) sole-source awards over $20 Million to redirect defense spending to programs that enhance lethality while curbing fraud, waste, and abuse. Since that announcement, a DOW memorandum was made public revealing the scope is broader than anticipated. Rather than just 8(a) sole-source awards, DOW is auditing any active 8(a) sole-source contract, 8(a) set-aside contract, or small business set-aside contract over $20 Million. . . . Read More
Sending Out An SOS for the LOS
The limitations on subcontracting, or LOS, is a fundamental requirement of set-aside contracting. Historically, however, the LOS has not received as much attention as other set-aside compliance obligations that are more regularly the focus of audits, enforcement actions, and protests. But that changed with recent high-profile audits by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Department of War (DOW) that are putting a spotlight on LOS compliance. In particular, a DOW memorandum issued in January 2026 shows it is investigating LOS compliance . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – February 19, 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 DHS Shutdown Talks Hit a Wall as GOP Fumes, The Hill Discussions between the White House and Democratic leaders on funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have hit a wall as administration officials publicly slammed the minority party for refusing to make concessions. Read more here . SBA Strikes Again: New 8(a) Program Suspensions . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – February 12, 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 U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Notice: Procurement Thresholds for Implementation of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 On February 3, USTR published a notice providing the U.S. dollar procurement thresholds to implement certain U.S. trade agreement obligations for calendar years 2026 and 2027. The notice is available here . Department of War (DOW) Memorandum: Class Deviation—Contract . . . Read More
PilieroMazza Annual Review: DOJ’s FY2025 False Claims Act Results and Compliance Considerations for Government Contractors in FY2026
The Department of Justice (DOJ) released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 False Claims Act (FCA) results, and the message for government contractors is clear: FCA enforcement is accelerating, and procurement fraud, cybersecurity non-compliance, pandemic program fraud, and tariff/custom duty evasion remain key priorities. DOJ reported total FCA settlements and judgments of more than $6.8 Billion for FY2025, the largest annual recovery in FCA history. Below are key takeaways from DOJ’s annual fraud statistics report, our outlook for FY2026, and important . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – January 29, 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 . _____________________________________________ Baltimore Magazine Recognizes PilieroMazza’s Jessica duHoffmann and Todd Reinecker for Excellence in Construction Law and Business Litigation, PilieroMazza News, Jessica A. duHoffmann , Todd M. Reinecker When commercial businesses and government contractors face complex construction challenges or high-stakes disputes, experience and strategy matter. PilieroMazza is proud to announce that Baltimore Magazine recognizes partners Jessica duHoffmann and Todd Reinecker among its Top Lawyers—highlighting the firm’s depth of talent and . . . Read More
January 2026: Partial Government Shutdown Imminent—Key Considerations for Federal Contractors
Last fall, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history—at 43 days—had lasting and widespread negative impacts across the country. The shutdown ended when Congress eventually agreed on an appropriations bill, but that bill funded the government only through January 30, 2026, with full-year appropriations only for Agriculture, the Legislative Branch, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs. Since then, full-year appropriations were passed and signed into law for Commerce, Justice, Science, Energy and Water Development, and Interior and Environment. However, six of . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – January 22, 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 . _____________________________________________ MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS GovCon M&A and Recertification: What Small Business Contractors, Investors, and Private Equity Firms Need to Know, PilieroMazza Client Alert, Samuel S. Finnerty The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) size and recertification rules have always been central to government contracting. But recent regulatory changes , and where we now stand in mid-January 2026, mark a meaningful shift in the GovCon M&A landscape, . . . Read More