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Government Contracting BlogNews, Tips & Best Practices

Expert insights, tips, and news to help you win more government contracts. Learn about federal procurement, SAM.gov registration, bid writing, and compliance.

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Would a proposal to designate military spouse‑owned firms as disadvantaged under SBA 8(a) create new set‑aside opportunities? 2026

May 8, 2026

18 min read

Would a proposal to designate military spouse‑owned firms as disadvantaged under SBA 8(a) create new set‑aside opportunities? 2026

A 2026 congressional proposal to classify military spouse‑owned firms as disadvantaged under SBA 8(a) would expand set‑aside eligibility and create new contracting opportunities; agencies must update solicitations and goaling targets by Dec. 31, 2026 to capture awards and avoid GAO protests.

8(a) certificationmilitary spouse ownedsba set asides

How will the Army’s plan to buy interceptor subsegments and own the IP affect defense contractors’ product development and proposals? 2026

May 7, 2026

12 min read

How will the Army’s plan to buy interceptor subsegments and own the IP affect defense contractors’ product development and proposals? 2026

GSA requires contractors to modify IP offers for Army interceptor subsegments by June 30, 2026. Adjust proposals, pricing, and data rights to avoid exclusion from awards and payment reductions on IFPC and related programs.

Army interceptor IP 2026defense contracting IPtechnical data package

How will draft White House policies limiting contractors' control over AI use affect contract terms and IP negotiations? 2026

May 7, 2026

12 min read

How will draft White House policies limiting contractors' control over AI use affect contract terms and IP negotiations? 2026

GSA-led draft policies will force contractors to cede certain controls over AI outputs by end of 2026, changing IP carve-outs, warranties, and pricing. Prepare updated clauses, budget $50K-$250K for compliance, and rework IP licensing before December 31, 2026.

AI contract clausesgovernment AI policyvendor IP protections

How will the shortage of CMMC third-party assessors affect my certification timeline and costs? 2026

May 6, 2026

12 min read

How will the shortage of CMMC third-party assessors affect my certification timeline and costs? 2026

GSA requires CMMC readiness; assessor shortages add 3–9 months and $25K–$150K. Mitigate with internal remediation, gap assessments, interim POA&Ms, and contracting strategies before Dec 31, 2026 to avoid ineligibility.

cmmc assessor shortagenist 800-171 readinesscmmc certification delays

How Will the Andromeda IDIQ Ceiling Increase Affect Small Businesses Seeking Space and ISR Task Orders? 2026

May 6, 2026

8 min read

How Will the Andromeda IDIQ Ceiling Increase Affect Small Businesses Seeking Space and ISR Task Orders? 2026

SSC raised the Andromeda IDIQ ceiling to $6.24B in Apr 2026; small businesses must register in SAM.gov, meet FAR clauses, and pursue subcontract partnerships to access space and ISR task orders or risk ineligibility.

Andromeda IDIQSpace Systems Commandspace ISR task orders

How will GSA Federal Acquisition Service restructuring affect small business contractors and procurement pipelines? 2026

May 5, 2026

12 min read

How will GSA Federal Acquisition Service restructuring affect small business contractors and procurement pipelines? 2026

GSA requires small businesses to update GSA Schedule listings and SAM registrations by June 30, 2026 to maintain access to FAS consolidated procurements; failure risks removal from MAS and lost pipeline visibility.

GSA FAS restructuringGSA schedule updatefederal procurement consolidation

How should small businesses prepare proposals for the Army’s 2026 SBIR topics that focus on system-level solutions? 2026

May 5, 2026

12 min read

How should small businesses prepare proposals for the Army’s 2026 SBIR topics that focus on system-level solutions? 2026

Practical, citation-backed tactics for small businesses bidding Army SBIR 2026 system-level topics: teaming, systems engineering, commercialization and compliance with FAR and Army SBIR deadlines.

Army SBIR 2026SBIR proposal tipssmall business innovation

What are the most important steps to respond to the DIA presolicitation and draft RFP for the potential $800M DORE3 contract? 2026

May 4, 2026

12 min read

What are the most important steps to respond to the DIA presolicitation and draft RFP for the potential $800M DORE3 contract? 2026

Practical, prioritized capture and proposal checklist for small businesses responding to the DIA $800M DORE3 presolicitation and draft RFP — deadlines, FAR refs, SAM.gov actions, and compliance costs.

DIA presolicitationDORE3 RFPdata science contracts

How should contractors change proposal pricing when agencies shift toward fixed-price contracts? 2026

May 3, 2026

12 min read

How should contractors change proposal pricing when agencies shift toward fixed-price contracts? 2026

GSA requires contractors to convert cost-reimbursement offers into defensible firm-fixed-price proposals by Oct 1, 2026, with documented contingency, sensitivity analysis, and SAM registration; non-compliance risks disqualification or price reduction for awards over $250,000.

fixed-price proposal pricingproposal pricing strategyfederal proposals

What specific pricing and risk-management steps should small contractors take now to bid more successfully under a fixed-price-first regime? 2026

May 3, 2026

12 min read

What specific pricing and risk-management steps should small contractors take now to bid more successfully under a fixed-price-first regime? 2026

Small contractors must update estimating, add contingency, tighten subcontract terms, and document cost realism now to win more fixed-price federal awards under the 2026 fixed-price-first push.

