Recent reports and contractor experiences suggest that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has, in some instances, failed to timely pay contractors for work that has already been performed and accepted....more
On January 16, 2026, the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted a video on social media announcing that the Department of War will conduct a “line‑by‑line review of every small business, sole source, 8(a) contract that is over...more
Key Takeaways: Executive Order 14169, issued on January 20, 2025, placed a 90-day pause on foreign aid while its alignment with U.S. foreign policy was reviewed....more
The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA) recently posted its Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), which showed a significant increase in appeals but decrease in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). In FY25, the...more
As noted in our prior The State of Aid blog post, there are many bellwethers on the future of foreign aid and potential opportunities for contractors in the international development space. One key development that has...more
Nonprofits and other federal grant recipients have struggled through 2025, a year of fiscal tightening in federal grant programs, from the termination of numerous grants and programs the current administration perceives as...more
As of July 1, 2025, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) officially ceased to implement foreign assistance. As of September 2, 2025, news reports indicated that USAID completed its “final mission” by...more
U.S. Congress returns from the August 2025 recess for a short session. Both chambers will be forced to address a looming to-do list, namely potentially extending government funding beyond Sept. 30, 2025....more
WHAT: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced a “full-scale” audit of the 8(a) program after a former United States Agency for International Development (USAID) contracting officer and three 8(a) business...more
Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Loeffler has announced that she has ordered the SBA Office of General Contracting and Business Development to begin a full scale audit of the SBA’s Section 8(a) Business...more
Republicans currently control the White House and both chambers of Congress. As the majority power controlling both the House and Senate, the GOP holds the reins of the congressional oversight and investigations agenda....more
On May 29, 2025, President Trump sent a $9.4 billion rescissions request to Congress, which House Majority Leader introduced as H.R. 4. This package would cancel funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S....more
There is a growing sense of confusion and unease among many federal contractors and grant recipients in these early days of the second Trump administration. In a time when some agencies face dislocation and downsizing (or, as...more
Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani presents the latest insights from our Government Contracts group, offering a comprehensive overview of recent significant decisions, regulatory changes, and essential updates for businesses...more
On April 22, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a plan to implement across-the-board structural changes to the Department of State to bring the department in line with President Trump’s America First foreign policy...more
In just over two months since President Donald Trump assumed office, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), now under the leadership of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has undergone a profound shift in its...more
At a time when government agencies are terminating contracts for convenience at an increasingly high rate, a recent decision by the U.S. Civilian Board of Contract Appeals in Blankson v. Agency for International Development,...more
Since President Trump's inauguration, the Trump administration has issued a number of executive orders and policy actions with potential impacts for the life sciences industry. Notable actions include rescinding Biden-era...more
Congress narrowly avoided a partial government shutdown by passing a last-minute funding bill, securing temporary funding for federal agencies. The agreement extends funding through the summer but does not resolve broader...more
Designed for busy in-house counsel, compliance professionals, and anti-corruption lawyers, this newsletter summarizes some of the most important international anti-corruption law and enforcement developments from the past...more
The early days of the Trump Administration have featured a wide range of actions related to federal spending. This has included payment pauses, contract and grant terminations or reevaluations, lease terminations, changes in...more
Over the first month of the new administration, President Trump has directed the review or termination of certain types of contracts and grants, including equity-related agreements, awards under the Inflation Reduction Act...more
The Trump administration’s en masse terminations for the government’s convenience-as-a-budget-cutting tactic may constitute contract breaches, thereby entitling contractors to lost profits....more
While independent regulatory agencies, like the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or the Commission), have typically considered themselves exempt from executive orders, recent events indicate the CPSC is likely not...more
UPDATE: President Trump’s Executive Orders Impose Tariffs on Products from Canada, Mexico, and China: The Cost to Government Contractors - PilieroMazza recently published a client alert regarding three executive orders...more