The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), enacted in 1967, allows the public to request federal government records. It is designed to require disclosure of US government records in the absence of any of its 9 exemptions for things like privacy,
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GAO Sides with VA, Joint Venture Must Be SDVOSB Eligible at Time of Award
Here at SmallGovCon, we spend a lot of time studying (and talking about) the various small business federal set-aside programs. As a result, a lot of our focus is dedicated to SBA’s regulations governing these programs—after all, it is the
SmallGovCon Week in Review: September 21-25, 2026
Happy Friday! Fall is here, bringing some cooler weather and pumpkin everything. For small businesses contracting with the federal government, the SBA has been rolling out some important changes—including proposed updates to size standards and recent changes to the 8(a)
GovCon FAQ: Can a Foreign-Owned Entity Be a Small Business Under SBA Rules?
Given that the customer in Federal Government Contracting is the United States government, many people assume that to be a “Small Business” for this industry, you must be owned by United States citizens or a United States business. While this
BREAKING: Comment Period on Proposed Size Standards and Methodology Extended to November 20, 2026
Back on August 19, 2026, SBA issued proposed rules–one covering what would change and one covering the underlying methodology. This would, in most cases, monumentally increase the size standards for the various industries that perform federal contracts, along
SmallGovCon Week in Review: September 14-18, 2026
Happy Friday! Another week in the books and it sure was a busy one! For small business owners, that means celebrating the wins, learning from the challenges, and giving yourself a little credit for everything you managed to get done.
Govology Webinar! Communicating with Government Contracting Officials: What Can (and Should) Contractors Really Say and Do? (2026 Update)–September 29, 2026
Clear communication with contracting officers and agency officials can help contractors resolve performance issues, negotiate contract changes, and protect valuable business relationships. But missteps can lead to unauthorized commitments, violations of gratuities and conflict-of-interest rules, contract disputes, or protests.
In
Let’s Clarify and Discuss: GAO Explains the Difference Between Clarifications and Discussions
When do an agency’s communications with an offeror amount to a clarification, and when do they cross the line into a discussion? That’s exactly what this post will discuss and, hopefully, clarify for you. Understanding the distinction between clarifications and discussions is important because the type of communication an agency has with an
SmallGovCon Week in Review: September 7-11, 2026
Happy Friday! It’s sunflower season here in Kansas—our state flower—and the sunflowers were at peak bloom over Labor Day weekend. The hot weather didn’t seem to bother them, and it certainly didn’t keep people from coming out to enjoy the
Breaking: SBA Issues New FAQ & Returns Pending Individual-Owned 8(a) Applications for Social Disadvantage Revisions with 45-Day Deadline
SBA has apparently (at least to some extent) followed through on its promise to “return” pending individual-owned 8(a) applications for further applicant revisions to demonstrate social disadvantage. Indeed, we now know at least some (if not all) individual-owned 8(a) applicants