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Shutdown Fallout Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All, and That’s a Big Deal for Small Contractors
If you’re a small business counting on federal contracts, the current shutdown isn’t just frustrating, it’s unpredictable. Some agencies are still operating. Others are nearly frozen. And depending on where your work lives, or where your client agencies are headquartered, you could be sailing smoothly or dead in the water. Understanding these disparities is the first step in protecting your pipeline and pivoting wisely.
Army Corps Freeze Hits Small Vendors Hard: What Contractors Need to Know Now
If you're a construction, engineering, or environmental firm working with the Army Corps of Engineers, the news out of Washington should have your full attention. On October 17, the Trump administration froze another $11 billion in Army Corps infrastructure projects, halting work on flood control, navigation, and environmental efforts, especially in Democratic-led regions. And while the political battle is grabbing headlines, it’s the real-world economic pain that’s hitting small contractors right now.
The Great DBE Shake-Up (2025): How USDOT Froze Billions in Federal Contracts Overnight
The DBE program, created in 1983, was designed to level the playing field for disadvantaged small businesses in federal contracting. But with the 2025 USDOT rule, the government has effectively rebooted the system, suspending goals and forcing recertification on an unprecedented scale.
FY2026 Federal Budget Cuts: Top 10 Agencies Losing the Most Funding
Which federal agencies are facing the deepest cuts in FY2026—and what does it mean for government programs, grants, and services? The President’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026 outlines sweeping reductions across a number of critical departments, with billions slashed from education, research, energy, and public welfare.
Shutdown Gridlock Just Froze Your Pipeline, Here’s What Contractors Need to Know
If you’re a small business chasing 8a contracts, working under a GSA Schedule, or managing a recently won BPA, here’s the hard truth: the federal government is still shut down, and your FY2026 plans are officially in limbo. With no appropriations and no continuing resolution in place as of mid-October, procurement has ground to a halt, and if you haven’t modeled this into your pipeline yet, now is the time.
SAM.gov Just Got Real: Why Registration Hygiene Now Decides Who Wins (and Who Doesn’t)
If you’re a small or mid-sized government contractor, your SAM.gov registration isn’t just a box to check, it’s your front line of eligibility. And with the sweeping Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) and SAM system changes coming online through 2025 and early 2026, sloppy or outdated profiles will cost you real money, real fast.
USA Hire Recompete: A Prime Opportunity for Small Firms in Federal Talent Assessment
The federal government is about to triple down on how it hires its own people, and for small businesses with the right capabilities, this $750 million opportunity could be a foot in the door or a major breakthrough. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is recompeting the USA Hire contract, which powers the centralized online assessments used across the federal workforce. The new contract is massive, open to all vendors, and heavily focused on AI integration, user experience, and scale.
Didn’t Win OASIS+? Here’s Why You Still Have a Shot (and What to Do Next)
If your firm didn’t snag a spot in GSA’s latest OASIS+ award round, don’t panic. October’s expansion added 118 new primes, but more importantly, it kicked the door wide open for subcontractors and future entrants. Whether you’re an 8(a) small business, WOSB, SDVOSB, or a niche vendor with deep past performance, there are still plenty of paths to OASIS+ participation. But it’ll take strategy, persistence, and a polished game plan.
Shutdown, RIFs, and the CDFI Crisis: Why Credit Unions and Communities Are Bracing for Impact
But this time, Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund didn’t just go quiet. It went dark.
Shutdown Turmoil at the Education Department: What Service Vendors Need to Know Now
The Education Department is in shutdown mode, and if your business provides services to ED, this pause is more than political noise. It's operational chaos. With 87% of ED employees furloughed and a partisan legal battle brewing over internal communications, vendors in ed-tech, IT support, and student-aid services face serious disruption. Here’s what’s going on, what it means for you, and what steps you should take now.
Full List: Senators and Representatives Giving Up Their Pay During the 2025 Government Shutdown
As the 2025 U.S. federal government shutdown stretches beyond two weeks, a growing number of Senators and Representatives are refusing or donating their paychecks. This comprehensive guide explains why members of Congress still get paid during shutdowns, a concise history of past shutdowns, and an up to date list of lawmakers pledging to go without pay.
Shutdown Week 2: How Small GovCons Can Stabilize, Survive, and Get Ready to Restart
Week 2 of the federal shutdown is here, and let’s be real, if you're a small or mid-sized government contractor, you're already feeling the squeeze. Payments are frozen. Contract mods are stalled. Communications from agencies? Crickets.
What Contractors Need to Know About Stop-Work Orders During a Shutdown (and How to Protect Your Business)
The 2025 government shutdown is in full swing, and if you're a small or mid-sized federal contractor, chances are you've either received a stop-work order or you're anxiously watching your inbox. The question now isn’t whether the shutdown will impact you, it’s how you respond that will determine how much damage (or opportunity) you face.
Turning Chaos into Contracts: How SMBs Can Thrive Amid GovCon Uncertainty
When federal budgets stall or shutdowns loom, most government contractors brace for impact. But small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) that know how to move fast, pivot smart, and communicate clearly? They find opportunity in the turbulence.
How to Build a Resilient GovCon Pipeline When the Budget's a Moving Target
If you’re a small or mid-sized federal contractor, here’s a hard truth: the money doesn’t always show up when it’s supposed to. Shutdown threats, continuing resolutions, late appropriations, federal funding is becoming a rollercoaster. And if you’re not prepared, your pipeline (and payroll) could take a direct hit.
Shutdown-Proof Your GovCon Business: Financial Contingency Planning That Actually Works
With the October 2025 shutdown in full swing, small and mid-sized government contractors are once again staring down paused payments, frozen task orders, and radio silence from furloughed contracting officers. If this feels like déjà vu from 2013 or 2019, it should. And yet, many small businesses are still caught flat-footed when the funding stops.
What the New $15,000 Micro-Purchase Threshold Means for EdTech and School Supply Vendors
In a move that’s already shaking up school procurement, the federal government officially raised the micro-purchase threshold to $15,000 as of October 1, 2025. If you're in the EdTech, curriculum, or classroom supply business, this seemingly simple change is your wake-up call, and a major opportunity. Here's what you need to know, why it matters, and how to get in position before your competitors do.
FY2026 U.S. Federal Discretionary Budget: Agency-by-Agency, Program-by-Program Guide for Government Contractors & Capture Teams
Every fall, the federal budget cycle turns into one of the most important roadmaps for companies that do business with government. The FY2026 discretionary budget requests are more than just numbers on a page, they’re signals of federal priorities, funding shifts, and opportunities that can shape your capture strategy for the year ahead.
When the Government Shuts Down, Smart Contractors Team Up
Let’s be real: a government shutdown can send small federal contractors into a tailspin. Invoices stall. Stop-work orders hit your inbox. Agency staff go silent. And suddenly, that solid pipeline you built starts to feel like a house of cards.
But not all small businesses are bracing for impact, some are partnering up and playing offense. Teaming and subcontracting, when done right, can help you stay afloat during the uncertainty and surge ahead when the lights come back on.
SLED Series: Scaling Up: From Your First SLED Win to a Repeatable Growth Strategy
Landing your first SLED (state, local, and education) contract is a huge milestone. But let’s be honest, it’s just the beginning. The real challenge (and opportunity) is turning that first win into a flywheel for future growth. Most small businesses don’t struggle with getting a SLED contract. They struggle with knowing what to do after they get one.