It is now widely believed that Congress will fail to agree on a continuing resolution to secure short-term funding for the federal government while the Senate and House negotiate appropriations bills for the coming fiscal...more
With congressional leaders and the Biden administration still in negotiations over raising the nation’s debt ceiling, unless Congress acts quickly, there is a reasonable likelihood the United States could run out of money to...more
Federal contractors should take note of a recent, record-setting False Claims Act (FCA) settlement between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and TriMark USA LLC involving alleged fraud with respect to small-business set-aside...more
On March 7, 2022, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council promulgated a final rule aimed at increasing federal government preferences for goods and construction materials that are domestically manufactured and increasing...more
On November 4, 2021, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced significant changes to the strategic direction of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program. Specifically, DoD stated that the goal of these...more
On June 8, 2021, the White House released the findings of a 100-day assessment of critical supply chains, undertaken pursuant to President Biden’s February 2021 executive order addressing supply chain vulnerabilities. The...more
On April 27, 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) requiring federal contractors performing service, construction or concession contracts to pay a $15 minimum wage to those employees who are working on such...more
On Feb. 24, 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order (EO) triggering a comprehensive review of U.S. supply chains, ordering agencies to identify ways to secure the American economy against shortages of critical and...more
Disappointed government contractors and their legal counsel weigh the benefits of filing bid protests at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) versus the Court of Federal Claims (COFC). One of the key benefits to filing...more
On July 14, 2020, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council published an interim rule in the Federal Register, implementing restrictions aimed at preventing telecommunications and surveillance technologies manufactured...more
The stakes associated with successful performance by federal contractors are higher than they have ever been in a non-wartime setting. In areas ranging from pharmaceutical and medical supply, to construction, to logistical...more
3/27/2020
/ Contract Terms ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Delays ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Performance Standards ,
Quarantine ,
State of Emergency ,
Subcontractors ,
Suspensions ,
Work Suspensions
Government contractors should take note of a March 4, 2020, ruling by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (Court) that lowers the jurisdictional threshold for establishing a claim under the False Claims Act (FCA)....more
On Nov. 5, 2019, the Department of Justice Antitrust Division — in coordination with 13 U.S. Attorney’s offices, the FBI, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and multiple Inspectors General — announced the formation of...more
On May 31, 2018, two new rules go into effect that impact the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (GAO’s) jurisdiction to hear protests of task orders and delivery orders issued pursuant to multiple-award...more
Beginning May 1, 2018, all bid protests (except protests containing classified material) must be filed electronically through the Government Accountability Office’s new Electronic Protest Docketing System (EPDS). Along with...more
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) contractors face new cybersecurity compliance requirements, including a significant deadline set for December 31, 2017.
Most DoD contracts now include clauses imposing obligations on...more
Beginning January 19, federal government contracts will contain additional training requirements for contractors who deal with personally identifiable information (PII) or with a system of records....more
Intellectual property is often a company’s most valuable asset. For companies with federal government customers, following the government’s rules can mean the difference between maximizing and losing value in newly developed...more
As described in detail in a recent Washington Update, there is once again a reasonable likelihood that we are headed for a government shutdown beginning Thursday, October 1. This article puts aside politics to focus on the...more
With the federal government funded only through Sept. 30, 2015, unless Congress acts quickly, there is a reasonable likelihood of another government shutdown beginning Oct. 1, 2015. The looming shutdown will create...more
9/25/2015
/ Best Practices ,
COBRA ,
Collective Bargaining ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Discrimination ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Federal Budget ,
Federal Contractors ,
Furloughs ,
Government Shutdown ,
Health Insurance ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Involuntary Reduction in Force ,
Layoffs ,
Notice Requirements ,
Popular ,
Wage and Hour ,
WARN Act
Well, it doesn’t happen very often, but the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a government contracts case! The Supreme Court granted certiorari on June 22, 2015, and will hear an appeal from the Court of Appeals for the...more
Contractors already have begun to notice the inclusion of the new human trafficking FAR contract clause, required to be incorporated into all new federal government contracts. The rule imposes affirmative duties on federal...more
The guidance states that drones recently “have emerged as a viable law enforcement tool.” In addition to affirming DOJ’s commitment to civil rights and privacy laws, the guidance imposes rules on who can order drone support...more
DOD, GSA, and NASA have proposed a number of changes to the FAR to implement changes made by the Small Business Administration in 2013 regarding small business subcontracting goals and plans. While the proposed FAR changes...more
6/16/2015
/ Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
General Services Administration (GSA) ,
NAICS ,
NASA ,
Prime Contractor ,
Procurement Guidelines ,
Proposed Amendments ,
SBA ,
Small Business ,
Subcontractors