GovCon Lab Blog

Federal Contractors Face Three Layers of Nondiscrimination Certification

Executive Orders 14173 and 14398, plus the new FAR 52.222-90 clause, have replaced the old EO 11246 affirmative-action framework with a certification-based system — and tied those certifications to the government's payment decisions under the False Claims Act. This plain-English guide explains the three layers of promises a contractor may face (company-level representations, EO 14173 award certifications, and FAR 52.222-90 performance duties), what each one actually asks, and a practical checklist for reviewing your policies, programs, and subcontractor flowdowns before anyone signs.

How to Find Federal Government Contracts for Small Business: 7 Sourcing Sources That Actually Work

Where do small businesses actually find federal bids? Here are 7 sourcing sources that work - SAM.gov, DIBBS and more - plus how to qualify each opportunity before you chase it.

SBA's Proposed Overhaul Could Redraw the Line on "Small Business" — Here's What Changes

The SBA just proposed its biggest rewrite of small business size standards in decades — consolidating industry categories, raising revenue and employee thresholds, and shifting the default measure from revenue to headcount. The upshot: growing companies get more room to keep their small-business status, but incumbents face a far larger pool of competitors for set-aside contracts. The rule isn't final — comments are open through September 21, 2026.

GovConLab Blog Post — August 2026

Gov Contracting for Small Businesses: What's Happening Right Now (August 2026) Deadlines, new tools, threshold increases, and a CMMC pause — here's what every small business owner needs to know about gov contracting right now.