The Weekly Update June 16, 2017
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING “GSA Adds Hundreds of Small Businesses to the 8(a) STARS II GWAC Contract.” GSA Press Release, June 15, 2017. Retrieved from gsa.gov. The GSA 8(a) STARS II Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (“GWAC”) recently added approximately 500 qualified industry partners during an Open Season. The Open Season enables GSA to continue its support of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (“SBA”) 8(a) Business Development Program and assist agencies in meeting their small business goals. With over 3,200 task order awards and . . . Read More
The Weekly Update June 9, 2017
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Rules of Procedure Governing Cases Before the Office of Hearings and Appeals The U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) has amended the rules of practice of its Office of Hearings and Appeals (“OHA”) to implement section 869 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 and section 1833 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. This legislation authorizes OHA to decide Petitions for Reconsideration of Size Standards (“Size Standard Petitions”). This . . . Read More
The Weekly Update May 23, 2017
OTHER NEWS SBA Administrator Linda McMahon Appoints Four Senior Executives, SBA PRESS RELEASE (May 25, 2017) Administrator Linda McMahon of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the appointment of four new Associate Administrators: Peter Cazamias for the Office of International Trade; Robb Wong for the Office of Government Contracting and Business Development; Allen Gutierrez for the Office of Entrepreneurial Development; and Michael Hershey for the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs. In a statement Ms. McMahon said: I am . . . Read More
The Weekly Update May 19th, 2017
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Proposed Rule to Revise and Streamline VA Acquisition Regulation To Adhere to Federal Acquisition Regulation Principles The Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) is proposing to amend and update its VA Acquisition Regulation (“VAAR”), to revise or remove any policy that has been superseded by changes in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”), to remove any procedural guidance that is internal to the VA, and to incorporate any new regulations or policies. This proposed rule will correct inconsistencies, . . . Read More
The Weekly Update May 5, 2017
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT Clarification of Employer’s Continuing Obligation to Make and Maintain an Accurate Record of Each Recordable Injury and Illness Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress has passed, and the President has signed, Public Law 115-21, a resolution of disapproval of OSHA’s final rule titled, “Clarification of Employer’s Continuing Obligation to Make and Maintain an Accurate Record of each Recordable Injury and Illness.” OSHA published the rule, which contained various amendments to OSHA’s recordkeeping regulations, on December 19, 2016. . . . Read More
The Weekly Update April 28, 2017
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Size Standards; Adoption of 2017 North American Industry Classification System for Size Standards The U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) has issued a proposed rule to amend its small business size regulations to incorporate the U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s North American Industry Classification System (“NAICS”) revision for 2017, identified as NAICS 2017, into its table of small business size standards. NAICS 2017 created 21 new industries by reclassifying, combining, or splitting 29 existing industries . . . Read More
The Weekly Update March 24, 2017
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Investment Companies: Passive Business Expansion and Technical Clarifications The delayed effective date for SBA’s final rule on Passive Business Expansion and Technical Clarifications occurred on March 21, 2017, when SBA re-opened the rule for additional public comments. SBA requires additional time to consider this final rule and determine whether any further changes are required. This final rule will go into effect on May 20, 2017. 82 Fed. Reg. 14428 GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS Homeland Security Acquisition Regulation (“HSAR”) – Extension of . . . Read More
The Weekly Update March 17, 2017
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION “SBA Administrator Honors Nation’s Top Small Businesses.” Small Business Administration Press Release, March 16, 2017. Retrieved from https://www.sba.gov. Administrator Linda McMahon, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), announced today this year’s Small Business Person of the Year winners from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. All of the winners have been invited to attend ceremonies in Washington, D.C on April 30 – May 1 where . . . Read More
The Weekly Update March 10, 2017
OTHER NEWS “Senate Narrowly Passes Repeal of Obama Fair Pay, Safe Workplace Rule.” Government Executive, March 6, 2017. Retrieved from http://www.govexec.com . The Senate narrowly approved, by a vote of 49-48, a House-passed Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval, overturning President Obama’s Fair Pay, Safe Workplaces Executive Order (“EO”) and handing a victory to contractors who had blasted the EO and the Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) rule to implement it as “blacklisting.” The EO aimed to protect contractor employees from wage theft . . . Read More
The Weekly Update March 3, 2017
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS Presidential Executive Order on Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda This Executive Order instructs the head of each agency to designate an agency official as its Regulatory Reform Officer (“RRO”) within 60 days. Each agency RRO will oversee the implementation of regulatory reform initiatives and policies to ensure that agencies effectively carry out regulatory reforms including (1) offsetting the number and cost of new regulations; (2) regulatory planning and review; and (3) the termination of programs and activities that . . . Read More