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SBA Proposes Set-Aside Rules For Women-Owned Small Businesses

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 01.02.08

After years of delay, the Small Business Administration proposed new regulations allowing set-asides for women-owned small businesses (WOSB) and economically disadvantaged WOSB's. Agencies may restrict competition to these businesses, but only in certain procurements valued at $3 million ($5 million for manufacturing) or less, only in industries where SBA finds WOSB are “underrepresented,” and only where the agency determines that the restriction would not violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

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Client Alert | 4 min read | 09.15.26

GAO Indicates Reasonable Conflict of Interest Investigation Must Include Inquiry of Involved Firm

The U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) recent decision in Viderity Inc.—Costs, B-424422.5, Sept. 1, 2026, offers useful insight into what constitutes a legally sufficient conflict of interest investigation. The decision arose in an unusual procedural posture: Viderity initially protested, alleging that an agency evaluator had a personal conflict of interest. After the agency took corrective action, Viderity filed a cost entitlement claim requesting that GAO direct the agency to reimburse Viderity’s protest costs. In evaluating that claim, GAO assessed whether Viderity’s underlying protest ground was “clearly meritorious.”...