Government Contracting Blog

Since you clicked on this blog post, there is a good chance your business could qualify as a small business government contractor, or perhaps you are simply looking to learn more about the calculations that determine small business status. Regardless, it's important to determine your business size designation, because there are certain advantages associated with being a small business in the federal government. In this blog, we'll help you identify whether your business qualifies as a small business with the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Small Business Association (SBA).

As a GSA Schedule contractor, you are given a multitude of codes that signify your industry, business size, unique identification, and location. One of these essential codes is the CAGE Code. The Commercial And Government Entity Code, or CAGE Code, is a five-character ID used frequently in the government as an identifier for suppliers to the federal government. Why is it important for GSA Schedule contractors? Let's cover what a CAGE Code is, why it's important, and how you can get one.

Back in April of 2000, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced that Digital Signature Trust Company has received the first interim approval to operate on the Access Certificates for Electronic Services (ACES) contract. This breakthrough was phenomenal because it rapidly sped up the processes of schedule acquisition, maintenance, and compliance more broadly. The ACES contract is currently managed by the Office of Information Security in GSA's Federal Technology Service.

Background New bills working their way through congress can signal incredible opportunities for government contractors. The House has passed a series of bills related to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) management in the past month. Perhaps most prominent is H.R. 2083 which, if turned into law, will benefit small businesses tremendously. First introduced by California Democrat Correa Luis in April 2019, the bill has three main goals: to increase the share of equipment for DHS personnel procured by U.S. manufacturers, enhance regulation of delivery timelines, and determine whether to raise uniform allowances.

Why Ethics Exist in Business: When dealing with the government, or really any industry, people should be very conscious of ethics codes. The United States Office of Government Ethics (OGE), which is primarily concerned with the executive branch of government, clearly identifies what private companies are and are not allowed to do for government workers. For example, there are specific restrictions on paid travel, bribery, gifts, and payments. Likewise, there are repercussions that follow violations of any of these rules. The reason behind such strict regulations is the government attempts to protect the integrity of our companies and government officials.

Background: On Thursday, June 21st, 2018 my colleague Andrew Wahlgren and I attended a GSA Industry Day at GSA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. to discuss “Procurement through commercial e-Commerce portals.” The talks were very informational, with unique perspectives from the General Services Administration (GSA) representatives, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) representatives, and high-stake company executives.