The Surge: How Federal Agencies Are Adopting and Managing Generative AI
GAO’s July 2025 report reveals how federal agencies are rapidly adopting generative AI, with use cases surging ninefold in one year. The report outlines key benefits, challenges in privacy, procurement, and workforce, and agency efforts to implement responsible policies under evolving OMB mandates.
The Return of the 8(a) Bona Fide Place of Business Requirement
The SBA’s moratorium on the 8(a) bona fide place of business requirement will end October 1, 2025. This blog post summarizes the reinstated rule, its implications for 8(a) construction contractors, and what steps firms must take to remain eligible.
GAO Grants Protest Costs to Delphinus Due to Navy’s Flawed Best-Value Tradeoff
GAO grants Delphinus Engineering reimbursement of protest costs after Navy’s flawed best-value tradeoff decision; highlights importance of accurate source selection and prompt corrective action.
How AI Can Deepen Democracy and Unlock Public Wisdom
This blog post is a summary of the article “How AI Can Unlock Public Wisdom and Revitalize Democratic Governance” by Rahmin Sarabi, published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on July 22, 2025. The views expressed herein are those of the original author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie or its affiliates. This summary is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, policy, or investment advice.
DOT’s Air Cargo Blind Spots: GAO Urges Data Transparency and Infrastructure Focus to Support Growing Sector
The GAO's July 2025 report finds that DOT's failure to assess and communicate limitations in air cargo data hampers planning and safety, while aging infrastructure and lack of stakeholder outreach threaten efficiency. Learn what the GAO recommends for improving U.S. air cargo operations.
Why the Christian Doctrine Doesn’t Apply to Subcontracts—and the Danger of “Self-Deleting” Clauses
Many subcontractors mistakenly assume federal clauses automatically apply under the Christian Doctrine. This blog post clarifies why that belief is incorrect, what the Christian Doctrine actually covers, and why “self-deleting clauses” are a dangerous myth in subcontract risk management. Know what governs your contract—and what doesn’t.
Report Warns Federal EV Charger Programs Lack Performance Oversight
GAO’s July 2025 report finds that federal EV charging programs lack adequate performance goals, with only 384 chargers built despite $7.5B in funding. The Joint Office and DOT must improve tracking and transparency to ensure future success.
Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Costs: Size Matters, Burden Differs
GAO’s June 2025 report GAO-25-107500 reveals that Sarbanes-Oxley section 404 compliance costs scale higher in dollars for big firms but hit smaller public companies harder proportionally, with audit fees spiking 13 percent when firms lose their exemption. Exemptions free cash but correlate with weaker controls and more restatements, raising investor-confidence questions.
GAO Pushes Back on Protest Cost Penalties but Proposes Stricter Standards
GAO’s response to Section 885 of the FY2025 NDAA rejects protest cost penalties, proposes new pleading standards, and warns Congress of unintended harm to small businesses and competition.
FY24 Small Business Procurement Scorecard
The SBA's FY24 Small Business Procurement Scorecard awards high grades to federal agencies, but do these scores truly reflect meaningful support for small businesses? Explore the implications of these ratings and what they mean for the small business community.
Report Illuminates Challenges and Innovations in Rural STEM Education
GAO's July 2025 report examines how federal agencies support rural K–12 STEM education, spotlighting challenges like teacher shortages and access gaps while highlighting innovative approaches like place-based learning, mobile labs, and strategic partnerships.
Missed Deadlines and Misread Rules: GAO Denies Protest Despite Agency’s Faulty Past Performance Evaluation
In Jude & L Construction, GAO found the Air Force misinterpreted its own solicitation when it excluded affiliate past performance, but still denied the protest due to the protester’s failure to ensure timely PPQ submissions. Learn why timing and clarity matter in past performance evaluations.
Reforming Veterans Affairs IT: GAO Urges Strategic Overhaul, Cites Billions at Stake
GAO urges the Department of Veterans Affairs to adopt leading IT reform practices as it prepares to spend $7.3B in FY2026. Despite past failures in modernizing health records and financial systems, GAO outlines key steps for success. All 26 prior recommendations remain unimplemented.
Technologies That Could Reshape Our World: Highlights from the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Emerging Tech Report
Explore the World Economic Forum’s Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2025—from energy-storing materials and osmotic power to AI watermarking and living therapeutics—offering transformative potential for industry, sustainability, and human health.
$19 Billion in Federal Grant Terminations Tracked by GrantExec
GrantExec reports that nearly 700 federal grant programs worth over $19 billion were terminated under the Trump Administration, affecting agencies like USAID, HUD, and HHS. An additional $40 billion in awarded grants were revoked, with inconsistent public notification across agencies.
Key Insights from the 2025 Government Contracting Trends and Performance Index
The 2025 Government Contracting Trends and Performance Index by George Mason University’s Baroni Center reveals key insights into contractor participation, innovation metrics, small business impact, and financial performance across the federal marketplace.
Supreme Court Broadens Access to Differential Pay for Federal Reservists
The Supreme Court in Feliciano v. DOT ruled federal reservists are entitled to differential pay if their service overlaps with a national emergency—no proof of a direct connection required. A major win for military reservists and clarity on statutory interpretation.
Federal Contracting in FY 2024: Insights from GAO’s Interactive Dashboard
Explore the GAO's FY 2024 federal contracting dashboard to gain insights into U.S. government spending patterns, contractor demographics, and procurement methods. Understand how $755 billion was allocated across agencies, services, and products, enhancing transparency and informing stakeholders
VA and DOD Health Care Collaboration
A June 2025 GAO report urges the VA and DOD to evaluate and expand health care sharing agreements to improve veteran care and reduce costs. With 185 agreements in place, the agencies must adopt performance metrics and systematic strategies for greater impact. Read the key findings and implications.
AI’s Impact: A Call for a Sustainable Information Ecosystem
Paul Keller’s white paper, Beyond AI and Copyright, calls for a public AI infrastructure and equitable funding models to sustain the digital knowledge commons. He proposes a levy on commercial AI services to support content creators, institutions, and public access to information.