Statement by High Representative on Ceasefire Between United States and Iran

The High Representative of the EU issued a statement welcoming the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran. The EU commends Pakistan and regional partners for their mediation and urges all involved parties to fully respect the ceasefire, cease military operations, protect civilians and humanitarian personnel, and ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz in line with international law.

DC Unemployment Rate 6.7%, Jobs Decrease 17,100 in January 2026

The DC Department of Employment Services reported the January 2026 seasonally adjusted unemployment rate at 6.7%, unchanged from December 2025. Total jobs decreased by 17,100 to 712,100, with the private sector losing 11,600 jobs and the public sector losing 5,500 jobs. The civilian labor force declined by 1,100 to 408,000.

Silicon Metal from Angola, Laos, and Thailand — Material Injury Determinations

The ITC determined that U.S. silicon metal producers Ferroglobe USA and Mississippi Silicon are materially injured by imports of silicon metal from Laos sold at less than fair value and subsidized by the Laotian government. The Commission also found that imports from Angola sold at LTFV threaten the domestic industry with material injury. The countervailing duty investigation on Thailand was terminated due to negligible imports.

OCTG Five-Year Review From China Scheduled - Expedited Reviews

The ITC has scheduled expedited five-year reviews of antidumping and countervailing duty orders on Oil Country Tubular Goods from China. The reviews will determine whether revocation of these trade remedy orders would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury to the domestic industry. Written comments from interested parties are due by April 22, 2026.

Skills Education Advisers ECSC Framework Re-opening

The Department for Education is re-opening LOT 2 of the Educational Children's Social Care (ECSC) Professional Framework for Skills Education Advisers. The opportunity covers qualifications design and assessment strategy expertise for T Levels, 16-19 English and Maths, ESOL, and Essential Digital Skills. Suppliers must register on Jaggaer and indicate interest via SSQ 757 by 16 April 2026.

Microsoft Enterprise Agreement LSP 2026 - Defra License Procurement

Defra seeks a Licence Solutions Provider (LSP) to provide Microsoft Enterprise Agreement licenses and services across the department via TePas2 framework. This early engagement notice closes 30 April 2026, with formal tender expected within the following month.

FLJ Structural Tee Beam Repairs £4M-£6.3M Portsmouth Naval Base

HM Naval Base Portsmouth seeks contractors for Fountain Lake Jetty Berth 1 & 2 structural repairs via KBS Maritime tendering portal. Scope includes 350m concrete T-beam repairs, 58 steel pile repairs, and cathodic protection system design and installation. Contract value £4M-£6.3M with phased execution April 2027 to August 2028 to maintain berth availability.

CASA Programme Early Engagement - Climate Capacity Building for Developing Nations

DESNZ published an early engagement notice for the Climate Ambition Support Alliance (CASA) programme, seeking suppliers to provide training and technical, legal, and logistical support for developing country negotiators on climate change. The programme aims to build capacity for least developed and climate-vulnerable states. The engagement closes 23 April 2026.

Walking Trail Tender - Dorsey GFC Project, Closing 7 May

NMD Council (Newry, Mourne and Down District Council) published a tender notice on Contracts Finder for the PP2005 Dorsey GFC Walking Trail Project. The contract involves scrub-removal work, landscaping for sports grounds and recreational areas, and associated civil engineering works. Interested suppliers must register on the MultiQuote portal and submit tenders by 7 May 2026 at 12pm.

GSA Administrator Forst Marks First 100 Days with Key Accomplishments

GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst released a statement summarizing key accomplishments from his first 100 days, including accelerated federal property disposals projected to save over $1.8 billion, significant procurement reforms reducing the FAR by 484 pages, and full implementation of Transactional Data Reporting expected to avoid $50 million in annual costs. The agency also achieved over 500 FedRAMP cloud service authorizations and advanced the America's AI Action Plan through its USAi platform.