On January 17, the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice announced that it had obtained another in a recent string of guilty pleas as a result of investigations into government contracting by the Procurement...more
The potential for government investigation increases during periods of rapid and extreme movement in price. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) recently reiterated its focus on prosecuting violations of antitrust laws,...more
On March 3, 2020, the American Bar Association (ABA) hosted a Q&A with two members of the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF)—Mark Grundvig, the Assistant Chief of the DOJ Antitrust Division’s Criminal II section, and...more
In a speech at the American Bar Association Antitrust Law Section’s International Cartel Conference in San Francisco last week, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard A. Powers reaffirmed the Antitrust Division’s...more
This month, and with great fanfare, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced its creation of a Procurement Collusion Strike Force. We know what you’re thinking, and no – this Strike Force will not be starring in the...more
One of the bedrock principles of federal contracting is the demand for “full and open competition through the use of competitive procedures.” In order to foster competition and reduce costs, the Competition in Contracting...more
New strike force to deter, detect, investigate and prosecute government procurement antitrust crimes. The new Procurement Collusion Strike Force will focus on antitrust crimes, such as bid-rigging conspiracies and related...more
Two recent False Claims Act (FCA) settlements between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and transportation companies point to the continuation of a recent trend by the DOJ to use the FCA as a significant enforcement tool...more
Over the past few years, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) Antitrust Division (“Antitrust Division”) has made numerous comments about an increased focus on rooting out anticompetitive conduct in government procurement,...more
On November 5, 2019, Antitrust Division Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim announced the creation of a joint law enforcement task force to combat antitrust crimes and other fraudulent schemes impacting government...more
On November 5, 2019, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the creation of a new Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) focused on deterring, detecting, investigating, and prosecuting antitrust crimes, especially...more
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) on November 5 announced the formation of the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF). This interagency initiative will “lead a coordinated national response to combat antitrust crimes and...more
On November 5, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division announced the establishment of the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF). The PCSF aims to deter, detect, investigate, and prosecute antitrust crimes and...more
Third Circuit Holds False Claims Act Relator Lacks Standing and Right to Intervene in Related Criminal Case - In a matter of first impression, the Third Circuit held last week that a relator who filed an action under the...more
On November 5, 2019, the Justice Department announced the creation of a nationwide "strike force" to address criminal antitrust violations impacting government contracting, such as price fixing and bid rigging. The strike...more