New GAO Decision Highlights Effective OCI Identification and Mitigation Practices
Federal contractors need to be proactive about detecting and neutralizing or mitigating Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI).
The FAR’s OCI provisions (currently found at FAR Subpart 9.5) promote the fairness and integrity of the procurement process. The provisions are intended to ensure a level playing field by preventing unfair…
Continue Reading New GAO Decision Highlights Effective OCI Identification and Mitigation PracticesDOJ Announces New Civil Rights Fraud Initiative Targeting DEI
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a memo on May 19, 2025, announcing the DOJ’s…
Continue Reading DOJ Announces New Civil Rights Fraud Initiative Targeting DEIIn what is sure to be an on-going series, we have the latest update regarding…
Continue Reading Update: FAR 2.0 Rollout UnderwayGAO just sharpened the distinction between winning and losing protest arguments related to key project…
Continue Reading Protesting Key Personnel – When to Pounce on a Bait-and-SwitchSubscribe to The Federal Government Contracts & Procurement Blog
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Amid Uncertainty, Government Contractors Should Document, Notify, and Escalate Claims
Government contractors working for the Department of Education (DE), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and other agencies like the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Consumer Financial Protection…
Continue Reading Amid Uncertainty, Government Contractors Should Document, Notify, and Escalate ClaimsExecutive Orders to Watch for Federal Contractors and Fund Recipients
President Trump signed a multitude of Executive Orders (EOs) during his first two weeks in office. EOs are directives from the President to federal agencies that do not require Congressional…
Continue Reading Executive Orders to Watch for Federal Contractors and Fund RecipientsThe Federal Circuit just dismissed the Government’s “Late is Late” appeal on Dec. 16th as moot, preserving the split between the Court of Federal Claims (COFC) and the Government Accountability…
Continue Reading Late is Late Update: eSimplicity Upheld“What are my chances?” This is the most common question clients ask when considering whether to protest. GAO’s Annual Report to Congress shows that the “effectiveness” rate of protests is…
Continue Reading GAO Report: Most Protesters Receive ReliefLesson Learned: Board Holds that Only the Contracting Officer Can Bind the Government
Most government contracts include a Changes clause (notably, FAR 52.243-1), which grants the Government the right to order changes to the scope of the contractor’s work. That clause also entitles…
Continue Reading Lesson Learned: Board Holds that Only the Contracting Officer Can Bind the GovernmentLate last year, the Court of Federal Claims (“COFC”) contradicted long-standing Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) precedent on the acceptability of photocopied signatures on bid bonds finding that the Government’s reliance…
Continue Reading COFC Says GAO has been wrong on Photocopied Bid Bond Signatures for DecadesThe Federal Government is committed to developing its relationship with small and disadvantaged businesses through set-aside contracts that incentivize and protect these companies from competing with large, established competitors. But…
Continue Reading Can the Government Ignore Red Flags of Set-Aside Fraud?The general rule (FAR 14.404-1(a)) is that – once a solicitation is put out for bid – the agency must award the contract to the responsible bidder with…
Continue Reading How to Protest an Agency’s Decision Canceling a SolicitationThis is the eighth (and last) of an eight-part series addressing cutting-edge strategies for Certified Claims under the Contract Disputes Act (CDA). Certified Claims are the primary avenue available to…
Continue Reading CDA Claim Series Wrap Up: Best Practices for Government ContactorsAbout this Blog
Authored by attorneys in the firm’s Federal Government Contracts & Procurement Practice, this blog addresses current and future issues affecting federal contractors and procurement professionals in both the Washington, D.C., area and throughout the United States.