Author Archives: Victor Valdez

CMMC 2.0 and You: A Look at the Department of Defense’s Proposed New Cybersecurity Rules

In 2019, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced the development of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program, which was then implemented in 2020 as an interim rule. We blogged about that way back in 2020. This program was designed to give a certification to contractors based on the depth and effectiveness of their cybersecurity […]

Why File: A Size Protest

We at SmallGovCon are excited to announce this first in a new line of blogs we call Why File. Our firm handles a wide variety of federal procurement and contract litigation matters–from SBA size and status protests to contract claims and appeals, and everything in between. One of the most common and important questions we […]

California launches site to track $180B in infrastructure investment

California launched a new state website this week to track $180 billion in infrastructure projects over the next 10 years, according to the office of Gov. Gavin Newsom. Build.ca.gov tracks projects that have benefited from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and includes fast-tracked jobs aimed at building a 100% clean electric grid, boosting the state’s […]

8 ways to build your brand

Contractors often downplay marketing efforts and instead rely on word-of-mouth connections, but a few simple steps can help find new clients, says a construction branding expert. Your potential clients are inundated with choices, so if your brand lacks a distinctive story, you’ll struggle to stand out. A brand story goes beyond the basics of what […]

US to award $6.1 billion to Las Vegas, California high-speed rail projects

WASHINGTON, Dec 5 (Reuters) – The U.S. Transportation Department is awarding $3 billion for a $12 billion Las Vegas to Southern California high-speed rail project and $3.07 billion to connect San Francisco to Los Angeles. The Las Vegas to Los Angeles project aims to finish before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, while the California high-speed […]

“Extremely Difficult” for Franchises to Obtain VOSB & SDVOSB Certifications, Says SBA OHA

Franchising is a very popular way to own a business: a Census Bureau report indicates that nearly half a million American businesses are franchises. But when it comes to obtaining veteran-owned small business and service-disabled veteran-owned small business certifications, the SBA’s message to franchises is the same one Mr. McGee delivered to Prince: “we don’t like your kind.” […]

Army Corps, elected officials agree to expedite new Pajaro River levee construction

WATSONVILLE — Construction of a new levee will begin on the Pajaro River next summer. This was made official with the signing of a Project Partnership Agreement between local elected officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Tuesday. Local, state and federal representatives gathered in the Community Room at the Watsonville Civic Plaza to […]

US manufacturing boom unlocks ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity for contractors

The push to bring manufacturing back to the United States is unlike anything Didi Caldwell has seen in her career. Private companies have spent more than half a trillion dollars since 2021 to onshore facilities back to the U.S., according to the White House. As long as labor shortages don’t derail that momentum, that record amount of manufacturing […]

The Dangers of Becoming Too Dependent on a Single Customer

A business is part of a complex ecosystem of dependencies. It depends on its suppliers for good quality inputs, delivered on time at a reasonable price. It depends on its customers to purchase its products at a profitable price. These are just some of the more obvious examples among dozens that involve employees, regulatory bodies, […]