SmallGovCon
Small business federal contracting commentary.
Press Release: Koprince Law Names Shane McCall New Managing Partner
Koprince Law LLC, a boutique federal government contracts firm in Lawrence, KS, is pleased to announce that Shane McCall, editor of the SmallGovCon blog and author of “Procedures and Pitfalls of Size Protests and Appeals,” has been named Managing Partner. In addition, Nicole Pott
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 24, 2020
Press Release: Koprince Law Names Shane McCall New Managing Partner
Koprince Law LLC, a boutique federal government contracts firm in Lawrence, KS, is pleased to announce that Shane McCall, editor of the SmallGovCon blog and author of “Procedures and Pitfalls of Size Protests and Appeals,” has been named Managing Partner. In addition, Nicole Pott
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 24, 2020
SmallGovCon Week In Review: August 17 – August 21, 2020
Hope the end of the summer is going as well as it can for all of our readers. While the normal routines of fall, such as heading back to school, may have been temporarily interrupted, it’s still an exciting time as we head into my favorite season. This week there were a number of
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 21, 2020
SmallGovCon Week In Review: August 17 – August 21, 2020
Hope the end of the summer is going as well as it can for all of our readers. While the normal routines of fall, such as heading back to school, may have been temporarily interrupted, it’s still an exciting time as we head into my favorite season. This week there were a number of
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 21, 2020
YouTube Tuesday: CMMC Requirements and the STARS III Contract
Good news for 8(a) participants: there’s still time to submit proposals for the 8(a) STARS III GWAC! Now, you have until August 26 to submit your bid. But STARS III contains some important language about the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification. In this video, I walk you th
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 18, 2020
Persistence Pays: GAO Sustains After Fourth Protest Due to Unreasonably Narrow Corrective Action
In its recent decision, Peraton, Inc., B-416916.8, et al. (Aug. 3, 2020), GAO ultimately sustained a protest that the Department of State’s corrective action was unreasonably limited—recommending the protester be reimbursed its protest costs in the process. For more on how it rea
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 17, 2020
SmallGovCon Week In Review: August 10 – August 14, 2020
This week, the home-grown tomatoes are coming out in full force. It’s one of my favorite foods of the year. Hope you are also enjoying some late summer bounty. And don’t miss Matt Moriarty next week at the 2020 ICBS Show on August 18 providing 2020 GovCon Legal Updates. There wer
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 14, 2020
Strings Attached? Don’t Put Conditions on SDVOSB Ownership, Cautions OHA
Ownership of a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business has to be unconditional. As the owner of an SDVOSB recently found out, unconditional ownership generally means there can be no restrictions on the service-disabled veteran owner’s ability to sell the ownership interest. Let’s
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 13, 2020
Timing Issues: Challenges to Brand Name Salient Characteristics Due Before Proposal Submission, Says GAO
Time. It’s a great Pink Floyd song. It’s also something that frequently trips up contractors filing protests before GAO. As one contractor recently discovered, a challenge to the salient characteristics of a brand name product is equivalent to challenging the terms of a solicitat
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 12, 2020
YouTube Tuesday: What is EDWOSB Status?
