SBA Proposes Sweeping Overhaul to Small Business Size Standards and Calculation Methodology
Article by: Nicholas Perry, Associate The Small Business Administration (“SBA”) has proposed massive changes to its size standard system. If implemented, these changes will significantly increase the number of firms that qualify as “small business concerns” by establishing new standards that are, in some cases, more than ten times the currently applicable standards. For...
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SBA Proposes New Social Disadvantage Test for Individually Owned 8(a) Applicants, Eliminating the Rebuttable Presumption
On June 11, 2026, the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) published a proposed rule that would revise how individually owned small businesses establish social disadvantage for purposes of the Section 8(a) Business Development Program (the “8(a) Program”), 91 Fed. Reg. 35433 (June 11, 2026). The proposed rule would remove the longstanding rebuttable presumption of...
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Let Your Mentor-Protégé Agreement Lapse, Lose the Set-Aside: Lessons From A Difficult Court Decision
Article by: Ryan Bradel, Partner Most small business government contractors know the general rule cold: a company’s size for a small business set-aside is determined as of the date of its initial offer. But there are critical exceptions. The most impactful is the one for mentor-protégé joint ventures. Under a rule SBA crafted in...
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GAO Clarifies Mentor‑Protégé Joint Venture Past Performance Rules: Agencies Have More Discretion Than Ever
Article By: Nicholas Hopkins, Associate A recent GAO bid protest decision offers more clarity on agency evaluation of JV past performance for mentor‑protégé joint ventures. Due to an evolving regulatory scheme, agencies may evaluate the mentor’s past performance alone. However, agencies have more discretion than ever, and may still require a showing of protégé...
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D.C.’s 2026 Procurement Overhaul: What Local Businesses Need to Know
Article by: Nicholas Hopkins, Associate As D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser enters the final months of her term, she is prioritizing an overhaul of D.C.’s procurement framework. The Procurement Reform Amendment Act of 2026 and the Supporting Local Business Enterprises Amendment Act of 2026 are both under consideration by the D.C. Council and on track...
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Understanding the DoW’s Review of Certain Sole-Source and Set-Aside Contract Awards
Article by: Nicholas Perry, Associate Ward & Bradel has been keeping a close eye on the Trump Administration’s Government-wide audit of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) Business Development Program, which has already led SBA to issue more than 1,000 suspension notices to 8(a) firms (see our prior blog posts on the audit here...
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