DOJ cracks down on SDVOSB figurehead firm

      A disabled Army veteran has been indicted for allegedly defrauding the government of $40 million by serving as a figurehead of a firm to win an SDVOSB set-aside contract. Joseph David Dial Jr., 52, of Belton, MO, is charged with major program fraud and wire fraud. He is accused of winning a $40 million US Army Corps of Engineers contract by falsely representing that he controlled and managed day-to-day operations of United Medical Design Builders. He faces up to 40 years in prison for fraud and 80 years for wire fraud.

More information: Justice Department release: http://goo.gl/LyqDyq

DHS HQ concerns

      The Homeland Security Dept.’s plan to consolidate its offices at the former St. Elizabeth’s Hospital site in Washington, DC is facing some major challenges, according to an exclusive report by Federal News Radio.

      The project is “bleeding money, behind schedule and doing anything but bringing DHS components together,” the news service said.

      The need for more structural repairs have caused the project to fall behind schedule and pushed the move-in date from mid-2018 to early 2019.

More information: Federal News Radio report: http:goo.gl/HtM3Ns

Minimum wage hike

      The Federal Contractor Minimum Wage increased to $10.35 per hour on Jan. 1, 2018, under President Obama’s Executive Order 13658. The previous rate was $10.20 per hour.

      In addition, employees who earn tips while performing work on covered federal contracts generally must be paid a minimum cash wage of $7.25 per hour, from $5.85 per hour last year.

      The order applies to new construction and service contracts.

More information: Department of Labor Executive Order: https://www.dol.gov/whd/flsa/eo13658/

Task order protests

      Congress raised the threshold for allowing the GAO to hear protests of Defense Department task orders to $25 million, up from $10 million.

      The increase was confirmed in a recent GAO protest decision.

      “It significantly varies from the threshold for orders under civilian IDIQs, which remains at $10 million,” Steve Koprince, government contracts attorney, wrote in his blog.

More information: Koprince blog entry: http://goo.gl/m2q8yF

NLRB overturns rules

      The National Labor Relations Board overruled several Obama-era policies. The board restricted the joint employer standard, and allowed employers to publish more restrictive policies in employee handbooks.

      The changes came while the board had its first Republican majority in a decade, according to a blog post by PilieroMazza PLLC attorneys.

More information: PilieroMazza blog entry: http://goo.gl/N2vHWH

Set-Aside Alert has a new look

Congress faces Jan. 19 deadline

Small biz goal appears met

21% fewer DOD vendors from 2011-2015

DOD awards dropped

GSA sets 1/9 meeting on e-commerce

Why not a 25% small biz goal?

Washington Insider: