2020 contract spending soared due to COVID

      Federal agencies spent a record high of nearly $652 billion on procurements in fiscal 2020, according to Set-Aside Alert’s analysis of data from the website USASpending.gov.

      That is a 12.6% increase from the $579 billion in procurements reported the year before.

      It’s also a 41% boost from the $464 billion spent on acquisitions in fiscal 2016, the final year of the Obama Administration.

      Areas that experienced the most growth were related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including medical services and supplies, research and development, and professional services, according to an analysis by Bloomberg Government.

      Spending on IT increased by more than $5.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg analysis, which was reported by Federal News Network.

Read more at:
FedNewsNetwork: https://bit.ly/2MSPWLf

House Small Business Committee new members

      House Small Business Committee Chair Nydia Velázquez, D-NY, welcomed three new members to the panel:

• Rep. Dean Phillips, D-MN;
• Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux, D-GA: and
• Rep. Marie Newman, D-IL.

DOD implementing CMMC requirements

      Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) requirements started being added to Defense Dept. contracts in June 2020, and more will be added this year.

      DOD has authorized third-party audits to ensure compliance, along with performing its own audits.

      Small business owners are being advised to seek assistance on compliance.

Read more at:
NextGov: https://bit.ly/3i7eKuv
FedNewsNetwork: https://bit.ly/2MPdwbM

Inside this edition:

Biden agenda gets boost

US CAPITOL UNDER SIEGE

Biden names Guzman to head SBA

Top 20 Small Business Federal Contracting Stories of 2020 - Pt II

Diversity EO suspended

H1-B visa ban extended

20 new Women's Business Centers

Column: A Letter to our Subscribers

Washington Insider:

Coronavirus Update