5 Things You Should Know: All-Small Mentor-Protege Program
Sep 20, 2017
In late 2016, the SBA rolled out a fantastic tool to help small business grow in the marketplace.
Here are five things you should know about the SBA All Small Mentor-Protégé Program:
It’s a business development program.
I’m often asked by small business owners, What is the new...
SBA OHA Confirms Strict SDVOSB “Unconditional Ownership” Requirements
Sep 19, 2017
Provisions in a company’s Shareholders Agreement, requiring the service-disabled veteran to sell his shares back to the company in the event of the veteran’s death or incapacity, were contrary to the SBA’s SDVOSB regulations.
According to a recent SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals decision,...
The “Procurement Guys” of the Future
Sep 18, 2017
The “procurement guys” of the future probably won’t recognize the term. And they certainly won’t have the word “procurement” in their job titles. They won’t work in a stand-alone department at some distance from customers, taxpayers or decision-makers. They won’t have their own...
SmallGovCon Week In Review: September 11-15, 2017
Sep 15, 2017
As we get closer to the end of the fiscal year, things can get a little crazy in the world of government contracts. This week is no exception, with plenty of news and commentary in our SmallGovCon Week In Review.
In this mid-September edition, court documents reveal a bribery scheme centered on...
Bankruptcy Pending, But Contractor Still Wins Award
Sep 15, 2017
Contracting officers have wide discretion to determine that a business can perform the work in question—even if the business is about to enter bankruptcy.
In a recent GAO protest, an unsuccessful offeror challenged just such a determination, saying that there is no way the awarded business could...
Digital Marketplace Model for Other Countries to Receive Funding Go Ahead
Sep 14, 2017
G-Cloud, now the Digital Marketplace, the hub for buying IT has been one of the UK government’s great success stories. It is now looking at overseas expansion and replicating the model to make the procurement of IT services and skills more efficient and cost-effective for public sector...
DHS’ Silicon Valley Innovation Program Speeds Proposal Process
Sep 14, 2017
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) is proving to be very popular among startups. Dr. Douglas Maughan, director of the Cyber Security Division within the Science and Technology Directorate at DHS, said SVIP had taken a three-four month proposal process...
New Head of Slovak Public Procurement Would Like to Professionalise the Profession
Sep 14, 2017
The Slovak Spectator reports that Parliament has elected a lawyer as the new head of the Public Procurement Office (ÚVO). He replaced the current head on September 14. The new head has not worked for the office before, but the PM believes this will bring a ‘sideways’ look at the office. The...
Software for Public Sector Financed by Public Money Should Be Open Source
Sep 14, 2017
European Digital Rights (EDRi) is an association of civil and human rights organisations from across Europe which defends rights and freedoms in the digital environment. It is currently championing for public sector software that fosters the sharing of good ideas and solutions for everyone....
DHS Bans Kaspersky Software From Federal Data Systems
Sep 14, 2017
Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Elaine Duke issued a directive announcing all federal agencies must get rid of the Russian-based cybersecurity software within 90 days. “This action is based on the information security risks presented by the use of Kaspersky products on...
Lack of Supervision and Reorganisation Pressures Lead to Waste of Public Money in Police Central Works Council
Sep 14, 2017
The Dutch National Police Central Works Council (CWC) has been accused of exorbitantly wasting taxpayer money through lack of supervision on budgets and expenses. A committee on behalf of the Dutch lower parliament suspects former police chief of not acting sufficiently enough to combat overruns on...
NSA Awards Classified $2.4 Billion Tech Contract With More to Come
Sep 14, 2017
CSRA won the National Security Agency’s (NSA) Groundbreaker recompete to modernize portions of the intelligence community’s IT infrastructure. The agency awarded the tech firm the first of three portions of its classified contract and is expected to make the final two recompete awards this...
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Perspectives and Insights
I have been interested in the question of getting successful commercial companies, especially tech companies, to sell to the government from the time I was …
The Contractor Accountability and Transparency Act of 2017 (S. 651), introduced by Sens. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Jon Tester, D-Mont., is yet another example of a …
Think you know all about public sector owned professional buying organisations (PBOs) and what they do? Here are ten interesting facts that might just surprise …
Policies and Regulations
It’s no surprise President Trump has been systematically dismantling President Obama’s executive orders, since taking office. Obama himself knew it was a possibility: Frustrated by …
Past performance is an important step in being successful as a federal government contractor. Once firms get into the mid-tier range, they normally have amassed …
A few months back, we published several articles about the very interesting – and somewhat shocking – court case around the UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning …