How government contract performance metrics are measured and enforced
Agencies track cost, timeliness, reliability and quality on vendor contracts — and weak numbers can trigger corrective action.
Government News
Vendors and nonprofits running public services: contract awards, performance penalties, subcontracting chains and margins earned on program delivery.
How the SBA's 7(a) loan program works, and what changed in July 2026
The federal government doesn't lend small businesses money directly — it guarantees part of the loan a bank makes. Here's how that guarantee works, and how a July 2026 rule change raised how much a business can borrow.
TSP savers got Roth conversions and higher limits in 2026, plus a mandatory Roth catch-up rule
The Thrift Savings Plan added in-plan Roth conversions in January 2026, raised the elective deferral limit to $24,500, and now requires high earners to make all catch-up contributions as Roth under SECURE 2.0.
NHTSA's 2026 docket: faster exemptions for driverless vehicles and a proposed rewrite of fuel economy rules
Two actions define the agency's recent record: a streamlined exemption process for automated vehicles that produced the first-ever demonstration exemption in August 2025, and a December 2025 proposal to reset fuel economy standards for model years 2022 through 2031.
SBA cuts upfront loan fees for small manufacturers in fiscal 2026 while other borrowers pay new rates
Fees for SBA's 7(a) and 504 loan programs were restructured for the federal fiscal year that began October 1, 2025, with the agency waiving upfront guarantee fees for qualifying small manufacturers through September 30, 2026.
Park fees split by residency in 2026: the America the Beautiful pass now costs $250 for international visitors
Changes the Interior Department announced for January 1, 2026 kept the annual park pass at $80 for U.S. residents while raising it to $250 for nonresidents, added a $100 per-person surcharge at certain parks, and limited fee-free days.