News

REGIONAL NEWS

The Defense Department's industrial policy doesn't involve five-year plans or a command economy approach, but instead believes market signals and clear investment priorities can unlock the power of American entrepreneurship, technological breakthroughs and individual achievement. See what the Deputy Secretary had to say about supporting DoD's National Security Priorities.

Notice to all contractors! All prime contractors who wish to bid on North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) construction projects must prequalify with this office at least 10 working days prior to the bid opening in which you would like to bid. Prequalification is required annually and runs from July 1 each year through June 30 of the following year. See how you can prequalify on the NDDOT webiste.

Most businesses must be registered and in good standing with the Secretary of State. Secretary of State registration and reporting requirements vary by business type. Since state agencies must ensure that vendors have complied with the Secretary of State and Business License requirements stated in the solicitation, learn additional information when it comes learning how to bid.

The Department of the Air Force awarded an Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program to Northrop Grumman on Sept. 8, 2020. The contract award of $13.3 billion is an investment in enhancing the United States’ nuclear deterrence, as it is the cornerstone of national security policy and fundamental in continued protection for the U.S. and its allies. "Modernizing the nuclear....

COVID-19

WOSB UPDATES

WILL YOU BE WOSB READY?

Becoming certified for the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program means your business is eligible to compete for contracts that are set aside for WOSBs and economically disadvantaged WOSBs and sole-source federal contracts within eligible industries. Learn more about the process and steps.

SBA ISSUES NEW REGULATIONS FOR WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS FEDERAL CONTRACTING PROGRAM

The U.S. Small Business Administration published Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contracting program regulations that will provide a free, online certification and eligibility application process for women-owned small businesses and economically-disadvantaged women-owned small businesses. The timeline for implementation of changes to SBA’s WOSB program has been delayed to accommodate those affected by the current pandemic. Full details are available on the SBA website.

CYBERSECURITY

Algorithmic Warfare: Industry — ‘Don’t Wait’ for CMMC Accreditation

The updated version of the cybersecurity framework — which was revamped to be more streamlined and less expensive for companies — will not be a contractual requirement until the Pentagon completes a rulemaking process in the Code of Federal Regulations and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, which can take up to two years. See why you should not wait to engage in CMMC and get certified.

Pentagon Unveils CMMC 2.0 Cybersecurity Plans

The Pentagon is launching a revamped version of its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification requirements, a far-reaching initiative with major implications for defense contractors. The CMMC program is an effort to prod the defense industrial base to better protect its networks and controlled unclassified information against cyberattacks and theft by competitors such as China. Read into the key changes made to the plan.

Colonial Pipeline Didn’t Have Multifactor Authentication in Place—And Most Defense Contractors Don’t Either

Most businesses don’t take cybersecurity seriously until it’s too late. Certainly, we shouldn’t be blaming the victims of cyberattacks. Even organizations with the best security can fall victim. But Colonial Pipeline didn’t have multifactor authentication in place on the account that was ultimately the weak point that hackers exploited. See why them not having such a basic precaution should raise a lot of alarm bells.

SAM.GOV NEWS

About SAM.gov

The IAE facilitates the federal awards processes in multiple online systems, including the SAM. Those systems are used for registering to do business with the federal government, listing contract opportunities, capturing contractor performance, viewing contract data, searching assistance listings, reporting subcontracts, and more.

SAM.gov Update

On May 24th, 2021, SAM.gov will merge with beta.SAM.gov, becoming one system. The new SAM.gov—that will now be much more than a registration system—incorporates customer-focused functionality changes, improving the overall experience for you. Read on about the updated system.

GSA Providing Automatic 180-Day Extension of Expiring Entity Registrations in SAM.gov

The U.S. General Services Administration is working to support implementation of many aspects of the American Rescue Plan Act. GSA’s Integrated Award Environment specifically is working to administer relief for certain entities already registered in SAM.gov in order to do business with the government. Details about the extension.

UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER UPDATE - TRANSITION NOW SET FOR APRIL 2022

By April of 2022, the federal government will stop using the DUNS number to uniquely identify entities registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). At that point, entities doing business with the federal government will use a unique entity identifier (UEI) created in SAM.gov. They will no longer have to go to a third-party website to obtain their identifier. Active registrants will have....

There is also a helpful video on How to Drill in Reports.

The beta.SAM.gov domains contain data that has been migrated from key legacy systems. The domains support two distinct types of federal awards: acquisition and federal assistance. Review the data sets.