Rules meant to boost small business participation in federal contracts are withdrawn

The US government has withdrawn a proposed rule that would have changed how small businesses participate in large federal contracts. This means the existing rules, which have been criticized for not doing enough to help small businesses, will remain in place.

The federal government is the largest buyer of goods and services in the world. Small businesses have long struggled to win a fair share of these contracts, especially on large, multi-year deals. This withdrawal means that a chance to make it easier for them to compete has been missed, leaving the status quo unchanged.