Filter Resources by Tags

Joshua Lawton Joshua Lawton

Squared Compass Honored by the State of Texas We Hire Vets Program

Squared Compass is proud to announce that we have been officially recognized by the State of Texas through the We Hire Vets Program, a prestigious designation that highlights organizations committed to hiring and supporting military veterans. This recognition reinforces our mission to build a high performing, purpose driven workforce while contributing to veteran employment across Texas.

Read More
Joshua Lawton Joshua Lawton

The 10 Demands Holding Up DHS Funding

At the center of the debate is a list of ten demands Democrats want written into law as conditions for funding the department. Supporters describe the demands as accountability measures. Opponents argue they amount to major policy changes pushed through the budget process.

Read More
Joshua Lawton Joshua Lawton

Best Banks and Credit Unions for Government Contractors in 2026

Government contractors do not just need a place to park cash. They need a banking partner that can handle payroll-heavy operations, long payment cycles, and the internal controls that come with multi-user finance teams. For service-based contractors in particular, the right bank or credit union can make payroll smoother, reduce fraud risk, improve visibility across contracts, and create a clear path to working capital financing.

Read More
Joshua Lawton Joshua Lawton

From Movement to Municipal Power: An Industry Analysis of Zohran Mamdani’s New York

Zohran Mamdani’s ascent to the New York City mayoralty marks one of the most consequential ideological shifts in the city’s governance since the fiscal crises and restructurings of the late 20th century. Yet the defining feature of his early post‑election period is not radical rupture, but institutional negotiation: the collision between an ambitious redistributive agenda and the realities of municipal finance, procurement law, labor markets, and state oversight.

Read More
Joshua Lawton Joshua Lawton

How the U.S. Government Is Helping Small Businesses Use AI: New Programs, Funding, and Tools Explained

Balanced against the broader national conversation about AI,  the fears of bias, misinformation, job displacement, and runaway models, the small business agenda is strikingly optimistic.

The danger isn’t that small businesses will misuse AI. The danger is that they’ll be left behind by it. This is perhaps the most consequential shift of all.

Read More
Joshua Lawton Joshua Lawton

As courts, states, and federal agencies dismantle long-standing race- and gender-based set-aside programs, including but not limited to. 8(a), DBE, HUB, and M/WBE requirements, contractors face a major shift. This article explains why these programs are being changed or eliminated, the impact on government contracting, and the essential steps firms must take now to remain eligible, compliant, and competitive in a race and gender neutral procurement environment.”

Read More
Guest User Guest User

CPARS Is About to Get a Major Overhaul, Here’s What That Means for Your Past Performance Score

If you’ve ever agonized over your CPARS narrative or leaned on a glowing “Exceptional” rating to win the next federal contract, get ready for a serious shift. Starting in 2026, CPARS as you know it is changing, and the new model flips the script entirely. For small businesses especially, this overhaul can either be a curse or a competitive advantage.

Read More
Guest User Guest User

The NAICS Codes Dominating FY 2025: How Small Businesses Can Win More Federal Contracts

If you’re running a government contracting business, or trying to break into the federal space, understanding which NAICS codes are getting the most attention from federal buyers isn’t trivia. It’s strategy. The FY 2025 data (through 09/30/2025) shows clear patterns about where small-business dollars are actually landing, and if you want to grow, you need to align with those signals.

Read More
Guest User Guest User

The Shutdown’s (Almost) Over, Now What? Your 3-Day Email Plan for Federal Contractors

If you’re a small or mid-sized business with active government contracts, the first 72 hours after a federal shutdown ends are not the time to play catch-up. You need to move fast, re-establish momentum, and protect your performance record, especially if you’re in the middle of 8a contracts, working toward women business certification, or navigating the SBA 8a certification process.

Read More
Guest User Guest User

The Pentagon Just Rewrote the Rules: What Defense Contractors Need to Know Now

The Department of Defense just dropped a bombshell for anyone doing business with the Pentagon: a complete overhaul of its acquisition playbook. If you’re a small or mid-sized contractor eyeing defense work, or already in the thick of it, this changes the game. Faster timelines, fewer layers of review, and a much bigger push to work with commercial and non-traditional vendors. Let’s break down what’s happening, why it matters, and how smart companies should respond.

Read More
Guest User Guest User

Why the ‘Set-Aside’ Strategy That Worked in 2023 Won’t Cut It in FY 2025

If your small business landed contracts in 2023 by chasing easy set-asides, here’s a wake-up call for FY 2025: that playbook is expired. What used to be a reliable strategy, waiting for a small-business set-aside in your contractor NAICS code and jumping on it, isn’t going to yield the same results this year. The rules have changed, agency behavior has shifted, and federal procurement is evolving in ways that demand a new approach. Let’s break down what’s changed, why it matters, and what smart businesses should be doing now.

Read More