Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses– April 20, 2022

If you have questions concerning the content below, please visit this link . Upcoming Events: Register to attend PilieroMazza’s upcoming events here . Recent Thought Leadership: Check out PilieroMazza’s recent client alerts and blogs here . GovCon Live! Podcast: Listen to PilieroMazza’s latest episodes and follow us to hear more here .   GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS ESOPs Have Opportunity to Shape DOD Pilot Program on Sole Source Follow-On Contracts, April 12, 2022, Kevin Barnett In late 2021, the  National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022  (FY 2022 NDAA) included a first-of-its-kind provision that authorized . . . Read More

Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses– April 13, 2022

If you have questions concerning the content below, please visit this link . Upcoming Events: Register to attend PilieroMazza’s upcoming events here . Recent Thought Leadership: Check out PilieroMazza’s recent client alerts and blogs here . GovCon Live! Podcast: Listen to PilieroMazza’s latest episodes and follow us to hear more here .   GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS SBA Increases Its Size Standards, Opening More Opportunities for Winning Government Contracts , April 4, 2022, Peter Ford , Patrick Rothwell The long-awaited increase to size standards by the Small Business Administration (SBA) has arrived. On March 31, 2022, SBA issued four final rules that increase the . . . Read More

Buy American Act Final Rule Strengthens Domestic Sourcing Requirements

The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FAR Council) published a final rule on March 7 that bolsters domestic sourcing requirements in federal procurement under the Buy American Act (BAA). This rule makes several significant changes to limit government contractors’ reliance on foreign products and component parts. Even though the final rule does not take effect until October 25, 2022, government contractors should be preparing for it now. PilieroMazza will discuss the new rule in a webinar on the BAA on April 27. Soon after . . . Read More

ESOPs Have Opportunity to Shape DOD Pilot Program on Sole Source Follow-On Contracts

In late 2021, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY 2022 NDAA) included a first-of-its-kind provision that authorized a pilot program through which businesses that are owned 100% by an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) could qualify for sole source awards on a follow-on contract. Of course, the devil is in the details, and this potentially historic provision merely authorized the program but included no details. The opportunity to fill in those details has arrived. The Department of Defense (DOD) recently announced that companies can . . . Read More

GSA Pauses Polaris RFPs

GSA’s Polaris RFPs are on pause after the agency received comments regarding the evaluation of joint ventures. GSA is now assessing whether changes are required to the RFPs and is temporarily pausing the RFPs until further notice. WOSBs, SDVOSBs, and HUBZone IT service providers should pause proposal activities until the assessment is completed. This assessment may be an indication that GSA is carefully considering aspects of Polaris RFPs that will hopefully be beneficial to both large and small contractors and improve . . . Read More

Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – April 6, 2022

If you have questions concerning the content below, please visit this link . Upcoming Events: Register to attend PilieroMazza’s upcoming events here . Recent Thought Leadership: Check out PilieroMazza’s recent client alerts and blogs here . GovCon Live! Podcast: Listen to PilieroMazza’s latest episodes and follow us to hear more here .   GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS OHA Confirms M&A-Related Recertification Won’t Impact Contractors’ Eligibility Under Pre-Existing Contracts , April 1, 2022, Samuel S. Finnerty   For small businesses, navigating the recertification rules promulgated by the Small Business Administration (SBA) is no easy task. SBA rules generally provide that the size of . . . Read More

SBA Increases Its Size Standards, Opening More Opportunities for Winning Government Contracts

The long-awaited increase to size standards by the Small Business Administration (SBA) has arrived. On March 31, 2022, SBA issued four final rules that increase the small business size standards for a number of industries. As a result, many businesses will gain eligibility for federal small business assistance programs or retain eligibility for a longer period. These programs include SBA’s business loan programs, Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, and federal procurement programs that provide targeted, set-aside opportunities for small . . . Read More

Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – March 31, 2022

If you have questions concerning the content below, please visit this link . Upcoming Events: Register to attend PilieroMazza’s upcoming events here . Recent Thought Leadership: Check out PilieroMazza’s recent client alerts and blogs here . GovCon Live! Podcast: Listen to PilieroMazza’s latest episodes and follow us to hear more here .   GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS GSA Releases Polaris Q&A Signaling Key Changes in Upcoming RFPs, March 25, 2022, Isaias “Cy” Alba, IV GSA recently released a  Q&A  in anticipation of the first two Polaris Requests for Proposals (RFPs). GSA anticipates the . . . Read More

PilieroMazza Win in Game-Changing Randolph-Sheppard Decision Could Increase Food Service Attendant Contract Awards to Federal Contractors

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a notable decision on March 24, 2022, in a protest filed by PilieroMazza attorneys Katie Burrows and Matt Feinberg on behalf of J.W. Mills Management, LLC (J.W. Mills), B-420416. The decision clarifies the scope of the Randolph-Sheppard Act (RSA) and could lead to new contract award opportunities for federal contractors in the food service attendant, mess attendant, and dining facility attendant industry. Federal contractors operating in the food service attendant space should consider how this . . . Read More

HUBZone Principal Office Flexibility Ends April 1

The Small Business Administration’s HUBZone office will soon end the principal office flexibility it introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting April 1, 2022, firms will no longer be able to count employees who spend most of their time working at home as a principal office employee. HUBZone firms need to be mindful of this as they prepare for their 2022 recertification and manage their HUBZone eligibility going forward. Below, we review the changes announced by SBA and offer our recommendations for dealing . . . Read More