{"id":2330,"date":"2025-07-17T09:30:44","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T13:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diener.org\/?p=2330"},"modified":"2025-07-15T12:19:36","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T16:19:36","slug":"the-future-of-the-rule-of-two-whats-at-stake-for-small-businesses-under-proposed-sba-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diener.org\/the-future-of-the-rule-of-two-whats-at-stake-for-small-businesses-under-proposed-sba-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"The Future of the &#8220;Rule of Two&#8221;: What\u2019s at Stake for Small Businesses Under Proposed SBA Changes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A sweeping shift in federal procurement policy is underway. The Rule of Two, a decades-old principle that prioritizes small business <a href=\"https:\/\/www.diener.org\/how-to-bid-on-government-contracts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">participation in contracting<\/a>, is now facing serious challenges on two fronts: regulatory instability and deep proposed budget cuts to SBA support programs.<\/p>\n<p>The combined pressure is creating uncertainty across the federal marketplace and raising new barriers for firms that rely on set-aside opportunities to compete.<\/p>\n<h2>What the Rule of Two Does Today<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.acquisition.gov\/far\/19.502-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-2331\" src=\"https:\/\/www.diener.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/government-contractor-working-with-their-accounting-firm.jpeg\" alt=\"man in blue shirt works at desk using computer in bright office\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/>Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 19.502-2<\/a> requires that contracting officers reserve procurements above the micro-purchase threshold for small businesses when market research shows at least two qualified small firms can perform the work at a fair price.<\/p>\n<p>Acting as a long-standing baseline, this procedure has enabled small businesses to gain access to federal prime contracting opportunities. It currently applies to base contracts and is actively embedded in both the FAR and SBA regulations.<\/p>\n<p>However, the only statutory version applies exclusively to the Department of Veterans Affairs under <a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/uscode\/text\/38\/8127\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">38 U.S.C. \u00a7 8127<\/a>, leaving the broader federal application dependent on regulation.<\/p>\n<h2>Timeline of Disruption Since Late 2024<\/h2>\n<p>In October 2024, the Small Business Administration (SBA) introduced a proposed rule, titled <a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/documents\/2024\/10\/25\/2024-24716\/small-business-contracting-increasing-small-business-participation-on-multiple-award-contracts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Increasing Small Business Participation on Multiple Award Contracts (MACS)<\/a>, designed to remove barriers that often limit small business participation in large-scale federal contracts.<\/p>\n<p>The proposal aimed to extend the Rule of Two to every task or delivery order under most MACs, a shift that would significantly broaden small business access. Contracting officers would have been required to document and justify any decision not to apply the rule, with oversight from small business specialists and SBA\u2019s Procurement Center Representatives.<\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"\/gov-contract\/compliance\/far\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">complementary FAR proposal<\/a> followed on January 15, 2025, to synchronize acquisition rules across agencies. The joint effort appeared to set the stage for a major expansion in small business opportunities. Then came a reversal.<\/p>\n<p>On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.presidency.ucsb.edu\/documents\/executive-order-14148-initial-rescissions-harmful-executive-orders-and-actions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Executive Order 14148<\/a>, which formally rescinded the equity-in-procurement directive first established in 2021. That action cleared the path for a wider deregulatory review, labeling provisions like the Rule of Two expansion as burdensome.<\/p>\n<p>By March, the SBA\u2019s proposal had stalled. On June 12, the FAR Council withdrew its rule entirely, citing Executive Order 14148. Without that regulatory alignment, the SBA\u2019s October 2024 proposal cannot advance. The Rule of Two remains applicable only at the base contract level, leaving order-level implementation effectively blocked.<\/p>\n<h2>Legislative Push for Codification<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-2332\" src=\"https:\/\/www.diener.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/government-official-codifiying-law.jpeg\" alt=\"A government official signing a new crime prevention bill into law, representing legislative efforts to reduce crime\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/>Responding to rising concern from small business advocates and contractors, Representative Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez introduced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/house-bill\/2804\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">H.R. 2804<\/a>, known as the Protecting Small Business Competitions Act of 2025. If enacted, the bill would mandate that every federal agency follow the Rule of Two, making it a statutory part of the Small Business Act.