Kingdomware Ruling will have Broad Impact on Government Contracting

The Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Kingdomware Technologies, Inc. v. United States does not require SDVOSBs to recertify their eligibility in connection with individual GSA Schedule task orders.

In a recent decision, the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals held that Kingdomware doesn’t affect the SBA’s SDVOSB eligibility regulation for multiple-award contracts, which specifies that if a company qualifies as an SDVOSB at the time of the initial offer for a multiple-award contract, it ordinarily qualifies as an SDVOSB for all orders issued under the contract.

OHA’s decision in Redhorse Corporation, SBA No. VET-263 (2017) involved a GSA RFQ seeking transition ordering assistance in support of the Network Services Program. The RFQ contemplated the award of a task order under the GSA Professional Services Schedule. The order was set aside for SDVOSBs under NAICS code 541611 (Administrative Management and General Consulting Services). The GSA contracting officer did not request that offerors recertify their SDVOSB eligibility in connection with the order.

After evaluating quotations, the GSA announced that Redhorse Corporation was the apparent awardee. An unsuccessful competitor subsequently filed a protest challenging Redhorse’s SDVOSB status. The SBA Director of Government Contracting sustained the protest and found Redhorse to be ineligible for the task order.  READ MORE….