On December 19, 2022, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a proposed rule that would amend the SBA regulations to implement Section 870 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2020. Section 870 makes noteworthy changes to the requirements a federal contractor must adhere to when attempting to obtain subcontracting credit for lower-tier subcontracts.
[WEBINAR] Federal Government Contracts: New SBA Certification Program for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses
I am looking forward to participating in a webinar titled, “Federal Government Contracts: New SBA Certification Program for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses” hosted by Strafford on February 28, 2023, from 1:00 pm-2:30 pm EST. Our panel will guide counsel on navigating the SBA certification program for VOSBs and SDVOSBs effective Jan. 1, 2023. We will review eligibility requirements, crucial certification procedures, and compliance obligations for entities and joint ventures. The panel will also offer certification best practices for receiving future set-aside or sole-source federal government contracts.
Attention SBIR Applicants…Remember that Affiliation Rules Still Apply
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program has an interesting construction. With seemingly no competition to bring size protests and the successful completion of a previous grant before a second grant, the unusual process can make participants forget that normal Small Business Administration (SBA) size regulations still apply. A recent SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) decision reminds SBIR awardees to comply with all affiliation rules and ownership requirements or risk losing follow-on SBIR awards.
Continue Reading Attention SBIR Applicants…Remember that Affiliation Rules Still Apply
SBA to Adjust for Alternative Size Standards under the SBIC
On November 17, 2022, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) published an interim final rule in the Federal Register to make certain inflationary adjustments for the alternative size standards under the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program. The interim final rule became effective on December 19, 2022, but the SBA will accept public comments until
DOD’s Mentor Protégé Program Drops “Pilot” From Title as the NDAA Codifies the Initiative
On December 15, the U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the Fiscal Year 2023 by an 83-11 vote. The annual legislation changes U.S. defense agencies’ policies and regulations and provides necessary guidance for how appropriations can be spent. It is frequently used to implement changes to federal procurement policy, and one of those changes this year is that Section 856 codifies the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) – with some tweaks.
New SBIR and STTR Programs that Promote Small Business Innovation
I authored an article published by Law360 discussing the recent reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology (STTR) programs. Touted as “America’s Seed Fund,” these programs seek to foster a healthy environment for small business startups to innovate and provide a path to private-sector commercialization of new technologies.
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Register Now | SBIR/STTR Program Reauthorization – Changes Are Coming!
On September 30, President Biden signed the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Extension Act of 2022, reauthorizing the SBIR and STTR programs through September 30, 2025.
Continue Reading Register Now | SBIR/STTR Program Reauthorization – Changes Are Coming!
Register Now | APTAC Fall 2022 Conference
I am looking forward to presenting a panel titled “Mentor Protégé Step by Step for SBA and DoD” for the APTAC Fall 2022 Conference on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. EDT. The conference is taking place at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill on November 6-10, 2022. For more information, please click
Proposed Rule for DBE Program Comes as Infrastructure Money Begins to Flow
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is a historic investment in our nation’s roads, bridges, railways, airports and transportation systems. The bill appropriates $550 billion to physical infrastructure projects, requires stricter enforcement of the prompt payment rule for small businesses, and places a particular emphasis on the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program.
Continue Reading Proposed Rule for DBE Program Comes as Infrastructure Money Begins to Flow
SBIR Program Survives Programmatic Dissolution (With Some Changes)
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, touted as “America’s Seed Fund,” seek to foster a healthy environment for small business startups to innovate and provide a path to private-sector commercialization of new technologies.
Continue Reading SBIR Program Survives Programmatic Dissolution (With Some Changes)