Prime vs. Subcontracting: When to lead, when to team
Two developments just shifted the prime-vs-sub calculus for small federal contractors. First, the Pentagon finalized the CMMC rule; requirements start appearing in solicitations beginning 11/10/2025 with a phased rollout over three years. Translation: cybersecurity readiness is no longer a “someday” item, your role choice will hinge on your CUI/FCI exposure and your readiness to pass assessments. Second, access to huge swaths of services and IT work continues to flow through mega-vehicles—OASIS+ (still navigating protests), SEWP V (extended through 10/31/2025 while SEWP VI moves forward), and CIO-SP4 (still in flux). If you’re not on a vehicle, you’ll often need to team with someone who is.
Government Contracting: Federal, State/Local, and School Opportunities
If you're a small business trying to land your first government contract, you’ve probably heard of SAM.gov. Maybe even registered. But that’s just one piece of the puzzle. State and local government (SLED) portals—and even individual school district sites—can offer clearer, quicker wins for newcomers. Knowing where to look first can save you time, money, and a lot of frustration.
Which Federal Set-Aside Program Is Right for You? Here’s the Clear, No-Nonsense Breakdown
If you’ve been circling the world of government contracting but aren’t sure which set-aside certification to pursue first, you’re not alone. The SBA and federal agencies offer a buffet of options, 8(a), WOSB/EDWOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone, but choosing the wrong one (or going after all at once) can waste time, energy, and opportunity. With new rules tightening certification requirements and more agencies under pressure to meet small business goals, now’s the time to make a strategic choice.
The Hidden Power of NAICS Codes: And How They Shape Your Small Business Federal Strategy
If you’ve ever wondered why you're not showing up in SAM.gov searches—or why your bids are falling flat—it might come down to three unassuming numbers: your NAICS codes. Choosing and managing them correctly isn’t just a compliance issue. It’s a visibility and opportunity engine. And in 2025, with new SBA size standards and NAICS changes in motion, it's more important than ever to get this right.
GSA’s Refresh 29 Is Live. Here’s What It Means for Small Business Contractors
If you’re a small business with a GSA MAS contract, now’s the time to pay attention. GSA has officially released Solicitation Refresh 29, and it brings several significant changes that will affect how you manage your contract, price your products, and position your business. From mandatory modifications to catalog overhauls and pricing flexibility, this refresh isn’t just bureaucratic housekeeping, it’s a signal to adapt or risk falling out of compliance.
SBIR’s Future at a Crossroads: What Contractors Need to Know as Congress Debates Major Reforms
If you’ve ever tapped into SBIR funding—or considered it—pay attention. Congress is in the middle of a heated debate over whether to overhaul, expand, or just extend the federal government’s flagship innovation funding program for small businesses. And with the current authorization set to expire September 30, 2025, what happens next could reshape R&D contracting opportunities for years.
The $1.2B Army Contract That’s Raising Eyebrows and What Small GovCon Firms Should Learn From It
A nearly bare-bones small business just landed a $1.2 billion U.S. Army contract to manage detention facilities and the GovCon world is stunned. Acquisition Logistics LLC, a little-known firm with no website and minimal public footprint, was awarded the massive deal to run Camp East Montana, a proposed migrant detention center.
Fast-Track DoD Contracts: Big Wins or Big Risks for Small Businesses?
The Department of Defense is racing to modernize how it buys technology, pushing out a suite of “fast-track” pathways like SWFT, CSOs, and OTAs to speed up acquisitions. That’s good news for small businesses… right? Well, it depends. While these programs promise quicker awards and lower barriers, they also bring tighter timelines and far less transparency.
New GSA Leadership Signals Major Shifts for MAS—Here’s What SMBs Need to Know
GSA just entered a new chapter. President Trump’s nomination of Edward “Ed” Forst—a private-sector exec with deep finance and real estate roots—as GSA Administrator marks a clear pivot. While not yet confirmed, Forst’s profile and the agency’s recent moves under acting Administrator Michael Rigas signal a strong alignment with Trump’s efficiency-driven procurement agenda. For small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) on or eyeing the GSA Schedule, that means one thing: change is already here.
GAO’s Pushback on Defense Bid Protest Fees: What It Means for Small Contractors
Congress keeps floating the idea—but GAO isn’t buying it. Despite years of pressure, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) still won’t support a “loser pays” rule in defense bid protests. That’s a big win for small and mid-sized businesses who rely on protests to challenge unfair awards without risking financial ruin.
