SmallGovCon Week in Review: August 3-7, 2026

Posted on August 7, 2026 by Shane McCall

Happy Friday to our SmallGovCon readers. We hope you are having a great summer and finding some time to get away with family and friends and enjoy some relaxation. I recently spent a week in Colorado with my family and enjoyed some wonderful views and fresh air courtesy of Rocky Mountain National Park. This is the beginnings of the Colorado River, which runs to Mexico. It’s inspiring to know that such a great river starts from such a small stream.

We hope you have time for some rest and relaxation this weekend. Here’s what’s happening in federal government contracting news, including a new SBA website and how the government can procure faster and with more contractors.

Counting the Hours: SBA Adding More MPA Requirements

Posted on August 7, 2026 by Gregory Weber

The SBA’s Mentor-Protege Program (MPP) continues to be one of the most popular programs at the SBA. The MPP is a great way for federal contractors to grow and learn from more experienced contractors, in a way that is shielded from size affiliation risks. Historically, the Mentor-Protege Agreement (MPA) between a mentor and protege was a flexible document that allowed the parties to make sure their participation in the program truly fit their processes and aims in their own words. However, in recent years the SBA’s MPA reviews have seemingly taken stricter stances on the format and content of the MPA, leading to confusion among contractors on what they are supposed to draft in their MPA. Recently, we have become aware of the SBA implementing more requirements on MPAs that contractors are not warned about prior to applying to the MPP.

SmallGovCon Week in Review: July 27-31, 2026

Posted on July 31, 2026 by Gregory Weber

Happy Friday! It’s been another busy week in the federal government contracting arena. I’m filling in for Shane McCall for the Week in Review, while Shane and his family enjoy a well-deserved vacation away from the humidity and heat we have been experiencing here in the midwest. July feels like it has come and gone quite fast. All of us here at SmallGovCon hope our readers have enjoyed this past month celebrating the 250th anniversary of our country with family and friends, and that you all have a relaxing weekend.

For small businesses in the GovCon space, this week was a reminder that staying informed is just as important as staying compliant. Lawmakers continue to debate procurement reforms, while agencies are emphasizing stronger supply chain security and reviewing cybersecurity requirements that directly affect small contractors. With changes to acquisition policies and ongoing discussions around small business programs, now is a great time to review your certifications, strengthen your compliance posture, and keep an eye on upcoming opportunities.

Below are a few articles from this week’s news in federal government contracting. Enjoy the weekend!

Cracking The NAICS Code: Ambulatory Health Care Services or Office Administrative Services?

Posted on July 30, 2026 by Jordan Akins

You know what they say: if the shoe fits, wear it. When it comes to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes, finding the right fit can be just as important. Have you ever thought to yourself that a designated NAICS code didn’t really match up with the solicitation, or that something just seemed off? The NAICS Code appeal is the means of getting that addressed. A recent OHA decision is a good reminder of this, involving a debate of the NAICS code and requiring OHA to evaluate whether the primary purpose of the work was to perform ambulatory health care services or office administrative services. We explore that decision here.

Event: 2026 National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) Conference, August 16-20, 2026

Posted on July 28, 2026 by Shane McCall

I’m excited to be presenting “Domestic Sourcing: Buy American Act & Trade Agreements Act” at the 2026 National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) Annual Conference in Orlando on Tuesday, August 18.

My session will explore the Buy American Act and Trade Agreements Act, providing practical guidance and discussing important legal decisions that impact how to navigate these important domestic sourcing requirements in federal contracting.

The NAPEX Annual Conference is a premier professional development event for APEX Accelerators and Small Business Liaison Officers (SBLOs) from across the country. The conference provides opportunities to share best practices, strengthen the government contracting assistance network, and discuss emerging issues affecting the acquisition and supplier communities.

In conjunction with the conference, NAPEX is also hosting the 2026 Industry Expo, which is open to government contractors and industry partners. The Expo offers an excellent opportunity to connect with leading organizations across the defense and government contracting community.

Whether you’re attending the conference for professional development or participating in the Industry Expo to expand your business network, Orlando offers valuable opportunities to learn, connect, and engage with government contracting professionals from across the nation.

If you’ll be attending, I hope you’ll join my session on Tuesday, August 18, and stop by to say hello.

Learn more about the 2026 NAPEX Annual Conference at https://www.napex.us/national-conferences/.

Additional information about the 2026 Industry Expo is available at https://www.napex.us/businessindustryexpo o.

SmallGovCon Week in Review: July 20-24, 2026

Posted on July 24, 2026 by Shane McCall

Happy Friday! It’s that time of year when many in our office, and in the federal contracting world, are finding some time for a vacation to reconnect with family and friends. We hope our readers are able to take a break and get some R&R this summer. This weekend, try and find some time to rest, relax, and perhaps enjoy some summer activities.

This week in federal government contracting saw interesting stories including Congress working on some important procurement-related legislation, increased focus on supply chain safety, and steps to enhance whistleblower protections.

Back to Basics: Trade Agreements Act

Posted on July 24, 2026 by Shane McCall

The Trade Agreements Act (TAA) and its companion, the Buy American Act (BAA), both set policies for a preference for increased domestic purchases by the federal government and its contractors. However, the TAA is designed as kind of a counterweight to the BAA. The BAA (passed in 1933), “the first of the major domestic content restriction laws, requires federal agencies to apply a price preference for ‘domestic end products’ and use ‘domestic construction materials’ for covered contracts performed in the United States.” So, the BAA encourages use of US-produced goods.

The TAA, on the other hand, waives some of those BAA requirements for goods coming out of certain favored countries that have trade agreements with the US. In other words, the TAA puts items from those favored countries on an even playing field with the US items. The TAA has some other unique aspects, including a “substantial transformation” test to determine if something is an end product.

In this post, we discuss the basics of the TAA.