How Echo is Transforming Lives through Entrepreneurship, with Geraud Staton
The Buzz, A SC Economic Development Video Podcast | Episode 87: EVP of Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Henri Baskins
Williams Mullen's COVID-19 Comeback Plan: Part II – Doing Business With the Commonwealth of Virginia
PODCAST: Williams Mullen GovCon Perspectives - Why Was My SWaM Certification Denied, and What Can I Do?
PODCAST: Williams Mullen GovCon Perspectives - Recent Updates to the SWaM Certification Process in Virginia
Microsoft Makes Minority-Owned Firm Its Premier Provider
On June 29, 2023, the United States Supreme Court issued its historic decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, 600 U.S. 181 (2023). This decision upended decades of precedent and held that race-conscious...more
On March 5, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ordered the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) to cease using race or ethnicity as a basis for determining access to agency programming....more
On March 5, 2024, in its opinion and order for the case of Jeffrey Nuziard, et. al. v. Minority Business Development Agency, et. al., Case 4:23-cv-00278-P, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas (Fort...more
The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) Business Development Program (8(a) program) faced new constitutionality challenges in a case filed at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC) by Advanced Simulation Technology...more
As the Small Business Administration ("SBA") has scrambled to adapt to the July 19, 2023, federal court decision that found the 8(a) program's rebuttable presumption of social disadvantage for certain races and ethnicities to...more
GSA’s OASIS Unrestricted Contract Now Runs Until March 2025, GovConWire - The General Service Administration added six months to the initial period of performance for the One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services...more
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee recently issued a decision holding that a rebuttable presumption of social disadvantage for certain minority groups to qualify for inclusion in the Small Business...more
The changes come in response to a court injunction declaring rebuttable presumption for social disadvantage unconstitutional. All pending SBA 8(a) program applications are currently suspended due to an injunction issued by...more
For those of you eagerly awaiting news on the recent shake-up of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) program, I have updates! Consistent with industry predictions, SBA will now require all applicants and certain...more
As PilieroMazza recently reported, on July 19, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee declared that the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) rebuttable presumption of social disadvantage violated...more
Over the past forty years, federal government contracting has cemented its status as one of the primary drivers of the Alaska economy. Alaska Business’ annual Top 49ers routinely showcases businesses for whom federal...more
As many GovCon news junkies following recent events had predicted, the Small Business Administration (SBA) just “temporarily suspended” new 8(a) application submissions. For those of you who haven’t been following along the...more
In the past several months, various challenges have been made to federal programs and policies including tribal gaming support, the Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) program, the Minority Business Development Program...more
On July 14, 2021, the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) will officially close its Restaurant Revitalization Fund (“RRF”) portal. This move raises questions about whether the RRF funds will be replenished, despite pending...more
The much anticipated Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) was deluged with applicants. According to Restaurant Dive, more than 362,000 applications were received in the first three weeks of the program for a total of $75...more
Vendor diversity is an important, even essential part of DEI. Even though some organizations may not have realized it yet. What is vendor diversity? While diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, has become more and...more
A case from the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit highlights that, even in times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, prioritizing federal grant money based on race and gender will likely violate the equal...more
This is the second part in a series discussing the Women Owned Small Business (“WOSB”) certification program with the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”). Part One summarizes the eligibility requirements....more
President Biden has announced changes to the Paycheck Protection Program 2.0 (PPP) designed to direct more funding to women-owned and minority-owned businesses as well as low- and moderate-income, rural, and other underserved...more
Starting Wednesday, February 24, the Small Business Administration (SBA) will open a 14-day Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application period exclusively for businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 20 employees...more
Capital is the lifeblood of small businesses and fundamental to their formation and growth. However, obtaining capital can be difficult for minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs), as a lack of access to capital is one of...more
SBA’S 8(A) BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM- WHAT IS THE 8(A) PROGRAM AND WHAT IS IT INTENDED TO DO? The 8(a) program, officially designated the 8(a) Business Development program, is designed to assist small...more
In the next four posts, we will share guides specific to federal contracting as a minority-owned small business. Minority-owned businesses often face unique challenges in the public procurement process due to systemic...more
A long-awaited bipartisan stimulus bill was signed into law by President Trump on December 27, 2020. Included in the law, known as the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the “Act”), are economic stimulus measures and a...more
As a reminder, beginning on October 15, 2020, all women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) and economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs) pursuing WOSB/EDWOSB set-asides, as well as solicitations with pools...more