Small Business Administration
Every GovConFeed story on Small Business Administration — contract awards, policy, enforcement, and protests, newest first.
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Policy
Markey Report: Small Business Contractors Lost $47 Billion Under Trump
Sen. Ed Markey's June 2026 report documents a $47 billion drop in federal small business contracting during the first 18 months of the current administration, driven by DOGE-related contracting cuts and a collapse in the number of unique small business vendors receiving federal awards.
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Policy
SBA Launches Program Examination of EDWOSB-Certified Firms, June 30 Deadline
The SBA launched a program examination of all EDWOSB-certified firms in June 2026, requiring submission of financial documents, ownership records, and affidavits by a June 30 deadline to verify eligibility and deter fraudulent certification in the women-owned set-aside program.
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Awards
GSA Names 17 More Firms as Apparently Successful in Polaris SDVOSB IT GWAC Pool
GSA names 17 additional apparently successful offerors for the Polaris SDVOSB IT GWAC in a June 11 pre-award notice, bringing the announced pool to 40 firms with more awards still pending.
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Policy
SBA Proposes Race-Neutral 8(a) Eligibility Standard — Comment Deadline July 13
SBA published a proposed rule on June 11 (91 Fed. Reg. 35433) eliminating the race-based presumption of social disadvantage from 8(a) eligibility, requiring all applicants to submit verifiable evidence of group discrimination and personal economic harm. Comments due July 13, 2026.
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Policy
STARS III Ordering Period Expires July 1 — 8(a) IT Firms Have 18 Days to Place New Task Orders
GSA's 8(a) STARS III IT GWAC ($50B ceiling) reaches its ordering period deadline on July 1, 2026. GSA intends to exercise an option extending ordering through July 1, 2029, but it has not yet been formally executed. 8(a) IT firms and agency customers must act within the next 18 days.
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Enforcement
SBA's One-Page Suspension 'Record' Gets Remanded — Agency Must Show Its Work by June 12
SBA's Office of Hearings and Appeals found the agency's administrative record for suspending tribal 8(a) contractor ATI Government Solutions consisted of nothing but the suspension letter itself — and ordered SBA to file a proper record by June 12.
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Enforcement
Two Government Contractors Pay Over $3.6 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Over SDVOSB Set-Aside Fraud
Officium Global LLC and Loyal Source Government Services LLC will each pay more than $1.8 million to resolve False Claims Act and Contract Disputes Act allegations tied to seven VA SDVOSB set-aside contracts awarded between May 2017 and June 2018.
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Policy
Protecting Small Business Competitions Act Would Strengthen the Rule of Two
Legislation introduced in the House would codify stricter enforcement of the rule of two, requiring contracting officers to conduct market research documenting why a small business set-aside was not possible before proceeding with unrestricted competition.
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Enforcement
SBA Moves to Terminate 628 Eight(a) Firms Over Missing Financial Records
The SBA is pursuing termination of 628 eight(a) program participants that refused to submit three years of financial documentation, representing approximately $850 million in prior 8(a) awards. The action follows a January 2026 suspension of 1,091 firms and a broader overhaul of social disadvantage eligibility standards.
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Enforcement
SBA Expands Administrative False Claims Act Reach Sixfold — Now Covers Claims Up to $1M
SBA regulations effective May 4, 2026 raise the administrative False Claims Act ceiling from $150,000 to $1 million, expressly cover reverse false claims, and extend COVID-era EIDL and PPP fraud exposure through 2030 to 2032 — significantly expanding the agency's enforcement toolkit.
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Policy
SBA Opens $50M Grant Program for Small Manufacturer Technical Assistance
The Small Business Administration announced up to $50 million in Empower to Grow grants for organizations providing training and technical assistance to small manufacturers in aerospace, shipbuilding, medical manufacturing, and other critical industries.
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Policy
Bill Would Eliminate 8(a) and Women-Owned Small Business Contracting Preferences
Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Glenn Grothman introduced legislation to eliminate the 8(a) program, women-owned small business contracting preferences, and the Minority Business Development Act, while retaining HUBZone and veteran-owned programs.
