Week of August 25, 2026

SBA just moved the line on who counts as small.

The 8(a) Social Disadvantage Rule Is Final. Here Is Who It Applies To

SBA published the final social disadvantage rule on August 11, 2026. It takes effect September 10. It applies to firms applying to 8(a), and SBA says plainly that it does not apply to individuals already determined to be socially disadvantaged.

Week of August 17, 2026

The eligibility rule is final. A $45M vehicle just opened.

Week of August 10, 2026

Sole-source thins out. A base engineering seat opens.

How to Respond to a Sources Sought Notice

A sources sought notice is not a bid and cannot be accepted as one. It is the market research that decides whether work gets set aside for small business. Here is what to send and what it has to say.

Which Agencies Buy What You Sell, and How to Find Out

SAM.gov shows you what is open right now. It does not show you who has been buying. That is a different search, it moved in February 2026, and most guides still point at the old address.

Week of August 4, 2026

An Army Corps dredging vehicle in Texas opens a multi-year bench seat while the set-aside decision is still open, five sole-source intents close within days, and year-end obligation season begins.

Why SBA Suspended 1,091 8(a) Firms, and Why It Was Not the Eligibility Rule

A quarter of the 8(a) program was suspended in January 2026. Not one of those firms lost standing over the social-disadvantage rewrite. They lost it over paperwork.

Is 8(a) Going Away? What's Actually True Right Now

SBA has proposed changing who counts as socially disadvantaged under 8(a). It is not final. Here is what that actually means for a certified firm today.