Skyway Wire
Oversight Weaknesses Continue to Limit SBA’s Ability to Monitor Compliance with 8(a) Program Requirements
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently issued a report on March 21, 2016 that examined the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) ability to oversee 8(a) contracts specifically awarded...
Bulk Funds and Splitting Requirements
One of my earliest accomplishments as a Contracting Officer occurred in Afghanistan, about a month after arriving in-theater for a year-long deployment. I was a junior Major in the Army, and had...
The Story of Three Contractors: Who Has the Bragging Rights for the Biggest Federal Contract Award?
Let me know if you’ve heard this one. Three contractors walk into a . . . . The first contractor, a small business, says proudly, “I just won a $1M firm fixed price service contract!” The second...
Mentor-Protégé JV does not exempt Contractor from SDVOSB Program-specific Requirements
In the matter of EKCG LLC, the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Hearing and Appeals (OHA) found no merit to the argument that an 8(a) mentor-protégé joint venture is exempt from the...
Who are my real competitors? How can I win against them? (Part 2)
You’ve identified who your “real competitors” are in federal contracting in your industry. Now, how do you improve your chances of winning against them? Be selective in choosing opportunities to...
Will the Supreme Court’s Ruling on the False Claims Act Effect Government Contractors?
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in April 2016 in a False Claims Act (“FCA”) case that could expand the scope of the statute and create a single interpretation among U.S. Circuit Courts. Under...
DOL Final Rule on White Collar Overtime
The Department of Labor (DOL) issued its final overtime rule which becomes effective December 1, 2016. In this final rule, the DOL revises final regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act...
Why Does the Government Ask for the Information They Do in a Solicitation?
Have you ever bought a house? For most people, this represents a huge investment in money and commitment to an extended financial contract. You don’t enter into this lightly. Your search may take...
Who are my real competitors? How can I win against them?
You may believe that your company is the only one that provides specific products or services in the federal marketplace. But that is rarely (if ever!) the case. Finding who your competitors are is...
How Do I Make A Compelling Case For My Company To Win?
With so much competition out there for every contracting opportunity, it is more and more challenging to win federal contracts. Those opportunities that are competed on a “Lowest Priced Technically...
Federal Government Breaks Contracting Record for Women-Owned Small Businesses
On March 2, 2016, SBA announced that the federal government met the 5% spending goal for WOSBs in FY15. 5.05% or $17.8 billion of all federal small business eligible contracting dollars were awarded...
OHA Clarifies Non-Manufacturer Rules for Procurements Using SAP
In 2014, the NMR was amended to require the non-manufacturer take “ownership” of the end item. This was done by adding language to section 121.406(d) stating that “the small business offeror must...
What is the Government’s Solicitation Process?
The Government’s solicitation process begins with the identification of the need for a product or service in order to achieve the user’s mission, and continues through delivery and final acceptance...
Getting to “Yes”
One of the most important aspects of being a contracting officer (CO) charged with serving a specified customer (government agency) is the critical understanding of customer service. A contracting...
What is the Difference Between a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) and an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract?
Sometimes in federal contracting the terminology we use seems to describe actions that are either identical or are so similar as to be indistinguishable. That appears to be the case with “BPA” and...
What is the Best Section of the Federal Market for Me to Target? What are the Best Agencies for Me?
This topic has been the subject of several of our webinars (Target or Forget It, May 2015), books (Save Your Time, by Kevin Jans, President, Skyway Acquisition), podcasts (Why Targeting Matters, Feb...