(Click on headlines below to read each full story.) President asks for $4M for procurement reps at SBA FY2014 budget request would pay for 32 additional SBA staffers to assist with federal set-asides. President seeks to trim deficit while boosting IT, selected agencies, cyber President Obama sent to Congress a $3.78 trillion budget request for fiscal 2014 that aims to reduce the deficit by trimming spending and eliminating some tax breaks affecting high earners. SBA: 3% goal for SDVOSB buys likely met The Obama Administration likely has met its 3% goal for purchases from service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs), a senior Small Business Administration executive confirmed. New mentor-protege framework to be circulated this summer: SBA The Small Business Administration is working to develop regulations for an expanded mentor-protege program governmentwide. The rules likely will be circulated among agencies this summer, a senior official told Set-Aside Alert. IG faults OPM contracting Senior executives at the Office of Personnel Management steered consulting work to a company in violation of ethics and procurement rules, according to an interim report on an investigation by the agency’s Office of Inspector General. DOD contracts surged 71% in March Defense Department officials signed $39.4 billion worth of contracts in March, which was 71% more than in the previous month, Bloomberg Government reported. DCAA severely criticized once again for quality of audits It is common in contract negotiation for parties to devote the majority of their efforts to the business terms and gloss over the “boilerplate” provisions of the contract. Washington Insider: DOJ: 3% budget hike The president’s budget request for the Justice Department in fiscal 2014 is $27.6 billion, a 3% increase over enacted fiscal 2012 levels.... DHS: 2% cutback The Homeland Security Department is requesting $39 billion in net discretionary funding (not including disaster relief) for fiscal 2014.... Small PR contracts Small agencies offering public relations and communications services are popular with federal agencies.... Attorney pleads guilty Attorney Seung E. Oh, also known as Sandy Oh, of Great Falls, VA, admitted to charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and money laundering.... Pleas in bribery case Two more guilty pleas have been entered in the $30 million bribery and kickback fraud prosecution involving the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Army.... OASIS Industry Day The General Services Administration has scheduled an industry day on May 13.... Another 8(a) reversal For at least the sixth time since December, the Small Business Administration’s Office of Hearings and Appeals has overturned an SBA decision....