[GovCon Roundup Live] The State of the 8(a) Program: Suspensions, Appeals, and Ask Us Anything
“Ignorance isn’t bliss—it’s expensive.”
GovCon Roundup Live is your survival guide to the wild world of federal contracting, where the acronyms are endless, the rules are ever-changing, and staying competitive means being sharp and adaptable. We break down policy changes, legislative updates, and industry shifts that signal strategic opportunities to pivot, reposition, and stay one step ahead of the chaos.
Whether you’re a small business, a consultant, or someone who accidentally became a government contractor and decided to roll with it, this show helps you stay informed, make smarter decisions, and maybe even enjoy the ride.
The State of the 8(a) Program: Suspensions, Appeals, and Ask Us Anything
Air date/time: February 18th, 2026 @ 1:00 PM Eastern Time
The SBA’s recent suspension of more than 1,000 8(a) firms has created uncertainty, anxiety, and a flood of questions across the government contracting community. What does a suspension really mean? What options do firms have? And how should contractors be thinking strategically about the 8(a) Program right now?
In this 90-minute session of GovCon Roundup Live, Carroll Bernard and Steven Koprince will break down the current state of the 8(a) Program and help contractors understand what’s happening and why it matters.
We’ll begin with a practical discussion of Steven Koprince’s recent article, 8(a) Program Suspension Appeals: A Primer, including:
- What an 8(a) suspension is and is not
- The real impact of a suspension on current and future contracts
- How the SBA appeals process works and what firms should realistically expect
- Why understanding suspension and appeal rules matters for all 8(a) participants and applicants
From there, we’ll shift into an extended Ask Us Anything format, focused entirely on your questions and concerns, including:
- What suspended firms should consider doing now
- How pending applicants should think about timing and risk
- Whether firms should delay applying to avoid starting the nine-year clock in a volatile environment
- What current developments may mean for sole source awards
- How firms approaching graduation should be thinking strategically
- And any other 8(a)-related questions that are on your mind
This session is designed to be candid, educational, and highly interactive, with a strong emphasis on live Q&A and real-world considerations rather than theory.
If you’re in the 8(a) Program, considering applying, advising 8(a) firms, or simply trying to understand where things stand, this conversation will give you clarity in a moment when it’s badly needed.
Speakers
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Carroll BernardCARROLL BERNARD, Co-Founder & Managing Member, Waypoint America LLC dba GovologyCarroll Bernard is the Co-Founder and Managing Member of Waypoint America LLC dba Govology. He brings deep government contracting expertise from serving as a government buyer, small business contractor, and procurement advisor. His career includes acquisition roles in the U.S. Navy Supply Corps, the City of Vancouver (WA), and the Department of Veterans Affairs as a warranted Contracting Officer. He later served at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as a Business Development Specialist supporting 8(a) firms, and also as the SBA Portland District’s Veteran Business Development Officer and Primary HUBZone Liaison. After federal service, Carroll helped small businesses compete for government contracts as a Procurement Counselor with the Department of Defense APEX Accelerator program (formerly PTAP). In 2015, he and his team launched Govology’s online training platform, which has trained over 20,000 business professionals through partnerships with nonprofits, government agencies, universities, and corporations.
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Steven KoprinceFaculty Instructor and Legal Analyst, GovologySteven J. Koprince is a Faculty Instructor and Legal Analyst at Govology. Before joining Govology, Steven founded and served as the Managing Partner of Koprince McCall Pottroff LLC, a law firm devoted exclusively to providing comprehensive legal services to federal government contractors.
Steven is the author of The Small-Business Guide to Government Contracts (AMACOM Books, 2012) and co-author three GovCon Handbooks providing in-depth information on discrete government contracting topics. Steven also founded the blog SmallGovCon (smallgovcon.com), where he has written more than 1,100 posts on government contracting legal issues. Steven has been quoted in several national news outlets and has appeared on numerous radio programs and podcasts. A frequent featured speaker at the national conferences of the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, Steven was honored as a “Friend of APTAC” at the Spring 2016 APTAC National Conference.
In addition to his work for Govology, Steven volunteers for and serves as a Director of a nonprofit organization providing wrap-around services to disadvantaged families. He is also a co-founder and Director of a nonprofit organization promoting the great sport of pickleball in Lawrence and the surrounding area.
Steven is a graduate of Duke University and the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary. Steven lives in Lawrence, Kansas with his wife, two children and two cuddly cats.
Steven welcomes APEX Accelerator counselors to contact him by email at skoprince@govology.com and connect with him on LinkedIn.
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