DHS issues warning about fake federal buyers

      The Homeland Security Dept. issued a warning to federal contractors on July 16 that scammers are posing as federal procurement officials to obtain computer equipment meant for federal agencies.

      Members of a transnational fraud ring based in Atlanta, GA have impersonated officials from DHS and other agencies in a sophisticated scheme.

      The fraud involves authentic federal solicitations. The fraudsters fax or email fake requests for quotations to vendors, using the name of the legitimate contracting officer. However, the phone and fax numbers are fake.

      The emails may appear genuine, but the return address is a non-government address.

SBA hearing Aug. 19

      Small business owners are invited to the SBA’s National Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Hearing on Aug.19 in Washington, DC.

      The goal is to air “concerns about unfair regulatory enforcement” against small firms by the federal government, an SBA press release says.

Read the SBA press release at:
The Hill story: (https://yhoo.it/2OsqRHy)

Debt ceiling, budget deal OK’d by House

      The House passed a bipartisan two-year budget and debt ceiling deal, avoiding a showdown this year over the nation’s debt.

      The GOP-led Trump Administration and Democratic leaders agreed to set a $1.37 trillion discretionary budget for fiscal 2020 and to raise the nation’s debt ceiling to avoid a default.

      Treasury Sec. Steven Mnuchin had warned recently that a default could happen as soon as September if the debt ceiling was not raised.

      The Senate is expected to approve the budget and debt ceiling deal within days.

      Despite relief over the bipartisan deal, there still is talk about a possible government shutdown because of President Trump’s stated frustration that the $2.5 billion allotted for a border wall is not enough.

      The two-year deal does not set specific budgets for federal agencies, which still must be worked out by appropriations committees. Congressional leaders have said they hope to do separate appropriations bills rather than an omnibus bill.

12 small firms win NIH construction contract

      The National Institutes of Health made awards to 12 small businesses (and four not-small ones) on its estimated $2 billion IDIQ construction contract for MD, NC, LA and MT.

      The winners are:

HUBZone firms:

• FBGC JV
• Puyenpa Services
• HSU Development

SDVOSBs:

• HSU Development
• Polu Kai Services
• Cutlass Contracting-Protégé HBA Construction-Mentor

8(a) small firms:

• Argus CJW JV 3 LLC
• Belt Built-Protégé CFM Government Services- Mentor JV
• Four Tribes AIR JV

Small businesses:

• Asturian-Consigli JV
• AG JV
• Olgoonik Specialty Contractors

Unrestricted:

• Clark Construction Group
• M.A. Mortenson Construction
• Hensel Phelps
• The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co.

Inside this Edition:

Rubio, Cardin in a dispute over Small Biz Act reauthorization

New SBA size standards

Contracting items in bill: Centralized certification; Sole source caps, more

IG says cancel the contract

Vendors to be rated on cyber

Column: Update on DCAA’s Pursuit of Penalties on Expressly Unallowable Costs

Washington Insider: