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The Summary of NLRB decisions for the week of July 8 - 12, 2019 is now available on the NLRB’s website. The summary can be accessed by clicking the links below. https://www.nlrb.gov/cases-decisions/weekly-summaries-decisions/summary-nlrb-decisions-week-july-8-12-2019 Questions? Contact Us

Did you know that July is Independent Retailer Month? Take the time to visit your favorite small businesses and explore new ones. If you’re thinking about starting your own business, follow SBA's 10 steps. Learn more Help Stop Food Waste in the U.S. Did you know that 30–40% of all available food in the U.S. is wasted? The Environmental Protection Agency is funding innovative tech ideas to stop food waste through the Small Business Innovation Research Program. Apply for up to $100K in research and development for your small businesssolution by July 31, 2019. Get started Growing an Established Company When business is good, it's time to expand. Take SBA's FREE online training for an overview of how to evaluate your business and create a plan for growth and expansion. Launch the course How to Protect Your Business  Smart planning can help you keep your business running if disaster strikes. You’ll want to take the right steps to prevent and prepare for a disaster, and know where to get aid if a disaster strikes. SBA has put together checklists and safety tips for different types of disasters. Learn more Webinar: Protect Your Brand- How to Create a Trademark That’s Truly Distinctive July 30, 2019 | 1:00 p.m. ET Your brand is your most valuable and important business asset—and at most risk for theft. Your brand, which includes your business name, your product or service names and your logo, is protected under trademark law. Because trademark law can be confusing, it’s important to get the right help at the right time. Join this webinar produced by SCORE, a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration, to learn: What is a trademark and why it matters to your business How to choose a strong trademark you can protect over time, both online and offline Why federally registering trademarks is an important step when growing your business July 17, 2019 New Data Field In FPDS A new data field entitled “Solicitation Date” has been added to FPDS to comply with section 878 of the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which required that civilian agencies measure procurement administrative lead time (PALT). The 'Solicitation Date' field must be entered into FPDS when the FPDS Solicitation Procedures data field is 'other than Simplified Acquisition' and the total contract value is greater than the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) which is currently $250,000. For contracts or orders under the SAT, the Solicitation Date entry is optional, but strongly recommended. Visit www.fpds.gov today. Fall 2019-2020 LEAP Class Open The Leadership Excellence for Acquisition Professionals program (LEAP) helps GS-12 to GS-14 employees become well-rounded leaders throughout an eight-month program. Procurement is one of the most important functions of government operations. To deliver on its mission, our government requires strong acquisition professionals who can spearhead agency efforts to reduce costs, improve performance and drive innovation. Submit your application by October 25. Apply today   Enhanced Wireless Mobility Solutions SIN Makes it Easier for Agencies to Buy Mobile Technology on IT BIC Solution Schedule 70 A new mobility acquisition vehicle now is available on Best-in-Class-designated solution IT Schedule 70, giving agencies a single contract for mobile solutions that replaces the Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative (FSSI) Wireless Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs)! An enhanced Special Item Number (SIN) - SIN132-53 -- allows agencies to purchase a wider range of wireless mobility solutions (WMS) and the new SIN will replace the expiring FSSI Wireless BPAs. LEARN MORE Sign Up to Join GSA’s Federal Marketplace Strategy Community of Practice Do you have ideas that will help GSA improve the federal marketplace? GSA is connecting with problem solvers to shape an acquisition experience that works better for everyone! This group participates in meetings, design workshops, usability testing, and focused feedback opportunities. We want to hear your thoughts on the first release of GSA's Federal Marketplace Strategy, a collection of policy, process, and technology projects to modernize and simplify your buying and selling experience, and we may ask your opinion about future releases. Sign up today! Register for Camp Gateway Today Camp Gateway is happening on July 22, 2019 to August 2, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. ET.  Attend and learn how the Acquisition Gateway and its tools can help your procurements. Attendees will earn one CLP!  Register now Schedule 84 Industry Day On May 14 -15, 2019 Schedule 84 hosted its annual Industry Day. This year’s event was attended by 175 Industry Partners and Customers. The topics of discussion were focused around MAS Consolidation and its impact on both Industry Partners and Customers. Check out GSA's website for Schedule 84. Industry Engagement “Myth-Busting” Document Now Available Did you know the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) gives acquisition professionals the flexibility to meet mission needs including large, mission-critical requirements in a timely and even expedited manner? Or that applying business innovation in government is a critical, core responsibility of contracting staff, integrated project teams, and the agency's senior leadership? These are just a few topics that are addressed in OMB’s Office of Federal Procurement Policy newly published fourth ”Myth-Busting” memorandum- “Strengthening Engagement with Industry Partners through Innovative Business Practices.” LEARN MORE Acquisition Today is published the first and third Wednesday of each month.  If you have information that you would like to share with the federal acquisition workforce community via Acquisition Today, you may submit your article for consideration by completing this form. If you have feedback that you would like to share with FAI, please email us at contact@fai.gov. Mystery shop ’til you drop? Not so fast by Lisa Lake Consumer Education Specialist, FTC Who wouldn’t love getting paid to shop and dine at cool places and then review them? Whether you’re a student looking for a summer job or someone wanting to start a side or full-time business, mystery shopping sounds like an exciting option. But while some mystery shopping opportunities are legitimate, many are scams that rob you, not pay you. Read more > Business Alerts from the FTC  Starting soon: FTC’s Nixing the Fix By Lesley Fair How do repair restrictions for tech devices, appliances, cars, etc., affect consumers and small businesses? What are the arguments for and against? And what’s the fix? Those are topics of Nixing the Fix: A Workshop on Repair Restrictions – and it’s set to start soon. At 12:30 ET today, you can watch the live webcast. Read more >