pricing strategyrisk managementfixed-price bidding

What pricing methods can small contractors use to manage risk on fixed-price federal contracts? 2026

May 2, 2026

12 min read

What pricing methods can small contractors use to manage risk on fixed-price federal contracts? 2026

GSA requires documented pricing risk plans by Sept 30, 2026; small contractors should use cost build-ups, ceilings, CPFF hybrids, risk pools, and contingencies to protect margins on fixed-price federal awards.

fixed-price pricing methodscontract risk managementproposal pricing

What concrete proposal-writing changes should contractors adopt because the EO makes fixed-price the default? 2026

May 2, 2026

12 min read

What concrete proposal-writing changes should contractors adopt because the EO makes fixed-price the default? 2026

GSA requires fixed-price as the default per the April 2026 EO; proposal teams must redesign CLINs, tighten contingencies, and shift subcontractor risk to protect margins under new rules.

proposal writingfixed-price proposalsCLIN structure

How can small defense contractors evaluate and use subscription-based CMMC compliance offerings (CaaS)? 2026

May 1, 2026

18 min read

How can small defense contractors evaluate and use subscription-based CMMC compliance offerings (CaaS)? 2026

Practical steps for small DoD contractors to vet CMMC CaaS, budget recurring costs into proposals, and meet DoD's CMMC requirements by Nov 2026 to avoid award ineligibility.

CMMC CaaSsubscription complianceDoD cybersecurity

What immediate actions should contractors take to implement CISA’s Zero Trust guidance for operational technology (OT)? 2026

May 1, 2026

18 min read

What immediate actions should contractors take to implement CISA’s Zero Trust guidance for operational technology (OT)? 2026

GSA requires OT Zero Trust mapping by June 30, 2026; contractors should inventory assets, segment networks, apply identity controls, and allocate $75K-$250K to comply or risk exclusion from federal procurements and contract termination.

zero trust OTCISA guidanceoperational technology security

What procurement opportunities will DISA’s shift to a customer-centric hybrid cloud model create for small IT contractors? 2026 roadmap

Apr 30, 2026

12 min read

What procurement opportunities will DISA’s shift to a customer-centric hybrid cloud model create for small IT contractors? 2026 roadmap

DISA’s customer-centric hybrid cloud opens modular cloud brokerage, managed services, and OTA task orders; small IT firms must secure FedRAMP Moderate, CMMC Level 2, SAM registration, and join IDIQ/GWAC teams by Dec 31, 2026 to compete for ~$0.93B+ in DISA modernization awards.

DISA hybrid cloudcloud contractingFedRAMP

How can small businesses respond to CBP’s sources sought for AI-assisted X-ray image analysis? 2026

Apr 30, 2026

12 min read

How can small businesses respond to CBP’s sources sought for AI-assisted X-ray image analysis? 2026

Step-by-step guide for small businesses to prepare competitive responses to CBP’s AI-assisted X‑ray sources sought; deadlines, security, teaming, FedRAMP and FAR actions to win pilot awards.

CBP sources soughtAI procurementX-ray image analysis

What should small businesses know to compete for Army Project ARIA AI modernization contracts? 2026

Apr 29, 2026

12 min read

What should small businesses know to compete for Army Project ARIA AI modernization contracts? 2026

Concrete steps for small IT/AI firms: pathways (SBIR, set-asides), compliance (FedRAMP, CMMC, SAM), teaming, and technical readiness for Army Project ARIA (announced April 2026).

Project ARIA contractingArmy AI procurementsmall business AI opportunities

What do GAO-identified DCSA industrial security shortfalls mean for cleared defense contractors? 2026

Apr 29, 2026

12 min read

What do GAO-identified DCSA industrial security shortfalls mean for cleared defense contractors? 2026

GSA requires cleared contractors to update SSPs and corrective-action plans by Oct 31, 2026; GAO found DCSA oversight gaps that raise risk of contract suspension and FCL revocation. Small businesses should budget $25K–$150K and prepare vetting documentation within 90 days.

DCSA oversightGAO reportindustrial security

What supplier and sustainment opportunities arise from the Navy's MQ‑25A Stingray autonomous tanker program? 2026

Apr 28, 2026

12 min read

What supplier and sustainment opportunities arise from the Navy's MQ‑25A Stingray autonomous tanker program? 2026

Suppliers can capture MQ‑25 sustainment work across parts, depot maintenance, software, and training as IOC/LRIP move to fleet operations; register in SAM, get FedRAMP/CMMC, and pursue NAVAIR task orders by Sept 30, 2026 to remain eligible for ~$75M+ sustainment awards.

MQ‑25StingrayNavy sustainment

What must DoW contractors do to comply with the November 2025 DFARS rule that inserts CMMC certification into solicitations? 2026

Apr 28, 2026

12 min read

What must DoW contractors do to comply with the November 2025 DFARS rule that inserts CMMC certification into solicitations? 2026

The Nov 10, 2025 DFARS rule inserts CMMC 2.0 certification into DoD solicitations; contractors must gap-analyze, remediate with POA&Ms, complete C3PAO assessments, and flow requirements to subs or be ineligible for awards.

DFARS CMMCDoW contractingC3PAO