Federal Contracting Insights & Trends

Analysis

The $1.2T Infrastructure Pivot: Why Mid-Market Firms Are Losing the Phase III Race

Shahid Shah - May 14, 2026

Analysis

The Polaris Protests, Decoded: What GAO Just Did to Small-Business Set-Asides

Data Desk

12 Sole-Source Awards, One Vendor, Six Months

Agencies

Federal AI Budget Signals Nobody Is Watching

Policy & Budget

The FY2027 Defense IT Budget: What Actually Matters

Shahid Shah - June 29, 2026 0

Every budget cycle produces the same wave of coverage: topline spending increases, major weapons systems, AI modernization talking points, and congressional political theater. But...

Policy & Budget

The Quiet Shift Toward AI Modernization Funding

Shahid Shah - June 29, 2026 0

The federal market spent the last two years talking about artificial intelligence as if agencies were about to launch entirely new acquisition categories overnight....

Agency Spending Trends Contractors Should Track

June 24, 2026

Budget Signals Hidden Inside Congressional Reports

June 24, 2026

Federal AI Budget Signals Nobody Is Watching

June 23, 2026

Why O&M Funding Is Reshaping Tech Procurement

June 23, 2026

CMMC

CMMC’s Hidden Impact on Small Business Subcontractors

Shahid Shah - July 7, 2026 0

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) has been a major talking point in the defense contracting community, with many focusing on the direct impact...

Rethinking the Rush to CMMC Compliance: Why Contractors Should Prioritize Innovation Over Checklist Security

Shahid Shah - July 7, 2026 0

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) has sent shockwaves through the defense contracting community, with many scrambling to meet the new requirements. However, in...

CMMC 2.0 Assessments: The Hidden Costs of Sequential Scoping

Shahid Shah - July 3, 2026 0

Recent analysis of CyberAB data reveals that a staggering 72% of CMMC 2.0 assessments are being conducted in sequential scoping, a practice that can...

The Unseen Gap Between Small and Large Contractors in CMMC Compliance Costs

Shahid Shah - July 3, 2026 0

Despite the DoD's emphasis on CMMC compliance as a level playing field for all contractors, a deeper dive into the numbers reveals a stark...

CMMC 2.0’s Unintended Consequences: How Assessment Sequencing Affects Small Contractors

Shahid Shah - July 3, 2026 0

The Department of Defense's (DoD) Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program has been touted as a way to improve the cybersecurity posture of its...