Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot (BHBC) is a proud sponsor of the National 8(a) Association’s [1] 2023 National Small Business Conference. This year, BHBC’s Carissa Siebeneck Anderson [2] and Jon DeVore [3] were featured as speakers. This was the biggest attendance ever at this annual conference, so it was a great chance to network with small businesses and mentor companies!
Conference attendees heard a keynote address by SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, got the scoop on current and future regulatory updates straight from the SBA’s General Counsel’s Office, attended numerous educational break-out sessions, and had the chance to network with over 100 exhibitors and 2000 attendees from small business, government agencies, and potential teaming partners.
Sole Source Contracting Roundtable. Carissa led a roundtable regarding 8(a) sole source contracting. Together with Lori Schendel of UIC Government Services, the group discussed the applicable rules, the sole source procurement process, and tips for building relationships that lead to sole source opportunities. If you were not able to attend, Carissa’s presentation regarding 8(a) Sole Source Contracting is available here [handout].
Past Performance Presentation. In his presentation, Jon DeVore discussed the rules and recent cases involving past performance relevant to federal contractors. [4] for more information regarding Jon’s past performance presentation.
8(a) NEWS UPDATE: GSA 8(a) Sole Source Orders in the Future? Currently, there is no mechanism for 8(a) sole source orders on the GSA Schedule.[5] However, SBA officials announced negotiations with GSA to develop an 8(a) pool on the GSA schedule that would provide an opportunity for sole source orders to eligible 8(a) contractors. So, be on the lookout for more details coming soon on that major development at GSA!
[1] https://www.national8aassociation.org/
[2] https://www.birchhorton.com/attorney/carissa-siebeneck-anderson/
[3] https://www.birchhorton.com/attorney/jon-m-devore/
[4] https://www.birchhorton.com/blog/2023/02/jon-devore-will-speak-at-the-2023-national-8a-association-conference/
[5] https://www.gsa.gov/buy-through-us/purchasing-programs/gsa-multiple-award-schedule/about-gsa-schedule