National Cyber Strategy reduces small biz role

      President Biden released his National Cybersecurity Strategy with a focus on reducing the responsibilities of small businesses and agencies.

      “Today, end users bear too great a burden for mitigating cyber risks,” the strategy states. We “cannot rely on the vigilance of our smallest organizations and individual citizens.” Instead, we should rely on the “most capable and best-positioned actors” to defend cyberspace.

Read more:
Strategy: https://bit.ly/3FTw57l
Fact Sheet: https://bit.ly/3z9Dwng

Final rule on use of SPRS risk assessments

      The Defense Dept. issued a final rule amending the DFARS to require contracting officers to use the DOD’s Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS) risk assessments, if available, to evaluate quotes in all solicitations for supplies and services, among other uses. The final rule was effective on March 22.

      The final rule clarifies that use of the SPRS is to be applied for Federal Supply Schedules, commercial acquisitions, acquisitions using FAR part 13 simplified acquisition procedures, evaluation of offers under part 215, and indefinite-delivery contracts.

Read more at:
FedRegister Final Rule: https://bit.ly/3lQno6Z

Applying GSAR to VA’s FSS contracts

      The GSA has proposed a rule to clarify when GSAR clauses apply to the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contracts created by the Veterans Affairs Dept. under delegated authorities by the GSA. Comments are due by May 15.

Read more at:
FedRegister Proposed Rule: https://bit.ly/3FSUR7O

PTACs rebranding

      In December 2022, DOD’s Office of Small Business Programs renamed its 96 PTACs (Procurement Technical Assistance Centers) as “Apex Accelerators.” But the transition to a new name may be causing some confusion as many PTACs have longstanding Web and Twitter addresses utilizing “PTAC.” For example, https://virginiaptac.org/ remains so to date. So does the Association of PTACs: https://www.aptac-us.org/

Inside this edition:

8(a) set-aside awards grew by 7.44% in FY2022; still in slump

SBA adds 3,732 new HUBZones

GSA extends inflation memo

DOL to open Affirmative Action portal

Senate panel grills DOD on small biz vendors

OASIS+ RFP

GSA’s top 25K products

Column: Eight Key Takeaways from DOJ’s Report on Fraud and the FCA

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