Contracting Officer Insight Archives

“Once an 8(a), Always an 8(a)?” — Myth Debunked

by Charlie Beauchamp | May 26, 2026 | Contracting Officer Insight

After 30+ years in government contracting, I was surprised to learn that a rule I had followed—and taught others—was never actually in the law. “Once an 8(a), always an 8(a)” isn’t real. Under 15 U.S.C. § 637(a) and 13 CFR Part 124: Agencies decide whether to offer...

The Rule of Two is Alive and Well

by Charlie Beauchamp | May 18, 2026 | Contracting Officer Insight

I keep hearing the same claim lately: “The FAR Part 19 rewrite eliminated the Rule of Two for task orders.” That statement is wrong—and it matters. The FAR rewrite didn’t erase the Rule of Two. It changed where, how, and whether decisions are protestable. But the...

GovCon is Trying to Operate in 3 Rulesets

by Charlie Beauchamp | Apr 27, 2026 | Contracting Officer Insight

In GovCon right now, it’s tough to get a bead on the clear direction, at the contract level. Since Executive Order 14275 directed an overhaul of that rulebook (the FAR), agencies have been adopting it at different speeds. Over the last year, each of the 50+...

Past Performance vs. Corporate Experience: What Government Buyers Actually Evaluate

by Charlie Beauchamp | Mar 23, 2026 | Contracting Officer Insight

In government contracting, “past performance” and “corporate experience” are often used interchangeably, even though they measure different things. Understanding how the government evaluates each helps companies position themselves more clearly. The simplest way to...

Congressional Notifications: The Schedule Gate Hiding in Plain Sight

by Charlie Beauchamp | Mar 16, 2026 | Contracting Officer Insight

Congressional notifications are a schedule driver that rarely appears in a solicitation, but often appears at the finish line. In the sound and fury of acquisition kickoff meetings, RFP releases, proposal deadlines, and evaluation sprints, they are easy to overlook....

The Government’s Three Main Acquisition Instruments

by Charlie Beauchamp | Mar 9, 2026 | Contracting Officer Insight

The way the Government buys things is generally perceived by the public as a single instrument, giant contracts that usually go to a large mega-corporation. This is often the “face” of Government acquisition, brought to you by the media and the entertainment industry....

“Once an 8(a), Always an 8(a)?” — Myth Debunked

The Rule of Two is Alive and Well

GovCon is Trying to Operate in 3 Rulesets

Past Performance vs. Corporate Experience: What Government Buyers Actually Evaluate

Congressional Notifications: The Schedule Gate Hiding in Plain Sight

The Government’s Three Main Acquisition Instruments

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