FAA’s IT Modernization Surge: What Small Tech Firms Need to Know
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is quietly becoming one of the hottest sources of IT contracting opportunities in government. Between FY2023 and FY2025, its budget has grown by billions, with a disproportionate share aimed at IT and telecom modernization. For small and mid-sized businesses eyeing federal contracting certifications—or already playing in cloud, cybersecurity, or systems integration—this shift could be a game changer.
GSA’s Mega-Vehicle Shuffle: What Polaris Delays and OASIS+ On-Ramps Mean for Small GovCons
If you sell to the federal government, you probably felt it: agencies keep steering work onto a few giant contract “highways” (GWACs and MACs). This month brought fresh movement—some green lights, some flashing yellow—that directly affects pipelines for new and growing small businesses.
CMMC Nears Reality: Cyber Readiness or Contracting Roadblock for Small Businesses?
After years of debate, delays, and revisions, the Department of Defense’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is officially moving from theory to enforcement. The final CMMC 2.0 rule dropped in October 2024, and as of January 2025, DFARS clause 252.204-7021 is live. That means starting October 1, 2025, every new DoD contract—except for COTS-only buys—will carry mandatory CMMC language. For small contractors, this is no longer a “someday” compliance issue. It’s here, and it’s expensive.
GSA’s New AI Tool Just Changed the Game for Contractors? Not this time—SLED did. Here’s why the “Golden Age of SLED” is still rolling.
State, local, and education (SLED) contracting has quietly become the most reliable growth channel in government procurement. From 2023–2025, bid volume rebounded to (and is now edging past) pre‑pandemic levels, cooperative purchasing keeps expanding, and big‑ticket infrastructure and IT dollars are still flowing. For small businesses, that means faster cycles, more bite‑sized wins, and less drama than the federal rollercoaster.
Federal Budget Shifts in FY2024: Where Small Businesses Win—and Where the Work is Drying Up
FY2024 has been a wild ride for federal contractors. Even with overall spending capped by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, agencies shuffled dollars to match their priorities—and that’s created big winners and some serious losers. For small businesses, this means more opportunities in certain high-growth sectors and a sharp pivot away from others. The key to thriving? Knowing where the money’s going, what’s getting cut, and how to position yourself now for FY2025.
SBA’s 2025 Rule Shake-Up: 10 Changes Every New Federal Contractor Must Act On
If you’re a small business eyeing federal contracting opportunities, the SBA has been busy rewriting the playbook. From size standard adjustments to new certification requirements, these rule changes aren’t just technical—they determine whether you can compete, win, and keep your contracts. Here’s what’s new, why it matters, and how to act now.
Why Small Businesses Lose Federal Contracts — and How to Avoid Their Mistakes
It’s one thing to win a federal contract. It’s another to keep it — and deliver successfully. Between FY2019 and FY2025, dozens of small businesses lost awards or had contracts terminated, often for reasons that were entirely preventable.
A recent analysis of 100 federal contracting case studies — from GAO protests, agency terminations, and Inspector General reports — reveals the top ways small businesses stumble. If you’re chasing government contracting opportunities, these lessons are worth your time.
How the Fastest-Growing Small GovCon Firms Are Winning—and How You Can Too
Over the past five years, some small government contracting businesses have skyrocketed from modest subcontractors to prime players with multimillion-dollar federal contracts. Their secret? It’s not luck—it’s a blend of strategy, certifications, and smart positioning that any small business can learn from and apply.
Top 20 Small-Business Federal Contractors of FY2024 — and What You Can Learn from Them
Federal contracting is a tough game, but FY2024’s top-performing small-business primes proved there’s plenty of room to win big—if you know where to play and how to position yourself. Together, the 20 vendors in this ranking captured roughly $20B of the $183.3B awarded to small-business primes last year. That’s more than 10% of all small-biz contract dollars—locked down by just 20 companies.
The Top 10 PSCs for Small-Business Federal Contracts in FY2024 — and How to Win in Them
Small businesses had a record-breaking year in FY2024, winning $183.5 billion in federal prime contracts — about 28.8% of all federal contract spending. That’s not just a win for Main Street; it’s a clear signal that targeted set-asides, strategic NAICS code choices, and strong positioning in high-demand service areas are paying off.