<\/p>\n<p>Supporters argue that codification is the only way to stabilize the rule and protect it from further regulatory erosion. Without a statutory anchor, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) could significantly revise or eliminate FAR 19.502-2 during its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.acquisition.gov\/far\/part-19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">upcoming rewrite of Part 19<\/a>, expected later this summer.<\/p>\n<p>The House Small Business Committee is scheduled to take up H.R. 2804 in July, where amendments could indicate the level of bipartisan support for stricter set-aside protections.<\/p>\n<h2>Why Small Firms Are Concerned<\/h2>\n<p>Several pressure points have surfaced since the rollback of the FAR proposal. The most immediate issue is the legal uncertainty created by the regulatory gap.<\/p>\n<p>In the absence of a clear mandate, agencies default to past decisions, such as the Government Accountability Office\u2019s (GAO) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/products\/b-421871.3%2Cb-421871.4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ITility LLC ruling<\/a>, which treats the Rule of Two as discretionary for MAC task orders. It contradicts prior decisions from the Court of Federal Claims, creating confusion and leaving small businesses with limited recourse when set-asides are bypassed.<\/p>\n<p>The policy instability comes at a time when the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Fiscal-Year-2026-Discretionary-Budget-Request.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FY 2026 federal budget proposes major cuts to SBA programs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The request would eliminate $167 million from Entrepreneurial Development Programs and shut down resource partners like SCORE, Women\u2019s Business Centers, and Veterans Business Outreach Centers; only Small Business Development Centers would remain. Salaries and Expenses would be cut by another $111 million, further diminishing SBA\u2019s ability to offer support.<\/p>\n<p>Without those resources, many small firms will struggle to meet the administrative and technical demands of federal procurement. New entrants would encounter particular difficulties with registrations, certifications, and proposal development, which were services previously provided at no cost through those now-targeted programs.<\/p>\n<h2>What Happens if the Rule Weakens<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-2333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.diener.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/small-business-owner-reviewing-logs-with-their-employees.jpeg\" alt=\"Packing goods for delivery to customer\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/>If the Rule of Two remains limited or disappears altogether, the effect on <a href=\"\/how-to-procure-government-contracts-for-your-small-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the federal small business base<\/a> will be significant. Most task-order spending under MACs, especially in IT, R&amp;D, and professional services, would shift back to full-and-open competition. Set-asides would become far less frequent in these essential sectors.<\/p>\n<p>Smaller firms would also have to deal with a steeper uphill battle when protesting an award. Without a mandatory rule in place, legal challenges must show that the contracting officer acted unreasonably, a high bar that rarely succeeds.<\/p>\n<p>Construction firms may see less immediate disruption, as their contracts often remain single-award and are more consistently set aside. But across the board, the erosion of support programs will raise costs, lengthen timelines, and reduce the pool of qualified small business vendors.<\/p>\n<h2>The Policy Environment Ahead<\/h2>\n<p>The Rule of Two has long played a central role in leveling the playing field for small businesses in federal contracting.<\/p>\n<p>With regulatory changes in motion and SBA support programs under budgetary strain, the ground is shifting. The direction Congress and federal agencies take in the coming months will determine whether small firms retain meaningful access to the marketplace or encounter steeper barriers to entry.<\/p>\n<p>At Diener &amp; Associates, our team of CPAs works closely with federal contractors to adapt to shifting compliance demands, manage risk, and identify sustainable growth strategies. <a href=\"\/schedule-consultation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Schedule a consultation online<\/a> or call us directly at <a href=\"tel:+17033867864\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1-(703)-386-7864<\/a> to discuss how to prepare for what comes next.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-excerpt\">\n<div class=\"entry-excerpt--description\">\n<p>Federal Rule of Two protections for small business contracting are under threat. Learn what&#8217;s changing in procurement policy and how it affects you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-excerpt--cta\">\n<p><a class=\"read-more blog-read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.diener.org\/the-future-of-the-rule-of-two-whats-at-stake-for-small-businesses-under-proposed-sba-changes\/\"><span>Read More<\/span> <span><i class=\"fa-regular fa-arrow-right-long\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":2334,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14,6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2330","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-consulting-advisory","8":"category-government-contract-consulting","9":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Future of the &quot;Rule of Two&quot;: What\u2019s at Stake for Small Businesses Under Proposed SBA Changes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Federal Rule of Two protections for small business contracting are under threat. 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