Coalition calls for urgent action on inflation

      The president of the Coalition for Government Procurement is asking for a meeting with GSA officials to address Schedule holders’ critical concerns about rising inflation.

      Schedule suppliers are being squeezed by rising expenses and delays in being able to adjust their own prices, Roger Waldron, president of the coalition, wrote on Feb. 9 to Mark Lee, assistant commissioner of GSA’s Office of Policy and Compliance.

      “Our members report that it takes months for contracting officers to process price modifications, leaving contractors to either sell items under their MAS contracts at a loss or cancel those items from their contracts. This no-win situation negatively impacts the industrial base supporting government operations,” Waldron wrote.

      The letter follows a previous Waldron column on the same topic (See Feb. 4 issue of Set-Aside Alert).

Read more:
Roger Walton letter: https://bit.ly/3s1YErK

GSA names more than 550 8(a) STARS III awardees in 2nd cohort

     The GSA on Feb. 7 released a list of approximately 550 awardees of its 8(a) STARS III set-aside contract for 8(a) small businesses.

      The awardees are the second cohort. An initial cohort was named in June 2021. The multiple-award contract aims to increase agency access to emerging tech, including artificial intelligence, blockchain and robotic process automation.

Read more at:
List of awardees: https://bit.ly/3JwsOuk

SBA’s free WOSB online learning courses

      The SBA on Feb. 7 launched “Journey 6” of the Ascent online educational platform designed to help women business owners enter the federal government marketplace.

      Journey 6 includes courses on understanding government as a customer; identifying government contracting and subcontracting opportunities; obtaining certifications for set-asides; understanding contracting processes; and identifying GSA opportunities. Access is free.

Read more at:
Visit: Ascent.SBA.gov

Inside this edition:

FAR councils publish plans for 38 upcoming rules this year

Polaris RFP arriving in Feb.

House OKs CR until March 11

FAR councils aim to finalize problematic HUBZone changes

Waivers to end for furniture, radiology equipment

Govcon best practices bill

Biden budget for FY2023

From SBA’s FAQ on ‘legacy employees’

DOT labor preferences

Column: SBA HUBZone “Legacy Employee” Grace Period Ends

Washington Insider:

Coronavirus Update