The FAR Overhaul, Schedule Buys, and the Quiet Contraction of Protest Opportunity
The FAR Overhaul (RFO) is reshaping bid protest dynamics by shifting Federal Supply Schedule ordering rules to GSAR/GSAM 538.71, expanding use of single-award BPAs, and accelerating post-award “brief explanations.” Fewer competitive decision points can mean fewer protests—not fewer errors, but fewer places to challenge them.
Commercial Solutions Openings (CSOs) Under DFARS 212.70: What Contractors Should Know
Commercial Solutions Openings (CSOs) are streamlined, competitive DoD solicitations authorized by 10 U.S.C. § 3458 and implemented in DFARS 212.70 to acquire commercial products and services—often innovative solutions—through general solicitations and expert peer review. Learn how CSOs work, what gets evaluated, and practical implications for contractors.
Outcome Cases and FAR Minimization: A Controversial Proposal for Making Federal Acquisitions More Legible, Competitive, and Accountable
This case study argues that federal acquisitions can become clearer and more competitive by translating solicitations into outcome-based “Outcome Cases” with verifiable evidence gates while minimizing unnecessary FAR clause overlays through commercial-style structuring and modular addenda. It explores a CBP maintenance SOW example.
Designing “Deliberative Lobbying”: What an Open-Lobby Model Could Mean for Federal Contractors
A summary of Alberto Bitonti’s “Designing Deliberative Lobbying,” which argues that transparency-only lobbying rules are insufficient. The article proposes an “open lobby democracy” built on three tools—a stakeholder register, a digital deliberation platform, and a policy footprint—to make influence more inclusive, reasoned, and publicly accountable.
U.S. Small Business Administration Moves to Terminate 154 8(a) Business Development Program Firms in Washington, D.C. After Eligibility Review
SBA has initiated termination proceedings for 154 Washington, D.C.-based 8(a) firms after an internal review found failures to meet “economic disadvantage” eligibility standards. The action includes at least 30 days of suspension before final termination and follows broader SBA integrity measures affecting thousands of 8(a) participants.
When DOD Abandons “Modernization”: Lessons from the MyTravel Failure and the Return to DTS
GAO’s January 2026 report (GAO-26-107663) finds DOD abandoned MyTravel after weak leadership, program management, outreach, and requirements discipline. GAO urges stronger governance, measurable milestones, enterprise-architecture compliance, and bidirectional requirements traceability—signals federal contractors should expect tighter oversight in DOD modernizations.
GAO Finds Gaps in Pentagon Innovation Oversight—and Points to Concrete Fixes for Faster Technology Fielding
A February 2026 GAO report assesses how DoD’s R&E leadership manages and oversees innovation investments. It finds partial progress but warns that misaligned service strategies, uneven critical-technology roadmaps, and limited budget leverage can slow transition of technology to the warfighter—and recommends targeted governance and budget reforms.
Facebook as a “Decision-Testing Sandbox” in Public Administration: A Practical Framework with ideas for Government Contractors
A 2026 Administrative Sciences study proposes using social-media analytics as a “sandbox” to test public decisions before implementation. Drawing on 95 Romanian municipalities, the authors show how engagement and sentiment can inform resource allocation, risk anticipation, and service design—insights relevant to contractors supporting federal and state agencies.
GAO Sustains DIA Task Order Award: Oral Presentation Evaluations Must Be Documented, Supported, and Evenhanded
GAO sustained protests of a DIA task order to GDIT after finding the technical evaluation of oral presentations was inadequately documented and unsupported—especially where audio recordings contradicted an assessed weakness—and that the agency applied unequal scrutiny in “upskilling” workforce assessments. Key takeaways for federal contractors on documentation, oral orals, and disparate treatment.
GAO’s Review of the Department of Education’s OCR Reduction-in-Force
A GAO report examines the Department of Education’s 2025 Reduction-in-Force and restructuring of the Office for Civil Rights, finding the agency did not document a complete estimate of costs and savings as required by OMB/OPM guidance. GAO estimates $28.5–$38M in paid leave costs and recommends a full accounting.
