The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will host a Small to Small Virtual Vendor Outreach Matchmaking Event (VOME) on March 23, 2023.  This virtual event is expected to raise awareness of potential partnerships, subcontracting opportunities, and facilitate discussions that may …

Now that we’re well into the new federal fiscal year, vendors have access to many new contracting opportunities — from standard federal budget programs and cycles to existing and new procurement vehicles, such as blanket purchase agreements, governmentwide acquisition contracts, …

On January 1, 2023, the minimum wage for government contractors under Executive Order 14026 increased from $15.00 per hour to $16.20 per hour. We wrote about Executive Order 14026 and its requirements previously here. There continues to be confusion as to when …

HUBZone contractors have been anxiously awaiting updates to the HUBZone maps. In 2021, the Small Business Administration (SBA) extended the “freeze” on the HUBZone maps until June 30, 2023, to provide enough time to update the maps based on the …

In December 2022, SBA implemented a final rule that adjusts monetary-based industry size standards (i.e., receipts and assets) for inflation that occurred since 2014. The rule implements three main actions: (i) adding an additional 13.65% inflation increase to the monetary small business …

A new contract opportunity for small architectural and engineering (A&E) firms has been posted on the System for Award Management for your consideration. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently released eleven Requests for Qualifications …

On December 23, 2022, President Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, authorizing $858 billion in defense spending. The NDAA sets out defense policy and budget priorities for the Department of Defense (DoD). Each year, …

The Alaska Unified Certification Program (AUCP) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) directory has been updated and can be found at https://dot.alaska.gov/cvlrts/directory.shtml

According to the Small Business Administration, the application portal to apply for Veteran Small Business Certification will begin taking applications starting January 9, 2023. On January 1, 2023, the Small Business Administration took over the Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Verification …

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is amending its regulations to implement a statutory requirement to certify Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) Concerns and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Concerns participating in the Veteran Small Business Certification Program. Section 862 of the …

GSA is asking for any assistance with distributing this requirement to small business construction firms serving AK. GSA, PBS, Region 10 has published a solicitation for recurring non-complex construction projects throughout the state of Alaska. This solicitation may result in one …

It’s an important question. NAICS codes have a lot to say and savvy businesses learn to listen. If you know them well, you can use them to your advantage. North American Industry Classification System codes—“NAICS” codes—are an industrial categorization system …

A Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) is a company where the majority owner is both socially and economically disadvantaged. Many businesses “owned and controlled” by minority entrepreneurs may qualify as SDBs, but not always. To qualify as an SDB, the individual …

The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program is in the midst of a major overhaul that would update, streamline, and clarify existing rules, strengthen implementation, and increase reporting requirements. The DOT’s DBE Program allows small businesses owned …

A rule going into effect Oct. 25 will increase a requirement for U.S.-made content in the hundreds of billions of dollars of goods and services the federal government procures each year. The requirement, handed down by the White House via …

EPA’s Superfund Program cleans up the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination at polluted sites. There have been many hazardous commercial and industrial wastes that have been mismanaged across the country which has resulted in thousands of contaminated …

Effective January 1, the VA certification application process will be transferred to the SBA.  Here is what you need to know. Action Needed. Generally, SDVOSBs and VOSBs listed as verified in VIP will not need to take action for SBA …

As many contractors know all too well, the System for Award Management (SAM) has had a rocky 2022 driven by the transition from the Data Universal Numbering System to the assignment of Unique Entity IDs through SAM. PilieroMazza previously wrote …

 Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to Alaska businesses and residents as a result of President Biden’s major disaster declaration, U.S. Small Business Administration’s Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced. The declaration covers the Bering Strait, Kashunamiut, Lower Kuskokwim and Lower Yukon …

September 21, 2022 Today is National PTAC Day, a collective campaign to celebrate the contracting successes of small businesses that have benefited from assistance provided by their local Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC).  The Alaska PTAC provides businesses throughout the …