Althea Coetzee named as SBA deputy administrator

President Trump announced his plan to nominate Althea Coetzee of Virginia as Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration.

Rear Admiral Althea (“Allie”) Coetzee most recently served as chief of staff to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics.

She is a 1985 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and also has an MBA from National University.

Coetzee’s active duty sea assignments included serving as a Navy acquisition contracting officer and as assistant director for logistics. She transitioned to the Navy Reserve in 1993.

Coetzee was recalled to active duty in 2011. She also has also worked as a small business owner.

Former GSA contracting director facing prison

Former federal contracting director Helen Renee Ballard, and her husband Robert Ballard, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy related to a federal contracting scheme involving fraud and nepotism. The total fraud was about $200,000, according to FCW.

Renee Ballard, a former director of the General Services Administration’s Central Office Contracting Division, pressured GSA contractor CACI into hiring her husband at a salary of $130,000. The husband was named a manager on a program that Renee Ballard was overseeing. She also manipulated his resume to get him the highest salary possible, according to court documents.

More information: FCW article: http://goo.gl/gI6DkZ

Trump kills “Fair Pay”

President Trump signed legislation approved by Congress to overturn the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces regulations. The rule would have required federal contractors--for contracts over $500,000--to disclose their labor law violations.

Certifications process for WOSBs delayed

House Small Biz Committee: If you don’t like the testimony, ignore it?

CR expiration adds uncertainty

Trump budget eliminates these small agencies

SBA loses 5% in Trump budget

Column: Checklist to safeguard your intellectual property

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