Government Contracting Blog

Even though our budget for 2026 is still being debated, it’s that time again for the annual budget request. The Trump Administration released the FY2027 budget request in early April, giving us a look into what next year’s spending could look like. As a reminder, the federal government Fiscal Year ends September 30, so FY 2027 will start on October 1, 2026.

The public sector isn’t necessarily known for being an easy market to access or navigate, especially if you’re a small business or lack experience in federal procurement. What many businesses miss, however, are the programs that can help them get their foot in the door and start selling to the government. They aren’t always well advertised, and may be buried among the acronyms and legal jargon companies sift through when they start their googling journey into government acquisition. One of these programs run by the Small Business Administration (SBA), called the 8(a) Business Development Program, exists specifically for economically disadvantaged small businesses.

Cybersecurity is not a new term or concept in the federal government, but we are seeing changes in the way the government plans to address it. The White House recently released a new National Cyber Strategy (NCS), marking the first major cyber policy update of Trump’s second term. With an increase on cyberattacks in recent years and our supply chain remaining vulnerable, the 2026 strategy is set out to be assertive and proactive in nature. This will definitely bring shift priorities in the federal government, and subsequently the world of procurement.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs have been long known as “America’s Seed Fund”, funding billions of dollars annually for small businesses and startups with cutting edge technology.

When GSA released their updated post for Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation Refresh #31 recently, they quietly slipped in a newly proposed clause that would govern AI use in federal contracts. This proposed clause, GSAR 552.239-700, Basic Safeguarding of Artificial Intelligence Systems, introduces significant requirements for companies who are using AI in any capacity in federal contracts. GSA originally gave contractors until March 20 to leave their feedback, but the period was extended to April 3, 2026, and GSA is pushing the AI changes to MAS Refresh #32.

Keeping up with your GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) is important now more than ever. GSA is looking for ways to cut costs and increase efficiency, and contractors who are not maintaining contract compliance or meeting their minimum sales requirement are at risk of contract cancellation. While this has always been a risk, GSA is really enforcing the rules for contractors who are not succeeding in the MAS Program.