Comment on FR Doc # 2026-12561

My name is Stacy Clements, owner of Milepost 42 LLC. My firm provides website and technical services to small businesses. I support streamlining the FAR, but not at the cost of the mandatory small-business protections these rules remove and the transparency on public spending that taxpayers deserve. Sole-source opportunities going quiet Removing public notice of sole-source awards is a serious loss of transparency, which will hurt small businesses and feed the public's lack of trust in federal agencies. These notices should not be just administrative box-checking. They allow qualified small businesses to identify opportunities, make agencies aware of capabilities they may have overlooked, and provide public visibility into how taxpayer dollars are being awarded. Sole-source awards are sometimes appropriate, but the absence of competition makes transparency more important, not less. The Council should retain the public-notice requirement for the WOSB and SDVOSB programs, or provide a clear, evidence-based justification for removing it. Losing sight of who wins Making these major award announcements optional reduces both transparency and access to opportunity. These notices are not just reports about decisions already made. They help small businesses identify prime contractors, pursue subcontracting and teaming opportunities, and understand which agencies purchase their products or services. When award information becomes inconsistent or difficult to find, firms with established relationships and insider networks have an advantage, while smaller and newer businesses are left in the dark. Awards above $5.5 million are substantial public expenditures and should remain subject to mandatory public announcement. Public money should come with public visibility. I support and incorporate by reference the comments filed in this docket by the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce — its principal comment (Comment ID FAR-2026-0005-0013) and its comment under 5 U.S.C. 610 (Comment ID FAR-2026-0005-0014).