Compliance Stuff

A government shutdown can be a significant disruption for small business federal contractors. Preparing in advance and taking the proper steps can help mitigate the financial and operational impact of a shutdown. The following is a non-exhaustive set of steps and issues that small business contractors may consider: Review Your Contracts:  Scrutinize every contract for clauses related to funding, stop-work orders, excusable delays, or the Availability of Funds clause (FAR 52.232-18). Identify which contracts are funded by annual appropriations versus those with multi-year or “no-year” funding. This will help you determine which projects are most at risk.  The impact of a shutdown varies greatly depending on the type of contract.  Create a master spreadsheet listing all contracts, agencies, funding status, and current work phases. Fixed-Price Contracts:   You may be required to continue work, even if payments are delayed. If you are ordered to stop, you may be able t...

  States and cities are as busy as ever passing new workplace regulations throughout the calendar year. Here is our mid-year report summarizing the notable labor and employment laws that take effect from roughly July through October.  Montana Bill / Ordinance / Regulation Main Topic Summary Effective Date Montana SB 143 (LC2447) Contracts Amends the statute of limitations for any action regarding a contract, covenant, obligation, or liability founded on an instrument in writing from eight to six years. 10/1/2025 Montana HB 128 (LC941)   Emergency Responder Leave Prohibits termination of volunteer emergency service providers who are absent or late to work while performing these services during an emergency. 10/1/2025 Montana HB 226 (LC1663) Immigration Requires employers to verify all employees' legal ability to work in the United States prior to commencement of work. 7/1/2025 Montana HB 367   Workers' Compensation Provides that whether an employer furnishes transport...

  As 2025 approaches, the FAR Council has released its   proposed  adjusted  acquisition thresholds . The proposed adjustment increases the thresholds to account for inflation and the Consumer Price Index. The most heavily used thresholds affected by the proposed increase are the   micro-purchase threshold (MPT)   and the   simplified  acquisition  threshold (SAT) . While the proposed adjustment affects several acquisition thresholds, it is important to note it does not apply to the Construction Wage Rate Requirements statute (Davis-Bacon Act), Service Contract Labor Standard statute, performance and payment bonds, or trade agreement thresholds. What is the Micro-Purchase Threshold? The proposed rule increases the MPT from $10,000 to $15,000. For purchases at or below the MPT, authorized agency officials can use a   Governmentwide commercial purchase card , which is similar to a commercial credit card, to make purchases without solicitin...