On January 14, 2025, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced a new final rule to end its longstanding waiver of Buy America requirements for “manufactured products” used in Federal-aid highway projects....more
WHAT: On January 14, 2025, less than a week before President Biden left office, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a final rule updating its Buy America rules to rescind...more
In late September, a federal judge entered a preliminary injunction to partially blog the United States Department of Transportation’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (“DBE”) program. A copy of my blog on that decision can...more
On April 9, 2024, The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced numerous revisions to its in-place rules for administering its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program. The new rule follows a Notice of Proposed...more
WHAT: The period for submitting comments on the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) review of its longstanding waiver of Buy America requirements for “manufactured products,” which was originally set to close on April 17,...more
After 15 months of quarantines, restrictions, and mandatory home schooling, summer 2021 is luring with escape and excitement across the country. We all hope for beach days and reunions with loved ones as we (hopefully)...more
One of the key refrains of national politics recently has been that we need to address, repair, and replace aging infrastructure. Of course, this leads to the core problem of funding as the amount of infrastructure...more
Has your business applied for certification as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) through your state Department of Transportation (or local agency administering the state’s certification program)? Are you wondering...more
Contractors are now familiar with the Supreme Court’s June 2016 decision in Universal Health Services, Inc. v. United States ex rel. Escobar [PDF]. That decision recognizes False Claims Act liability for implied false...more
On September 29, 2017, in United States ex rel. Harman v. Trinity Indus. Inc. (“Trinity”), the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a $663 million jury verdict in a False Claims Act (FCA) case brought against Trinity...more
A recent court decision may provide other disappointed offerors a pathway for challenging agencies’ corrective action that unreasonably favors the original contract awardee. In Professional Service Industries, Inc. v. U.S.,...more
On August 31, 2015, highway contractors Trinity Industries, Inc. and Trinity Highway Products, LLC (collectively, Trinity) appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit a $663,360,750 final judgment entered...more
Federal Transit Administration (“FTA”) grants fund billions of transit-related projects throughout the United States. In an effort to improve the project delivery process for those projects, the FTA on September 3, 2015,...more
Federal transportation officials are contemplating new contract rules that would make it easier for states and cities to hire local residents to work on transportation projects. Federal rules currently prohibit the Federal...more
On September 10, 2014, the Federal Highway Administration (“FHWA”) published its final Model Public – Private Partnerships Core Toll Concessions Contract Guide (“Guide”) presenting key concepts for the structuring and...more