Webinar Announcement! Understanding the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program, February 17, 2026 hosted by Kansas APEX Accelerators

Posted on February 4, 2026 by Shane McCall

First launched in 2016 as the “All Small Mentor-Protégé Program,” this powerful initiative by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has evolved—but it remains a game-changing tool for both small and large federal contractors.

In this informative webinar, we will break down the key elements of the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program. You’ll learn how this program can help small businesses enhance their capabilities and compete for larger contracts—with the support of an experienced mentor. The session will also cover how mentor-protégé joint ventures can create new contracting opportunities and expand your footprint in the federal marketplace. Additionally, we will provide an introduction to the even older DoD Mentor-Protege Program, which set the stage for the SBA’s program, and compare the two programs.

Topics include:
-Who is eligible and how to qualify
-The benefits of participating as a mentor or protégé
-How to form compliant mentor-protégé joint ventures
-Key steps in the application process
-Common myths, misconceptions, and pitfalls to avoid

Why attend?
Whether you’re a small business (SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone, 8(a), or SDB) looking to grow, or a large business interested in partnering with eligible firms, this webinar will equip you with the knowledge you need to take advantage of one of the SBA’s most impactful programs.

Target Audience:
Small businesses (SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone, 8(a), SDB) and large businesses seeking to do business with the federal government through strategic partnerships.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore how the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program can be a catalyst for growth and collaboration in federal contracting. Register here.

Bridge to Nowhere: COFC Says Incumbents not Guaranteed Bridge Contract During CICA Stay

Posted on February 3, 2026 by Gregory Weber

Losing an award can be quite tough, especially when you are the incumbent on the preceding related contract. Often, a salve for an incumbent contractor’s pain can be a bid protest which may result in a bridge contract to that incumbent for the period of the protest. This actually was a fairly common practice for many years in federal contracting. Consequently, many contractors have interpreted such an incumbent bridge contract as a requirement, not simply a course of dealing. However, the United States Court of Federal Claims has highlighted the harsh reality that the incumbent is absolutely not guaranteed a bridge contract after a bid protest, and the agency may take other actions with the named awardee without violating the stay’s requirements.

SmallGovCon Week in Review: January 26-30, 2026

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Shane McCall

It’s Friday and time for another SmallGovCon Week in Review. As we finish out January we hope everyone is staying warm with all the snow and cold weather across the country. I was in Washington DC this week for a court hearing, and it’s clear the cold and snow has really done a number on half the country. There was snow on the ground when I left Kansas City and snow on the ground in DC, and every place in between.

Grab a hot cup of cocoa (as sung by the The Von Trapp children) and warm up with the latest in federal government contracting news, including the suspension of many 8(a) companies and a close review of 8(a) contracts by DoD, along with news on a potential shutdown.

Year in Review: Top SmallGovCon Posts of 2025

Posted on January 29, 2026 by Shane McCall

Hello, SmallGovCon readers! As we do each year, this post revisits the most popular SmallGovCon articles that were posted in 2025, as well as the most popular all-time posts in 2025. As we move deeper into 2026, I look to reflect on these important and well-liked posts from 2025.

Below, we summarize the blogs written in 2025 that were the most visited as well as the perennial favorites from years past that were the most read in 2025. It’s a good chance to look back on the important articles from 2025, and those topics of continuing interest to federal contractors. While there are exceptions, chances are that those topics that were of high interest in 2025 will carry on into 2026.

Why File: An Appeal of an 8(a) Program Termination

Posted on January 28, 2026 by Annie Birney

In a previous blog post, Why File: An Appeal of SBA’s 8(a) Program Denial, we covered the process for appealing SBA’s denial of admission into the 8(a) Business Development Program (AKA 8(a) Program). We discussed what happens when a business is stopped at the door – denied entry altogether in the program. But what happens when a concern already admitted into the 8(a) Program is terminated by SBA? Here, we will touch on the arguably more consequential scenario of an 8(a) Program participant’s termination from the program. Specifically, the termination process, timing considerations, and OHA’s scope of review.

BREAKING: SBA’s Newly-Released 8(a) Program Mandate with “Clarifying Guidance” Regarding Social Disadvantage Criteria Brings Far More Confusion Than “Clarity”

Posted on January 23, 2026 by Nicole Pottroff

On January 22, 2026, SBA issued brand new “SBA Guidance” to its Office of Government Contracting and Business Development and its Office of Field Operations via a highly confusing 8(a) Program Mandate. On its Website, SBA labels it “Clarifying Guidance That Race-Based Discrimination is Not Tolerated in the 8(a) Program[,]” and further labels it the “Latest Action” in our Federal Government’s “Year-Long Effort to Dismantle DEI Discrimination, Expose Fraud, and Restore Fairness in Federal Contracting[.]” But no matter SBA’s intent behind it, this guidance does everything but clarify even a single aspect of SBA’s 8(a) Program eligibility rules and social disadvantage requirement.

SmallGovCon Week in Review: January 19-23, 2026

Posted on January 23, 2026 by Shane McCall

Happy Friday! We are preparing for the snow that’s impacting much of the nation. But amidst the frenzy of dealing with the transitory, we also wanted to remember Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy this week and all that he has taught us about the “the arc of the moral universe.” We would do well to reflect on Dr. King’s enduring legacy of service and justice.

And now for the updates in federal contracting. This week in federal government contracting there has been a lot of buzz about the SBA’s 8(a) Program audit, spending bills, and restructuring government.