As a result of social media, the traditional news cycle has accelerated, and now many people receive most, if not all, their news from the major social media networks. This dramatic shift in consumption has increased both the speed and accessibility of information, and now anyone with an internet connection has the ability to either knowingly or unknowingly spread a false narrative. As a result, misinformation, as well as disinformation, have become more prevalent.

Just like with commercial transactions, pricing is an important part of your GSA Schedule contract. Government agencies often prefer to purchase from GSA Schedules because they know they are getting their products and services at the best value and prices. This means that GSA contractors have to follow specific pricing rules and requirements, like reporting your Commercial Sales Practices.

The new SAM.gov is here—on May 24, 2021, beta.SAM.gov and SAM.gov merged and became one website. The System for Award Management, or SAM, is now the official site for people who make, receive, and manage federal awards. Earlier this year, GSA launched a new design for beta.SAM, which was planned to ease contractors into the new SAM.gov interface. There were several changes to the look and feel of the site, but the functionality remained the same. Now, both the design and the functionality has changed.

2021 is expected to be a strong year for mergers and acquisitions. Since mergers and acquisition (M&A) trends took a hit during the pandemic, M&A activity is starting to ramp up, and 2021 is already proving to be a busy year. In the high-financed, fast-paced world of mergers and acquisitions, one aspect of the deal that is often over-looked or misunderstood, is contract novation. Many people unfamiliar with the federal market don’t realize that if you buy a government contractor, their federal contracts may not transfer to the acquirer or new entity. And this can represent a BIG problem if the valuation formula was based on the revenue from those federal contracts.

More updates are coming for GSA contractors—on May 17, 2021, GSA released the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation 47QSMD20R0001 - Refresh # 6. This Solicitation will be accompanied by a Mass Modification (Mass Mod) for all GSA Schedule contractors. Action is required on this Mass Mod, so it’s important you understand what these upcoming changes mean to you as a contractor. Here's what you need to know:

President Joe Biden delivered his first address to the nation in a joint session of Congress last month. In this State of the Union style address to Congress, President Biden discussed the direction he would like to see the nation heading. The vast array of challenges the new administration faces has already resulted in a quick uptick in government spending. With the Biden Administration planning to tackle the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, economic insecurity and job creation, national security threats, and environmental challenges, your company may be in a position to respond to government solicitations.