SBA 8(a) Program Terminations
SBA Orders All 8(a) Participants to Provide Financial Records On March 4, 2026, the SBA announced it is initiating termination proceedings against 628 8(a) firms for failing to comply with a December 2025 data call. In late 2025 SBA ordered all 4,300 participants in the 8(a) Business Development program to submit three years of financial […]
Find small business set-asides with Procura
Small businesses have generous set-aside opportunities in federal contracting – agencies must reserve a percentage of contracts for qualified 8(a), SDVOSB (service-disabled veteran–owned), WOSB (women-owned), HUBZone, and general small business firms[1][2]. However, finding and tracking these requires constant SAM.gov monitoring and careful filters. Procura automates this: by uploading your company’s capability statement, its AI continuously scans […]
AI Safeguards and Subcontractors
Anthropic-Pentagon AI Dispute Anthropic-DoD AI Dispute Timeline Dispute Details and Safeguards The crux of the dispute was over usage restrictions built into Anthropic’s Claude AI. Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei stressed that Claude is already deployed across classified DoD networks and supports critical missions[25]. However, Amodei has insisted on two “narrow exceptions”: Clauses forbidding any use […]
The BIOSECURE Act: What Small Federal Subcontractors Need to Know
Biosecure Act Article Executive Summary: The BIOSECURE Act (Sec. 851 of the FY2026 NDAA, P.L. 119-60[1]) creates new national-security restrictions on U.S. federal procurement and funding. It bars agencies (and thus contractors and sub-contractors) from using biotechnology equipment or services from designated “Biotechnology Companies of Concern” (BCCs)[2]. In practice, every federal contractor – primes and […]
Best Tools to Find Government Contracts in 2026
Did you know that U.S. federal government awards more than $700 billion in contracts every year? For small businesses, capturing just a portion of these contracts could be life changing! But most small businesses cannot keep up with the massive amount of opportunities that are posted every day. Most of the tools available require a […]
Modernizing the Privacy Act: What Small Federal Subcontractors Need to Know
Privacy Act Modernization Blog Executive Summary: Congress is considering major updates to the Privacy Act of 1974, the federal law that governs how agencies use personal data. Recent proposals (e.g. the Senate’s Privacy Act Modernization Act of 2025 (S.1208) sponsored by Sens. Ron Wyden, Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley and Chris Van Hollen) would broaden the Act’s […]
Getting Started in GovCon
Executive Summary: Federal agencies spend hundreds of billions on goods and services each year, and small businesses are guaranteed a share of that market[1]. To begin, register your company in SAM.gov to get a Unique Entity ID[1][2]. Update your SAM profile with accurate NAICS codes and any SBA socio-economic status (8(a), HUBZone, etc.)[1][3]. Obtain relevant […]
Procura Is an AI Federal Contracting Analyst, Not Just a “Contract Search Engine”
Executive summary At Procura, we built an AI-powered federal contract search and analysis platform for small teams that are tired of spending nights and weekends hunting listings and manually reading long solicitation packages. Our promise is straightforward: Procura continuously scans SAM.gov, ingests and reads full RFP packages (including attachments), then scores fit against your capability […]
New DoD IG Audit Raises Oversight Questions on the F‑35 Sustainment Contract: What Small Contractors and Subcontractors Should Watch
A new Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) audit finds DoD did not adequately oversee contractor performance under a major F‑35 air vehicle sustainment contract—an oversight gap that matters because the F‑35 is DoD’s largest acquisition program with an estimated lifetime cost over $2 trillion (buy/operate/sustain). [1] In Report No. DODIG‑2026‑039 (issued […]
SBA’s Move to Terminate 154 8(a) Firms: What Small Federal Contractors and Subcontractors Need to Know
Executive summary The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has initiated termination proceedings against 154 Washington, D.C.-based 8(a) Business Development (BD) Program participants after an internal eligibility review found they no longer met “economic disadvantage” requirements (net worth, adjusted gross income, and/or total assets). [1] For the firms involved, this is not only a headline—it is […]
Overhauling the Federal Acquisition Regulation
Executive Summary: The federal procurement rulebook is being overhauled at lightning speed. In 2025, President Trump’s EO 14275 and OMB guidance launched a FAR overhaul, stripping non-statutory text and replacing it with streamlined guidance[1][2]. In practice, “model deviation” clauses were released for major FAR parts (Part 19 on small business and others) in late 2025[3][4], […]
DOW Announces Review of All Small Business Set-Aside Contracts Over $20 Million
Small businesses have long been a centerpiece of federal contracting. By law (the “rule of two”), agencies must set aside contracts for small firms whenever at least two qualified small businesses can compete for the work[1]. This mandates programs like 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc., giving small vendors critical access to Defense Department business. But […]
How to Find Federal Government Contracts in the U.S.