GAO Denies JTMS Protest: OCI Due Diligence, Demonstration “Musts,” and Late Price Concessions
GAO denied Accenture’s protest of TRANSCOM’s JTMS award to CACI, upholding the agency’s OCI investigation, solution demonstration confidence ratings, and acceptance of post-discussions price reductions tied to profit/fee—not labor compensation. Takeaways highlight “significant” OCI standards, hard-facts pleading, and realism logic.
The Drone Economy’s Next Inflection Point: Part 108 and the Rise of Drones-as-a-Service
A January 2026 Federal Drive interview explains how the FAA’s proposed Part 108 BVLOS framework could make Drones-as-a-Service viable at scale—enabling one operator to supervise multiple aircraft, accelerating remote inspection and delivery.
Modernizing AbilityOne: Employment Growth, Domestic Sourcing, and Acquisition Integrity in FY 2025
Summary of the U.S. AbilityOne Commission’s 2025 Report to the President: FY25 job growth to ~41,000, $4.7B in federal sales, domestic sourcing emphasis (Buy American/Make PPE), national-security manufacturing contributions, expanded accountability and competition policies, and IT modernization (PLIMS 2.0) to drive “best value.”
Federal Telework after Return-to-Office: GAO’s Findings on Service Delivery, Workforce Risk, and SSA’s Planning Gap
GAO’s January 2026 report on federal telework reviews BIA, SSA, and State’s Consular Affairs from 2019–2025 and finds telework fell sharply after the January 2025 return-to-office directive. GAO highlights workforce-retention pressures and recommends SSA update its human capital plan and evaluate telework’s performance effects.
VA’s “CCN Next Gen” IDIQ: A $700B Re-Architecture of Community Care Purchasing, Oversight, and Incentives
Federal News Network reports VA is preparing a $700B, 10-year “CCN Next Gen” IDIQ to restructure community care purchasing. VA says it will strengthen program management, broaden competition to regional vendors, add on-ramps/off-ramps, and shift toward value-based payment and utilization management—amid bipartisan oversight and privatization concerns.
European Public AI: Reframing Sovereignty as Public Digital Infrastructure
Summary of Tarkowski & Sieker’s 2026 policy brief proposing “European Public AI” as public digital infrastructure—open, mission-driven, and democratically governed. Explains risks of AI market concentration, Europe’s cloud/model dependencies, and a full-stack strategy spanning compute, data commons, open-source models, and purposeful deployment.
Fiscal Year 2025’s Record False Claims Act Recoveries: What $6.8B Signals About Enforcement Priorities
DOJ reported a record $6.8B in FY2025 False Claims Act settlements and judgments, driven largely by health care, with notable growth in procurement, cybersecurity, pandemic, and trade-fraud enforcement. This summary highlights the data, illustrative cases, and practical compliance implications for contractors and grantees.
Navy Vessel Operational Testing: Why User Input, Test Assets, and Digital Infrastructure Matter
GAO’s public report GAO-26-108781 finds the Navy’s operational test and evaluation for shipbuilding is constrained by inconsistent “user” (warfighter) participation, uncertainty around a critical self-defense test ship, and a fragmented approach to digital test infrastructure. Key takeaways and implications for federal contractors.
Pentagon Orders Line-by-Line Review of SBA 8(a) Sole-Source Awards: Compliance, Mission Alignment, and Pass-Through Risk
A Pentagon-directed review of SBA 8(a) sole-source contracts signals heightened scrutiny of mission relevance, subcontracting pass-throughs, and documentation. Drawing on HSToday reporting by Megan Norris, this analysis explains the legal context, the enforcement backdrop, and what disadvantaged small businesses and their partners should do now.
Data Equity as a Contracting Imperative: What Wang et al.’s Framework Means for Federal Contractors
A narrative summary of Wang et al. (JAMA Health Forum) on “data equity” and ten core concepts—fairness, transparency, bias control, generalizability, privacy, and more—and why federal contractors should treat equitable data practices as a compliance, performance, and mission requirement across the data life cycle.