Government Contracting Blog

As technology advances, the federal government focuses on adding regulations that improve the security of network systems. In early October, the Federal Register published two proposed cybersecurity Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rules to partially implement Executive Order 14028, “Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity.” In this blog we will discuss Executive Order (EO) 14028 along with the two proposed FAR rules and how it can impact you as a government contactor.

North pole reindeer won’t be the only thing you think of when you hear the word comet this season—GSA has plans in FY 2024 for version 2 of COMET, a multiple award Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for IT modernization, transformation, and operations/maintenance. COMET, which stands for CIO Modernization and Enterprise Transformation, has awarded task orders totaling almost $1 billion, making it a great success for GSA and all contractors involved, especially when it comes to updating GSA’s legacy systems. GSA wants to continue the success with COMET 2, but make it larger and improve upon certain lessons learned. Here’s what we know so far about COMET 2 and how GSA plans to further the impact of this vehicle.

Have you ever gotten an email saying that you will need to pay hundreds of dollars to renew your SAM.gov registration? Contractors should be wary of these offers, some of which are outright scams, because registering and updating your business’s registration in SAM.gov is always free. If you are already a federal contractor, you probably have dealt with registration in SAM.gov, and as you can imagine, keeping this registration updated yearly is important.

The federal marketplace can be a daunting place for General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule contractors, but if they know what tools to use and where to find them, they can be more confident in the success of their contract. GSA provides a range of procurement tools to assist contractors in conducting market research, competitor analysis, and identifying contracting opportunities. These resources are available for free, and they play a crucial role in a contractor's growth.

As the New Year approaches, the General Services Administration (GSA) is making some updates with the upcoming release of Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation Refresh #18. While some of these updates are run of the mill changes and additions, GSA has also included some significant changes in this refresh including altering the minimum sales requirement and instituting a Cyber-Supply Chain Risk Assessment. GSA anticipates this Refresh to be released sometime in December 2023 along with the subsequent Mass Modification. Here’s everything you need to know about this upcoming Refresh.

For new and experienced GSA Schedule contract holders, juggling the task of acquiring and managing orders from another larger purchaser like the government can be daunting. Especially when there's a specific number of sales you need to meet to comply with the minimum sales requirement.