Small Business Contracting Updates: FAR Companion Guide, DBE FAQs, and a case update

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Welcome back to another Q&A edition of GovCon Intelligence. Today, I want to discuss several important documents that came out over the past few weeks for small business contractors, specifically the FAR Companion Guide and the Department of Transportation’s frequently asked questions on the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program.

Topics:

FAR Companion Guide Version 2.0

The FAR Companion Guide came out last week in version 2.0, and we now see the companion guide for Part 19. However, the most interesting part I discovered was actually outside of Part 19, in Part 8, which covers the required use section of the FAR. The companion guide is organized with the same numbering structure as the FAR uses.

- Required use

- Category management buying guide

- The Rule of Two and Small Business Set-Asides

- Subcontracting Goals

DOT’s FAQs on the DBE Program

The Department of Transportation has published official FAQs for the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program. This FAQ follows the interim final rule that DOT published in the Federal Register on October 3rd, which changed the DBE program so that DBEs now have to submit disadvantaged narratives in order to get into the program or to continue their DBE status. The FAQ answers many questions that people had about the interim final rule.

- Withholding payments and terminating contracts

Case update: MLB Transportation

Link: MLB Transportation v. United States.

Contracting Q&A

- Multiple Certifications in Set-Asides

- FAR Part 19 Companion Guide and OSDBU

- Impact of Rule of Two Changes on Small Business Contractors

Please keep your questions coming at GovConIntelligence.com.

With 20 years of Federal legal experience, Sam Le counsels small businesses through government contracting matters, including bid protests, contract compliance, small business certifications, and procurement disputes. His website is www.samlelaw.com.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

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