Small Business Administration
Every GovConFeed story on Small Business Administration — contract awards, policy, enforcement, and protests, newest first.
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Awards
W.S. Darley Added to $523M DLA Multiple-Award Contract for Fire and Emergency Vehicles
DLA Troop Support adds W.S. Darley and Company to an existing multiple-award contract with a $523 million ceiling for fire suppression and emergency response vehicles, providing the federal government's primary procurement vehicle for fire apparatus across military installations and federal agencies.
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Policy
Tribal 8(a) Firms See $800M Drop in Contract Awards as Program Disruption Deepens
Awards to tribal-owned and Alaska Native Corporation 8(a) firms in Indian country fell 26 percent through April 2026, an $800 million decline from the prior year, as the SBA's enforcement actions and racial presumption changes continue to ripple through the program.
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Policy
GAO: SBA Failed to Report AI Use Cases for Five Years While Federal AI Adoption Doubled
A May 2026 GAO report found the Small Business Administration did not publish its first AI use case inventory until March 2026, despite a requirement in effect since 2020, as federal AI use doubled from 2023 to 2024 and generative AI increased nine-fold.
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Policy
SBA 8(a) Program Racially Presumed Eligibility Eliminated — January 2026 Guidance Reshapes Sole-Source Market
Following the Supreme Court's SFFA decision and subsequent executive actions, SBA's January 22, 2026 program guidance eliminates racial presumptions of social disadvantage in the 8(a) business development program, requiring all 8(a) applicants and current participants to demonstrate individualized social disadvantage regardless of racial or ethnic background.
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Enforcement
SBA FY 2025 Small Business Scorecard: DoD Misses Goal as 1,091 Firms Suspended, 628 Contracts Terminated
The Small Business Administration's FY 2025 Governmentwide Small Business Procurement Scorecard shows DoD falling below its 23 percent small business contracting goal for the third consecutive year, while SBA's suspension and debarment program processed 1,091 suspensions and 628 contract terminations related to small business program fraud and misrepresentation.
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Awards
Alaska Native Firm Olgoonik Wins $477M DLA Contract for Global Rapid Deployment Logistics
The Defense Logistics Agency awarded Olgoonik Logistics LLC a $477.9 million hybrid IDIQ contract on May 13 for global rapid deployment capabilities — one of the largest recent awards to an Alaska Native Corporation and a case study in DLA's reliance on ANC-affiliated suppliers.
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Policy
SBA's Social Disadvantage Narrative Requirement for 8(a) Participants: Understanding the Ultima Services Corp. Ruling and Crafting a Compelling Narrative
Following the Ultima Services Corp. v. USDA ruling, the SBA now requires 8(a) participants to submit an individual social disadvantage narrative. This guide covers what reviewers look for, common rejection reasons, and deadlines for current participants.
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Enforcement
SBA's Expanded Administrative False Claims Act Powers Are Now in Effect — What Defense Contractors and 8(a) Firms Need to Know
As of May 4, 2026, SBA's new rule under the Administrative False Claims Act raises the agency's administrative enforcement ceiling from $150,000 to $1 million, adds reverse false claims liability, and extends the statute of limitations, materially expanding risk for small business program participants.
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Policy
SBA Is Moving the Small Business Contracting Goalpost — and Most Firms Don't Know It Yet
The Small Business Administration quietly revised how it grades agency small business performance in early 2026. New factors emphasize veteran contracting, de-emphasize 8(a) sole-source awards, and rename categories. With 1,000 firms suspended and only 65 new 8(a) entrants in 2025, the program is under its most severe pressure in decades.
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Enforcement
SBA initiates termination for 628 firms in 8(a) Program — financial-record refusals trigger enforcement
March 4, 2026 SBA action: 628 firms terminated for refusing to turn over three years of financial documents. Cumulative termination action now reaches ~800 firms, roughly 20% of total 8(a) participants.
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Policy
SBA overhauls 8(a) program eligibility reviews — automatic annual certification replaced with risk-based audits
SBA finalized 8(a) program reforms replacing annual self-certification with a risk-based audit system and tightening the economic disadvantage threshold to $850,000 net worth. Changes apply immediately to new applicants and all current participants.
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Protests
SBA OHA ostensible subcontractor rule — VSBC-459-P clarifies when compliance is judged
January 15, 2026 OHA decision (VSBC-459-P) clarified that compliance with the ostensible-subcontractor rule and JV agreement requirements is determined as of the date of final proposal revision — not initial offer. Big implications for negotiated procurements.
