Policy
FAR and DFARS rulemaking, executive orders, and acquisition policy shifts — explained in plain English.
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Policy
DFARS Proposed Rule on FOCI and Beneficial Ownership Draws Industry Comment Period
The Defense Department opened a 60-day comment period on a proposed DFARS rule requiring defense contractors to disclose beneficial ownership information as part of Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence mitigation.
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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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Policy
SBIR and STTR Programs Reauthorized Through 2031 After Six-Month Shutdown
The Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act of 2026, signed April 13, reauthorizes SBIR and STTR through 2031 after a six-month lapse halted all new awards. Solicitations are now reopening, but new foreign entity screening and future proposal caps will reshape how small businesses compete.
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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.
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Policy
GAO FY2025 Bid Protest Report: 1,688 Filings, One of the Lowest Totals in a Decade
GAO's annual bid protest report for fiscal year 2025 shows protest filing volume at 1,688 cases — down 6 percent from FY 2024 and one of the lowest totals of the past decade, driven by reduced DoD spending authority, rising filing costs, expanded use of OTAs outside GAO jurisdiction, and strategic choices by industry to pursue claims through other channels.
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Policy
Northrop Grumman's $919M Triple Win on May 15: What Three Awards in One Day Signal
Northrop Grumman captured three major DoD awards totaling $919 million on May 15, 2026 — MQ-4C Triton logistics, Space Force SATCOM development, and RangeHawk hypersonic test infrastructure — reflecting the company's breadth across space, air, and advanced test domains.
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Policy
NDAA 2026 Permanently Codifies Progressive Design-Build for DoD Military Construction
The FY2026 NDAA permanently codifies progressive design-build as an authorized acquisition method for DoD military construction, converting a pilot program authority into a standing procurement tool available to NAVFAC, USACE, and other DoD construction activities.
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Policy
NDAA 2026 Section 1823 Expands Commercial Solutions Openings to All Commercial Products
The FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act expands the Commercial Solutions Opening acquisition method beyond "innovative" commercial items to all commercial products and services, and adds follow-on production authority similar to the OTA prototype follow-on mechanism.
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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
House Committee Schedules May 20 Markup on Bill to Codify the Rule of Two into Federal Law
The House Small Business Committee has scheduled a May 20 markup on H.R. 2804, which would write the Rule of Two small business set-aside requirement into the Small Business Act for the first time, shielding it from regulatory elimination.
