On September 4, 2025, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) granted an appeal challenging SBA’s determination that a service-disabled veteran did not control an entity applying for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) status based on a minority owner’s ability to block certain actions in the matter of VSBC Appeal of: Blue Skye Foods, LLC, SBA No. VSBC-442-A.Continue Reading SBA’s OHA Further Defines Extraordinary Action in SDVOSB Appeal
SBA Proposes Increases to Small Business Receipts-Based Size Standards to Promote More Competition for Small Business Set-Aside Contracts
On August 22, 2025, the Small Business Administration (SBA) published a proposed rule that would raise the receipts-based small business size standards across 259 industries and the asset-based size standard across 4 industries. The proposed rule aims to provide greater opportunity for growing small businesses to retain their small business status longer and continue to benefit from SBA loan programs and federal contracting opportunities reserved for small businesses.Continue Reading SBA Proposes Increases to Small Business Receipts-Based Size Standards to Promote More Competition for Small Business Set-Aside Contracts
Court of Federal Claims Recognizes Additional Potential Recovery Opportunities under Energy Savings Performance Contracts
Earlier this year, we highlighted a notable Court of Federal Claims (CFC) decision recognizing that an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) contractor may be able to recover proposal preparation costs under the CFC’s bid protest jurisdiction. Now, in Siemens Government Technologies, Inc. v. United States, another CFC decision has reaches a similar conclusion and goes even further — also highlighting the potential to recover under the Court’s Contract Disputes Act (CDA) jurisdiction. Continue Reading Court of Federal Claims Recognizes Additional Potential Recovery Opportunities under Energy Savings Performance Contracts
GAO Moves the Goalposts: New Post-Debriefing Timeliness Trap for Protesters
The deadlines for filing a GAO protest are short and strictly enforced. In post-award protests, the general rule is that a company must file its protest within ten days of when the protester knows, or should have known, of its basis of protest. However, GAO’s regulations provide an exception to this rule for “protests challenging a procurement conducted on the basis of competitive proposals under which a debriefing is requested and, when requested, is required”—in such a situation, “[the] protest shall not be filed before the debriefing date offered to the protester, but shall be filed not later than 10 days after the date on which the debriefing is held.” 4 CFR §21.2(a)(2).Continue Reading GAO Moves the Goalposts: New Post-Debriefing Timeliness Trap for Protesters
Court of Federal Claims Decision Offers Potential Recovery Opportunity for Energy Savings Performance Contracts and Task Order Bid Protests
A recent Court of Federal Claims decision addressed a novel fact pattern involving a bid protest (seeking bid preparation costs) relating to an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) and has the potential to expand contractor recovery opportunities in both areas of law.Continue Reading Court of Federal Claims Decision Offers Potential Recovery Opportunity for Energy Savings Performance Contracts and Task Order Bid Protests
Tribal Consultation Meeting for 8(a) Business Development and Mentor-Protégé Programs Provides Insight Into SBA Priorities Under the New Administration
On May 12, 2025, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that it is holding a tribal consultation meeting and requesting comments and input on topics relating to the 8(a) and mentor-protégé programs. The tribal consultation will be held on June 13, 2025 in Anchorage, Alaska, and SBA is anticipating that the meeting will cover a range of topics relevant to 8(a) and mentor-protégé program participants.Continue Reading Tribal Consultation Meeting for 8(a) Business Development and Mentor-Protégé Programs Provides Insight Into SBA Priorities Under the New Administration
GAO Finds Authority to Use Noncompetitive Procedures Is Not Carte Blanche
Most protests involve competitive procurements and the many rules governing how agencies are to conduct such procurements. In certain circumstances, agencies are permitted to bypass some of these rules and limit competition. But, as GAO noted in a recently issued sustain decision, the authority to use noncompetitive procedures does not provide the agency carte blanche.Continue Reading GAO Finds Authority to Use Noncompetitive Procedures Is Not Carte Blanche
Recent Deluge of Paycheck Protection Program False Claims Act Settlements
United States Attorneys’ Offices recently announced a number of False Claims Act (FCA) settlements arising out of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). These settlements reveal several trends that PPP loan recipients should be aware of.Continue Reading Recent Deluge of Paycheck Protection Program False Claims Act Settlements
SBA Issues “Day One” Memo – with a Particular Emphasis on Rooting out Fraud
On February 24, 2025, the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a “Day One” memo outlining SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler’s priorities.
The “Day One” memo highlights SBA’s focus on the Trump administration initiatives—including implementing President Trump’s executive orders; mandating that all non-exempt employees return to full-time, in-office work; and working closely with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in accomplishing accountability, transparency, and efficiency. SBA will relocate regional offices “currently based in sanctuary cities” to what it characterizes as “less costly, more accessible locations in communities that comply with federal immigration law.”Continue Reading SBA Issues “Day One” Memo – with a Particular Emphasis on Rooting out Fraud
Brace for Impact: Final SBA Rule Changes to Recertification and Negative Controls Will Reverberate in GovCon M&A and Investment Market
On December 17, 2024, the Small Business Administration (SBA) published a final rule amending multiple aspects of all of the SBA’s small business size and status programs. Among other notable changes, SBA (1) introduced a new rule that changes the impact of a recertification as other than small or as other than the relevant small business status following a merger or acquisition, and (2) introduced a standardized set of permissible negative controls for minority shareholders in all types of small businesses, thereby significantly expanding the controls investors may have in service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs), women-owned small businesses (WOSBs), and participants in the SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program. Continue Reading Brace for Impact: Final SBA Rule Changes to Recertification and Negative Controls Will Reverberate in GovCon M&A and Investment Market