Small Business

SBA fast tracks 8(a) applicants in defense-critical industries

Only 1.2% of active 8(a) firms are registered in the 10 NAICS codes prioritized by the Small Business Administration, though pending reforms could expand the pipeline.

SBA’s size standard rewrite draws angry, frustrated comments

Critics say the rule would turn the small business program into a marketplace dominated by the biggest players.

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When ‘small’ gets bigger, who gets left behind?

SBA’s proposed size-standard overhaul might help growing firm but it raises hard questions about competition, the mid-tier, and how to define small, writes Kristina Messner, CEO of Messner Media Group.

SBA proposes sweeping rewrite of small business size standards

The Small Business Administration says this new methodology would base the standards on market size, not just receipts and number of employees.

Fast 50 nominations deadline extended

Washington Technology is now accepting entries through Sept. 15 for our 2026 ranking of the government market's fastest-growing small businesses.

HHS seeks small business support for future vendor management office

The Health and Human Services Department has started its work to find a contractor that can help oversee various software licensing agreements.

Small business prime awards fell in fiscal 2025

The Small Business Administration releases its newest annual grading of how agencies worked to meet their small business contracting goals.

SBA proposes opening 8(a) program to white-owned businesses

The Small Business Administration wants to eliminate race-based eligibility presumptions and create a new social disadvantage test for applicants.

Air Force Research Lab seeks small businesses for rapid innovation support

AFRL's Center for Rapid Innovation focuses on addressing urgent operational needs in 24 months or less.

Army small business office pulls the plug on LinkedIn posts

The office directs followers to its website, but critics say the move cuts off a key connection to the defense industrial base.

Legislative proposal would eliminate contracting preferences for minority, women-owned businesses

The bill would codify and expand on Trump’s executive order to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in federal contracting.

NOAA starts the bidding for ProTech 2.0's environmental monitoring domain

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is seeking to hire a pool of companies that can help it use satellite data for its forecasting and modeling operations.

Contractors sue to block Trump’s federal DEI executive order

The lawsuit alleges minority-owned businesses are being forced to trade their First Amendment rights for federal contracts.

Redhawk Federal Solutions acquires SETA outfit

For Redhawk, this transaction follows Genesis Park's investment in the two-year-old company in the fall.

SBA is coming for your 8(a) certification: What targeted firms need to know

Businesses facing termination need to meet their deadlines, scrutinize SBA’s calculations, and preserve their right to appeal, writes Stephen Bacon, an attorney with the law firm Rogers Joseph O’Donnell.

154 firms face ouster from 8(a) program after failing financial eligibility test

The Small Business Administration's crackdown targets companies that have exceeded net worth, income and asset thresholds.

8(a) program faces unprecedented pressure from Trump administration attacks

Defenders of the small business contracting initiative say it enables rapid procurement, can meet administration priorities and the administration is overstating fraud concerns.