“NATIONAL SECURITY JOURNAL” By Brent M. Eastwood “A trillion here and a trillion there. Pretty soon, you are talking about…a big problem. That is the projected defense budget cost in the coming years—a cool one trillion—and perhaps even more.“ __________________________________________________________________________________________ “In 2022, the defense budget was still only  3 percent of GDP . During the Cold War, it was much higher. So, comparing the level of spending to

“FEDERAL NEWS NETWORK” By Ji Won Kim “Since the Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative inception, the DoJ pursued and settled several cybersecurity fraud cases against organizations across a wide range of industries, often resulting in multi-million dollar resolutions.”  _________________________________________________________________________________ “As the sea of cybersecurity laws and regulations expands and the enforcers remain on high alert, the  False Claims Act (FCA)  presents

“SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “The principal differences between free lancing and small business contracting from the perspective of the market realities that drive success in the venue. “ _______________________________________________________________________________ “Talented free lancers often wish to grow independently as individuals in the government contracting market and face difficulties in doing so. Many have service and product development skills of value to federal a

VETERANS DAY – 11 NOVEMBER 2025 To those who died serving USAECAV Countrywide https://rosecoveredglasses.blogspot.com/2013/11/12-names-on-wall-in-washington-dc.html

Vietnam War Wall of Faces On Veterans Day, our active duty military soldiers are the best in the world to defend us if war occurs.  They cannot defend against the financial influence and political weight of the largest military industrial complex in world history.  Managing  that threat is the voters job.  What I have learned in two combat tours and 36 years in the weapons systems business is that someone different than I may not have the same value system as I possess, but b

“THE HILL” “Washington mans the big alliances, guards against pirates, fills peacekeeping missions, confronts emerging powers, garrisons defeated states, rebuilds failed societies, hunts down insurgents, promotes development and spreads democracy. U.S. must set priorities and focus on those tasks which are essential.” ________________________________________________________________________________ “In its early years, the American republic possessed only a small standing mili

Vermillion River Valley - Hastings, Minnesota  https://www.flickr.com/photos/odysseyof_armaments/54911360656/in/dateposted-public/

“FEDERAL TIMES” By Terry Hill “Veteran-owned businesses are a vital part of the U.S. economy, making up approximately 6% of all businesses, employing nearly four million workers and  contributing over $177 billion in annual payroll to the U.S. economy . Despite this impact, many face unique business challenges, particularly when it comes to accessing the capital needed to grow. For veterans looking to start or grow a business, the right capital setup is key to unlocking your

“ SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “Small Businesses typically have a learning experience growing into government services contracting. Part of that process is undergoing reviews by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA). It takes knowledge of the requirements and strategic focus to set up the type of business processes required for accommodating government contract job cost accounting and fit those processes into the way your company does business.” _____________________________

“DEFENSE OPINION” By Jeannine Kunz “Southern California’s manufacturing sector has a planned path forward — accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies that modernize factories, improve productivity and sharpen global competitiveness.” ________________________________________________________________________________ “California may be most linked with the original Gold Rush. But it also experienced a   “Second Gold Rush”  nearly a century later, when the population and

Integrate Long-term Company Strategy With Short Term Proposal Pricing Objectives ‘SMALTOFEDS’ By Ken Larson “ Small businesses entering or growing into federal contacting often struggle with developing a pricing approach. They must design a pricing structure to pass an audit and win competitively. A winning strategy for federal services contracting must involve a view of the horizon as well as the instant bid on the table. “ __________________________________________________

“NATIONAL DEFENSE MAGAZINE” By Tyler Sweatt “The urgency for agility in defense technology isn’t just about speed or efficiency — it’s about fostering a robust and vibrant ecosystem that can adapt to evolving threats and capitalize on emerging opportunities.” ________________________________________________________________________________ “Here are some transformative remedies essential for cultivating such an ecosystem within the Defense Department. The first remedy, “comme

“SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “Small business must grow into federal government classified programs. Individual and company clearance designations exist at various levels, depending on the relative risk to national security if unauthorized disclosure occurs.” _________________________________________________________________________________ “While exploring the federal government marketplace the small business will encounter programs and potential contracts that involve securit

“ WAR ON THE ROCKS” By Christphopher Preble “Americans today enjoy a measure of safety that our ancestors would envy and that our contemporaries do envy. We generally do not need to wage war to keep it that way. On the contrary, some recent wars have degraded the U.S. military and undermined our security. Policymakers should therefore be extremely reluctant to risk American lives abroad.” ________________________________________________________________________________ “The U

Vermillion River Trail - Hastings, Minnesota (click the link and then the pic for close-up view) https://www.flickr.com/photos/odysseyof_armaments/54896320263/in/dateposted-public/

“U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS” “The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. This law helps us provide generations of Veterans — and their  survivors  — with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve. What does it mean to have a presumptive condition for toxic exposure?” _______________________________________________________________________________ “The PACT Act is perhaps the l

“SMALL TO FEDS” By Ken Larson “Utilize social media to promote your small business. The process requires a front-end loaded investment in time, but it is well worth the effort when using free or very low cost utilities on the Internet. The return may surprise you. Set up a free Google or Word Press blog as an extension of your web site.  A blog is quite different from a web site. Provide good, solid information free of charge and use blog searches for synergistic business tea

“WASHINGTON TECHNOLOGY” By Nick Wakeman “The latest changes to Part 15 eliminate deviation requirements, allowing contracting officers to structure deals without senior-level approvals.” ________________________________________________________________________________ “The General Services Administration is foot-stomping one of the main goals of the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul: give more flexibility and authority to contracting officers. Jeffrey Koses, GSA’s senior procurement

“SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson “Start-ups, entrepreneurs and new small businesses regularly seek information regarding small business grants. There are many misconceptions about the nature of such instruments, who qualifies for them and what constitutes a small business grant. Other than the special circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic, there is generally no such thing as “Free” small business government grant money. In many instances individuals seeking grants should

“NEXTGOV/FCW” By Nick Wakeman Editor-in-Chief, Washington Technology “Contractors have 30 days after work resumes to file for equitable adjustments, but the accounting and documentation must start now.” _________________________________________________________________________________ “As the government shutdown [continues] contractors need to track the impact on their business and that starts with understanding of what the guiding laws and regulations are. A government shutdo