How to Find Government Contracts to bid on? Finding U.S. federal government contracts can open substantial business opportunities for companies of all sizes. The federal government spends hundreds of billions of dollars on contracts each year (approximately $774 billion awarded in FY2024 alone)[1]. Federal agencies require a wide range of goods and services year-round – […]
New Executive Order Broadens Definition of Defense Contractor Underperformance
Overview: A new executive order (EO) issued January 7, 2026 is putting fresh pressure on defense contractors – and, by extension, their subcontractors – to perform and invest in ways the government expects. This “Prioritizing the Warfighter in Defense Contracting” EO significantly broadens what counts as contractor underperformance beyond just missing delivery dates. It introduces […]
GAO Sustains Protest: Recordings Reveal Flaws in $814M DIA Contract Award
Background: DIA’s $814M Intelligence Support Contract In early 2025, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) solicited bids under its SITE III contract vehicle for a major analytical support task order with U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)[1][2]. The work involves supporting CENTCOM’s Joint Intelligence Operations Center (JIOC) at MacDill Air Force Base, a fusion center responsible for current […]
GSA Cracks Down on Consulting Firms and Resellers Amid FAR Overhaul
In recent months, the General Services Administration (GSA) has been moving quickly on multiple fronts to tighten oversight of federal contracting – from refreshing major contract vehicles to scrutinizing the role of value-added resellers (VARs). These efforts signal a shift toward stricter control of how agencies purchase services and technology[1]. At the same time, a […]
Government Shutdown 2026 – February 3 Update: Shutdown Ends, Government Reopens & Guidance for Federal Contractors
As of February 3, 2026, the partial U.S. federal government shutdown is finally ending. Congress has moved forward on a funding deal to reopen the government, bringing relief to hundreds of thousands of federal employees and contractors. Below we provide the latest shutdown status and new developments in Congress since Feb. 2 – including whether […]
February 2, 2026 Government Shutdown Update: Status, Small Contractor Impacts & Strategies
Latest Shutdown Status and Congressional Actions (Feb 2, 2026) As of February 2, 2026, the federal government remains in a partial shutdown that began over the weekend. Funding for several major agencies lapsed at midnight on January 30 after the House of Representatives adjourned on Friday without voting on a Senate-passed funding package[1][2]. The Senate […]
January 30, 2026 Shutdown Update: Congress Hustles to Avert Federal Government Shutdown Tonight
Shutdown Status and Latest Legislative Updates (Jan 30, 2026) As of January 30, 2026, the U.S. federal government faces a funding deadline at midnight, and lawmakers are in a race against time to prevent a partial shutdown. Dozens of federal agencies are set to see their funding lapse at 12:01 a.m. on January 31 unless […]
Government Shutdown Looms: January 29, 2026 Update – Latest Moves in Congress & Impact on Small Federal Contractors
As of January 29, 2026, the United States federal government is once again on the brink of a shutdown. Lawmakers have until midnight on January 30 to enact funding for the remaining agencies, or a partial federal government shutdown will begin shortly thereafter[1]. Negotiations in Congress have intensified over the last 24 hours, with a […]
Government Shutdown 2026 – January 28 Update: Status, Impacts, and Strategies for Contractors
As of January 28, 2026, the federal government is just days away from a potential partial government shutdown. Lawmakers face a funding deadline at the end of this week, with about half of federal agencies set to run out of money on January 30[1]. If Congress fails to act by Friday night, those agencies “will […]
SAM.gov Registration Guide 2026: Step-by-Step for Small Businesses
What is SAM.gov and Why Do You Need It? Before you can bid on a single federal contract, you need one thing: an active SAM.gov registration. It’s the government’s front door, and it’s free, but it’s also one of the most common stumbling blocks for small businesses entering the federal market. This guide walks you […]
SBA Suspends Over 1,000 8(a) Contractors for Missing Data Submission Deadline
Last week the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) took the unprecedented step of suspending over 1,000 companies from its 8(a) Business Development program for failing to submit required documentation by the deadline[1]. This mass suspension – impacting roughly one-quarter of all 8(a) firms – has sent shockwaves through the small federal contracting community. Affected businesses […]
Is the SBA 8(a) Program Going Away? What Contractors Must Know
For decades, the SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program has been a cornerstone of federal contracting for small, disadvantaged businesses. This 47-year-old program – long viewed as an engine for minority entrepreneurship – faces unprecedented challenges that could spell its end[1]. Legal rulings, political scrutiny, and fraud investigations have converged to put 8(a)’s future in doubt. […]
Why Small Businesses Lose Federal Contracts (and How to Change That)
Why so many small businesses underperform in federal competitions—and a practical playbook to fix targeting, teaming, and AI-assisted screening.
Federal Contracting Glossary (2025): 25 Terms You’ll Actually See
A plain-English GovCon glossary for 2025: SAM.gov, UEI, CAGE, NAICS, PSC, FAR, set-asides, RFP/RFQ/IFB, SOW/PWS, CLIN, IDIQ, BPA, CPARS, and more—explained with quick context.
Top 10 Tips for Small Businesses to Win Government Contracts
Actionable, zero-fluff guidance to level up your pipeline, teaming, and bids—optimized for the way small GovCon firms operate.
Procura vs Legacy Tools: How to Compare (A Verifiable Checklist)
A neutral framework for evaluating any federal contracting platform—focused on document depth, time to value, and total cost of manual work.
How to Find Federal Contract Opportunities (Without the Headache)
A practical guide for small businesses: how SAM.gov works, why keyword alerts fall short, and how AI tools like Procura use full-document analysis to surface real fits.
Capability Statement 101: Crafting a Winning Statement
What to include, common mistakes to avoid, and how your statement powers AI opportunity matching.
Beyond Keywords: Why Deep RFP Analysis Wins Contracts
Keyword matching is a starting point, not a decision tool. Here’s why attachments and evaluation language matter—and how to triage faster.
SAM.gov vs Procurement Tools: When to Use Each
SAM.gov is essential, but it’s not built for fast analysis. Here’s how to combine official sources with tools that reduce manual work.