In a recent decision, the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) affirmed a Small Business Administration (SBA) Area Office’s size determination and held that procedural deficiencies in a contractor’s Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) and its supporting addendum disqualified it from small business status for the subject procurement.Continue Reading OHA Decision Reaffirms SBA’s Strict Adherence to Joint Venture Requirements
Small Business Regulations and Programs
SBA Final Rule Eliminates Self-Certification for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses
On June 6, the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a final rule that, effective August 5, 2024, implements a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (2024 NDAA), which eliminates the ability of service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) to self-certify their small business socioeconomic status for subcontracts and other non-set aside prime contracts. Continue Reading SBA Final Rule Eliminates Self-Certification for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses
[WEBINAR] SBA ASMPP Joint Ventures: Best Practices for Successful Partnerships
A key aspect of SBA’s All Small Mentor Protégé Program (ASMPP) is the opportunity for mentors and protégés to form joint ventures to bid together on federal contracts and qualify as a small business.Continue Reading [WEBINAR] SBA ASMPP Joint Ventures: Best Practices for Successful Partnerships
New Requirements for Government Contractors and Joint Ventures
I recently authored an article for Law360’s Expert Analysis column outlining a joint notice issued by the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO), which offers guidance to government contractors regarding entity eligibility determination (EED) requirements for joint ventures.Continue Reading New Requirements for Government Contractors and Joint Ventures
New Guidance Clarifies Facility Clearance Eligibility Determination Requirements for Joint Ventures
On October 5, the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) issued a joint notice (Joint Notice) with the Small Business Association (SBA) and in coordination with the Department of Defense (DOD) clarifying that the Cognizant Security Agency (CSA) is responsible for determining which entities are required to hold an Entity Eligibility Determination (EED), also known as a Facility Clearance (FCL), and providing specific guidance as to which entities must possess EED in different scenarios. Continue Reading New Guidance Clarifies Facility Clearance Eligibility Determination Requirements for Joint Ventures
The Corporate Transparency Act: A Primer for “Small” Businesses
The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which aims to curb illicit financial activities like money laundering and other fraudulent activities, will go into effect on January 1, 2024. Consequentially, many types of businesses, known as “reporting companies,” will be required to provide certain identifying information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) related to the individuals who directly and indirectly own them. The information will then be stored in a non-public database to be used in a variety of government enforcement efforts. Continue Reading The Corporate Transparency Act: A Primer for “Small” Businesses
UPDATE: 8(a) Reopens its Certify Site Welcoming New Applicants
On September 29, the Small Business Administration (SBA) reopened its Certify portal to new applicants seeking admittance into the SBA 8(a) program. Continue Reading UPDATE: 8(a) Reopens its Certify Site Welcoming New Applicants
UPDATE: Next Step in SBA’s Implementation of Ultima Ruling to 8(a) Program
The July 19 Ultima ruling threw the 8(a) program into tumult after the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee found the program’s rebuttable presumption mechanism, used to find social disadvantage, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.Continue Reading UPDATE: Next Step in SBA’s Implementation of Ultima Ruling to 8(a) Program
SBA Issues Interim Guidance on 8(a) Program Following Ultima Ruling
On July 19, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee ruled in favor of Ultima Services Corporation, prompting the pause of new 8(a) applications and necessitating a reorganization of the program’s eligibility process. Continue Reading SBA Issues Interim Guidance on 8(a) Program Following Ultima Ruling
SBA Tidies Up 8(a) Rules in Welcomed Final Rule
Effective May 30, 2023, a Small Business Administration (SBA) final rule made some notable changes to SBA’s 8(a) Business Development (BD) program, a valuable resource for those firms owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.Continue Reading SBA Tidies Up 8(a) Rules in Welcomed Final Rule