There have been a few changes recently to the WOSB and EDWOSB certification process–so now is as good a time as any to walk through the requirements for EDWOSB (or Economically-Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business) status. In this video, I provide an overview of the benefits
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 11, 2020
Whose Jurisdiction is it Anyways? GAO Dismisses Size Challenge
GAO recently dismissed a protest to an awardee’s eligibility under the applicable size standard. The protester argued that the agency should have known that the awardee exceeded the nonmanufacturer rule’s 500-employee maximum. After extensive briefing from both parties and from t
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 10, 2020
SmallGovCon Week In Review: August 3 – August 7, 2020
Happy Friday to all our SmallGovCon readers and hope you have a great weekend! Mark your calendars, as our very own Matthew Moriarty will be providing “2020 GovCon Legal Updates” to attendees of the 2020 ICBS Show on August 18. This week saw some interesting federal contracting d
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 7, 2020
FAR Council Implements Interim FAR Rule Prohibiting Contractor Use of Chinese Telecom Products
The FAR Council recently moved forward with implementing provisions of Section 889(a)(1)(B) of the 2019 NDAA through an interim rule. This rule furthers the work begun previously of separating the federal government and its contractors from certain Chinese telecom and video surve
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 6, 2020
YouTube Tuesday: SBA’s 8(a) Program & Joint Ventures–Enhancing 8(a) Capabilities
Joint ventures provide great opportunities for small businesses, including those in the SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program. In this video, I provide 8(a) joint ventures a few reminders about what to include in their joint venture agreements. View the full article
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 5, 2020
SBA Inspector General Warns of ‘Widespread’ Fraud in COVID-19 Loan Program
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General, potential fraudsters have obtained $250 million in federal funds intended to help businesses survive the impact of COVID-19. The Inspector General also identified $45.6 million in potentially dup
Koprince Law LLC · Aug 3, 2020
SmallGovCon Week In Review: July 27 – July 31, 2020
Next week on August 5 you’ll have the opportunity to hear from two of our attorney-authors. First, Matthew Schoonover will be discussing “The SBA’s Mentor Programs: What You Need to Know” through an Iowa State University Webinar at 9 am central time that day. Then, at 2 pm centra
Koprince Law LLC · Jul 31, 2020
GAO Denies Challenge to Solicitation Terms: Use of “Tactical” Was Imprecise, but Allowable
In the world of federal contracting, precision matters. In fact, precision is often essential when developing a winning proposal. When it comes to subjective evaluation considerations, however, it can be challenging to articulate relevant evaluation criteria with a high level of
Koprince Law LLC · Jul 30, 2020
OHA: Second Job Leads to 8(a) Program Termination
When it comes to the 8(a) program, you might want to quit your day job. The 8(a) Business Development Program, similar to other SBA socioeconomic programs such as the service-disabled veteran-owned small business program, requires the disadvantaged individual owner to work full-t
Koprince Law LLC · Jul 29, 2020
YouTube Tuesday: Procedures & Pitfalls of Size Protests & Appeals Handbook Now Available
I’m proud to announce that the new GovCon Handbook Procedures & Pitfalls of Size Protests & Appeals is now available! This video highlights some of the main topics from the book. You can order the book here. I’m also conducting a webinar on August 5 to explore some of the key ins
Koprince Law LLC · Jul 28, 2020
GAO: Work Must Remain Set Aside for 8(a) Participants Because Not a “New Requirement”
In a recent decision, Eminent IT, LLC, B-418570 (June 23, 2020), GAO held that the Department of State improperly removed a requirement from the SBA’s 8(a) program where the solicitation did not create a “new requirement.” Before we delve into this holding, and what it means for
Koprince Law LLC · Jul 27, 2020
SmallGovCon Week In Review: July 20 – July 24, 2020
Last week, I tried to see the Comet NEOWISE, but I couldn’t locate it. Guess that’s why I’m a lawyer and not an astronomer! Maybe some of you had better luck. As we move through the dog days of summer, I hope all our readers are staying cool and healthy. This week saw a number of
Koprince Law LLC · Jul 24, 2020
Protester Goes Seven for Seven in Arguments Before GAO
Veterans of the bid protest process know that it’s not uncommon for a protester to make half a dozen arguments and prevail on only one. Know what that’s called? A win. But when a protester goes seven for seven, you have to tip your cap. In Leumas Residential, LLC B-418635 (July 1
Koprince Law LLC · Jul 22, 2020
YouTube Tuesday: SBA’s 8(a) Program- Economic Disadvantage
The SBA’s 8(a) program provides a number of opportunities for small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. In this video, I discuss the economic disadvantage eligibility requirement, highlighting the regulatory changes imposed last Wednesday: Wan
Koprince Law LLC · Jul 21, 2020
SmallGovCon Week In Review: July 13 – July 17, 2020
Happy Friday to you all and here’s to the weekend! Please mark your calendars as my colleague Matthew Schoonover will be giving a presentation on August 5 discussing the SBA’s All-Small Mentor-Protégé Program. Here are more details on the event. This week saw its fair share of go
Koprince Law LLC · Jul 17, 2020
Newsflash: 8(a) Income and Net Worth Eligibility Standards Increased
As of July 15, the initial caps on net worth, adjusted gross income, and fair market value of assets for the 8(a) program have gone up. The dollar amounts for initial 8(a) economic disadvantage eligibility have increased quite a bit, making more people economically eligible. Read
Koprince Law LLC · Jul 16, 2020