What DBE Firms Need to Know Starting July 1, 2025, Iowa drivers will be required to go hands-free. The new law prohibits holding or manually operating a phone or other electronic device while driving. This effort is aimed at improving road safety and reducing distracted driving—a critical concern for companies that spend significant time on … Continue reading New Iowa Hands-Free Law Takes Effect July 1, 2025
Author: gmallen
Who’s Who & What They Do: Meet the Iowa DOT Civil Rights Team
Your Point of Contact for DBE Support and Compliance Navigating government programs can be overwhelming—but knowing who to call makes all the difference. The Iowa DOT Civil Rights Team is here to support Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) working on DOT-related contracts and projects. Whether you have a question about certification, compliance, or contractor obligations, this … Continue reading Who’s Who & What They Do: Meet the Iowa DOT Civil Rights Team
Taking a load off: CIRAS pilot program brings exoskeletons to Iowa companies
Ty Hill is a project leader at the Center for Industrial Research and Service at Iowa State University, and he has a message about exoskeletons for Iowa companies: “They exist and that they’re not something that’s out of your reach,” Hill said. CIRAS is running a pilot program to introduce companies to exoskeletons, which are … Continue reading Taking a load off: CIRAS pilot program brings exoskeletons to Iowa companies
Determining Small Business Status for Recently-Formed Companies
In federal government contracting, qualifying as a small business can confer tremendous benefits, including access to set-aside prime contracts, eligibility for certifications such as 8(a) and HUBZone, and much more. Contrary to popular belief, however, recently-formed companies cannot use the same formulas as established companies to determine their small business eligibility. Instead, special rules apply. … Continue reading Determining Small Business Status for Recently-Formed Companies
Understanding the SBA’s Two-Year Joint Venture Restriction
Joint ventures are an increasingly popular form of business for companies pursuing government contracts. But contractors pursuing small business set-aside contracts and/or socioeconomic set-aside and sole-source contracts (such as 8(a) contracts) must strictly adhere to the rules of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). One of the most important SBA joint venture rules–and one that … Continue reading Understanding the SBA’s Two-Year Joint Venture Restriction
GSA MAS Contract Holders: Time May Be Running Short to Get Your House in Order
GSA MAS Contract Holders: Time May Be Running Short to Get Your House in Order The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced a new initiative that “put its Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contractors on notice that it is making ‘major changes’ to ‘improve the effectiveness of the MAS Program’ by allowing contracts that fail … Continue reading GSA MAS Contract Holders: Time May Be Running Short to Get Your House in Order
A trusted partner helping meat processors grow, provide quality products
HOLSTEIN, Iowa – Jordan Bremer flips through pages of hand-written notes documenting the many flavor combinations she’s tested over the years at Tiefenthaler Quality Meats, pausing on a page of one of her award-winning creations. “This one, I did a nacho patty, and it was my grand champion innovative beef in 2018,” she said. “That … Continue reading A trusted partner helping meat processors grow, provide quality products
Important Updates on CIRAS Funding
Update: On April 15, CIRAS was notified by NIST that they would receive six months of funding while NIST and the Department of Commerce review and evaluate next steps for the program. Original post April 8, 2025: I’m writing to you today to provide you with an important update that impacts how CIRAS serves … Continue reading Important Updates on CIRAS Funding
Avoiding Common Misconceptions About Calculating Small Business Status
Qualifying as a small business for purposes of federal government contracting requires a contractor to compare its average annual receipts or average employee count to the size standard associated with a particular North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code. For contractors in the construction and service industries, which generally use receipts-based size standards, there are … Continue reading Avoiding Common Misconceptions About Calculating Small Business Status
Emily Betz Named Director of the Iowa Lean Consortium
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 7, 2025 AMES, Iowa — The Iowa Lean Consortium (ILC), a program of the Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) at Iowa State University, is pleased to announce the appointment of Emily Betz as director, effective April 7, 2025. Emily has been a valued member of the ILC and CIRAS … Continue reading Emily Betz Named Director of the Iowa Lean Consortium