Comments requested on NASA’s small biz bids

      NASA is looking for comments by Feb. 10 on its plan to order grant and financial assistance recipients to obtain at least one bid from a small and/or minority-owned business, women’s business enterprise or a firm in a labor-surplus area.

      The requirement would be included as a term and condition in NASA’s financial assistance agreements when an acquisition of goods or services exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold. In fiscal 2021, NASA distributed $1.2 billion in grants and direct payments (not including contracts).

Read more:
Federal Register Notice: https://bit.ly/3fxtna5

GAO reviews Native 8(a) applications

      The GAO’s review of Native American small business owners admitted into the SBA’s 8(a) Business Development program from 2018-2020 found that nearly all the owners were associated with recognized tribes as claimed.

      All but one of the 122 Native American-owned small business owners were associated with tribes recognized by the federal government or state governments. SBA is removing the ineligible business.

      During the period, 133 applicants claiming to be Native American applied to 8(a), and 122 were admitted; 11 were ineligible for reasons other than tribal affiliation.

Read more at:
GAO report: https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-22-104146.pdf

5th correction of mentor-protege rule

      The SBA published a new correcting amendment, effective Jan. 5, to a final rule that the SBA released in October 2020 regarding the Mentor-Protege Program, 8(a) and firm size. It is the fifth correction and pertains primarily to joint ventures.

      “It has come to SBA's attention that some have misinterpreted the intent of the final rule,” the correcting amendment states. “SBA never intended to change how revenues earned by a joint venture should be counted for size purposes. As noted above, a joint venture partner of any kind must include its proportionate share of joint venture receipts and employees in its own receipts and employee count to ensure that all its revenues and employees are properly considered in determining that partner's size.”

Read more at:
Federal Register: https://bit.ly/3quaTxv

Inside this edition:

IG says SBA’s loose controls fostered massive fraud in 2020

Procurement forecasts out

GOP Reps. fiercely critique SBA for actions under Trump’s watch

Another CR?

Vax-or-test mandate ban

Affirmative Action portal to open

Are set-asides ‘zero sum’?

$10B for small biz credit

Column: Establishing Irreparable Harm in Bid Protests

Washington Insider:

Coronavirus Update