Tenace

There is a bill making its way through the Senate that every small business in the GovCon space should know about.

S4390, the Ending Discrimination in Government Contracting Act, would make significant changes to the programs that have long supported small business participation in federal contracting.

Here is what it would do:

It would eliminate the Women-Owned Small Business program, including the 5% WOSB prime contracting goal and the ability for agencies to direct large primes to apply WOSB preferences in their subcontracting.

It would gut the 8(a) program, ending set-asides and sole source preferences for socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and businesses, and remove agency obligations to track and report contracting dollars awarded to those firms.

It would also repeal the statutory framework for the Minority Business Development Agency entirely.

Importantly, the bill does not eliminate all small business set-aside programs. Preferences for HUBZone firms, Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs), and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) would remain fully intact. Those contracting goals and set-aside requirements are unchanged by this legislation.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. It has not passed, but it is worth watching closely.

If your business participates in any of these programs, or if you are working toward certification, now is the time to understand what is at stake. Reach out if you have questions.

Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at Tenace! 💐

We celebrate the strength and dedication of all the great mothers in our community. Thank you for the impact you make every day.

From accounting to fractional CFO to compliance, our mission has always been the same: helping our clients grow with clarity and confidence.
Thank you to our clients, partners, and team for being part of this journey. We’re just getting started.
🎉 Cheers to 9 years and everything ahead.