Our Blogs
Tracking DOT DBE Program Changes: Strategic Action
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s recent overhaul of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concessions DBE (ACDBE) programs is not a routine regulatory update. Indeed, it represents afundamental shift...
DOJ Seeks First Review of Ethics Complaints Against DOJ Lawyers
NOTE: The proposed rule, discussed below, remains open for Public Comment until April 6, 2026 Comments may be submitted through the federal rulemaking portal at Regulations.gov. The U.S. Department of...
Sustaining Program Integrity Through Continuous Eligibility: Strategic Observations on Recent 8(a) Enforcement Actions
Recent suspensions and proposed terminations by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) of certain 8(a) Business Development Program participants have prompted significant discussion within the federal acquisition community. While attention...
SBA 8(a) Program: Suspensions and a Limited Time to Appeal
On January 22, 2026, the SBA has announced that it has suspended more than 1,000 companies in the 8(a) program – nearly one quarter of all the program participants –...
SPEAK NOW: PROTECT WOSB PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL PROCUREMENT BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE
This week marks a critical turning point for Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs) in the federal procurement space. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council is proposing sweeping changes to two foundational...
SBA REINSTATES LOCAL PHYSICAL OFFICE REQUIREMENT FOR 8(A) CONSTRUCTION WORK
By Carol L. O’Riordan, Pamela J. Bethel, Kaycee Kaithula, International Relations/Law Intern,
The 8(a) Business Development Program, managed by the Small Business Administration and authorized by Congress in 1978, provides federal contracts, training, and technical assistance to socially and economically disadvantaged small...
IMPACT OF PROPOSED OVERHAUL OF MARKET RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS OF FAR PART 10 UPON SMALL BUSINESSES
The FAR Council’s overhaul of FAR Part 10 – Market Research – directly threatens to shut women-owned, veteran-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, and small businesses out of the competition before they even...
RESOURCES: UNPACKING THE FAR DEVIATION OVERHAUL – HOW THE ADMINISTRATION IS RESHAPING FEDERAL PROCUREMENT
The landscape of federal procurement is undergoing a seismic shift. Under the banner of modernization and efficiency, the current Administration has introduced sweeping changes to procurement policy that fundamentally alter...
Employment Law Update: Texas Federal Court Strikes Down EEOC’sHarassment Guidance Related to Transgender Employees
By Carol L. O’Riordan, Kaycee Kaithula, International Relations/Law Intern,
On May 15, 2025, U.S. Federal District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk of the Northern District of Texas ruled that specific allocations of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) 2024 guidance...
Justice Department Refocuses FCPA Enforcement Through the Lens of National Competitiveness
In my February 17, 2025, blog post titled ‘DOJ’s Focus on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement Retooled,’ I discussed a significant shift in enforcement priorities under the Foreign Corrupt Practices...
