Senate OK’s $1.2T bipartisan infrastructure bill

      The Senate approved a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, a key priority for the Biden administration.

      The legislation includes $550 billion in new spending to improve roads, bridges and transit systems while also boosting high-speed internet and electric vehicle charging stations.

      There also is funding for water and wastewater systems, seaports and airports.

      At press time, the bill was under negotiation in the House, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, was seeking to link it to the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package.

SBA PCRs’ authorities spelled out in FAR

      DoD, GSA, and NASA issued a final rule, effective Sept. 10, to amend the FAR to implement provisions related to the authorities and duties of SBA’s Procurement Center Representatives (PCRs).

      Under Section 1811 of the national defense bill of 2017, which SBA put into its regulations in 2019, PCRs may review any solicitation for a contract or task order, without regard to whether it is set-aside, reserved or bundled. SBA also outlined various duties of PCRs in their amended regulations.

      The new final rule puts the SBA changes into the FAR.

Read more at:
Federal Register final rule: https://bit.ly/2W1tULm

8(a) STARS III named ‘Best in Class’

      The OMB has designated the 8(a) STARS III governmentwide contract as “Best in Class.” That means it has met rigorous criteria for category management performance.

Read more at:
GSA News Release: https://bit.ly/3k1Qb3B

Minimum wage comments now due by Aug. 27

      Contractors have a new deadline to submit comments on the proposed rule raising the minimum hourly wage on covered federal contracts to $15 an hour, starting Jan. 30, 2022. The deadline for comments has been extended to Aug. 27.

Read more at:
Federal Register notice: https://bit.ly/3CTmg6q

Inside this edition:

In FY2020, the government met small business goals for 8th year in a row

Industry wants to extend Section 3610

Biden announces new vaccine, mask rules for federal vendors

A stronger Buy American rule

Biden picks OFPP head

HSBC OKs 7 small business bills

Limitations on subcontracting final rule

‘Good faith effort’ in FAR

FY2020 Federal Agency Small Business Goals Summary Report

Washington Insider:

Coronavirus Update