Contractors Should Seek to Distinguish Themselves in More Competitive Environment -
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) on May 27, 2025, issued a memorandum implementing Executive Order (EO) 14222. As Holland & Knight...more
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) on May 27, 2025, issued a memorandum implementing Executive Order (EO) 14222. As our team previously summarized, EO 14222 implemented the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) "cost...more
5/30/2025
/ Consultants ,
Contract Amendments ,
Contract Termination ,
Contract Terms ,
Defense Contracts ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Government Agencies ,
Information Technology ,
New Guidance ,
Policy Memorandums ,
Procurement Guidelines ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Service Contracts ,
Trump Administration
A significant number of government contracts and grants have been terminated recently by federal agencies pursuant to the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) "cost efficiency initiative" and review of "covered...more
5/8/2025
/ Contract Disputes ,
Contract Termination ,
Corporate Liability ,
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) ,
Executive Orders ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Grants ,
Fraud ,
Risk Management ,
Settlement ,
Trump Administration ,
Whistleblowers
The Trump Administration's policies on artificial intelligence (AI) have been shaped by an executive order (EO) and two memoranda aimed at promoting the use of AI in government operations while ensuring safety, security and...more
President Donald Trump issued an executive order on federal procurement titled "Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement" on April 15, 2025 (the April 15 EO), directing that the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) be...more
4/21/2025
/ Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Procurement Systems ,
Government Agencies ,
National Security ,
NDAA ,
OMB ,
Procurement Guidelines ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Trump Administration
President Donald Trump on April 9, 2025, signed three executive orders (EOs) focused on accelerating defense procurement, improving foreign defense sales between the U.S. and its allies and revitalizing American maritime...more
4/14/2025
/ Defense Contracts ,
Defense Sector ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Procurement Systems ,
National Security ,
OMB ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Trump Administration
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced a new initiative on March 24, 2025, that put its Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contractors on notice that it is making "major changes" to "improve the effectiveness of...more
The Trump Administration on March 20, 2025, issued an executive order titled "Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement" (the EO), which will result in a major change in the landscape of...more
The first months of the Trump Administration have seen a flurry of executive orders related to government contracts. Many of these executive orders – as well as public statements by heads of federal agencies or the Department...more
3/19/2025
/ Contract Termination ,
Contract Terms ,
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Government Agencies ,
Public Contracts ,
Settlement ,
Subcontractors ,
Termination for Convenience ,
Trump Administration
The Trump Administration issued an executive order (EO) on Feb. 26, 2025, implementing the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) "cost efficiency initiative" that seeks to transform federal spending on contracts,...more
3/5/2025
/ Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Grants ,
Federal Loans ,
Federal Procurement Systems ,
Government Agencies ,
Grants ,
OMB ,
Policy Updates
The Trump Administration is in the midst of reviewing prior administrations' spending priorities and federal government contracts and has begun announcing a variety of actions to suspend and/or terminate pending and awarded...more
2/6/2025
/ Bid Protests ,
Breach of Contract ,
Contract Disputes ,
Contract Terms ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Popular ,
Procurement Guidelines ,
Prompt Payment ,
Risk Management ,
Stop Work Orders
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on Dec. 17, 2024, issued a Final Rule that substantially changes the effect of recertifications of size and socioeconomic status under set-aside contracts following the merger or...more
1/14/2025
/ Acquisitions ,
Compliance ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Final Rules ,
Government Agencies ,
Mergers ,
Multiple Award Contracts ,
Recertification ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
SBA ,
Set-Aside Contracts ,
Small Business
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on Aug. 23, 2024, issued a Proposed Rule that significantly changes the effect of recertifications of size and socioeconomic status under set-aside contracts following a merger or...more
9/25/2024
/ Acquisitions ,
Certification Requirements ,
Certifications ,
Comment Period ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Procurement Systems ,
Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) ,
MACs ,
Mentor-Protege Program ,
Mergers ,
NPRM ,
Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) ,
Procurement Guidelines ,
Proposed Amendments ,
Proposed Rules ,
Public Comment ,
SAM ,
SBA ,
Set-Aside Contracts ,
Small Business
As in prior years, the upcoming end of the federal fiscal year will be marked by a flurry of contract and task order awards, as federal agencies busily obligate remaining fiscal year 2023 appropriated funds while still...more
The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force released updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Federal Contractors on Nov. 1, 2021, regarding its COVID-19 Workplace Safety: Guidance for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors...more
11/4/2021
/ Affiliates ,
Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Covered Employer ,
Discipline ,
Employer Mandates ,
Enforcement ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Good Faith ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Public Employees ,
Public Employers ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Religious Accommodation ,
Safety Precautions ,
SBA ,
Social Distancing ,
Subcontractors ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
As required by President Joe Biden's Executive Order on Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors on Sept. 9, 2021, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (the Task Force) issued its COVID-19 Workplace...more
9/27/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Covered Employer ,
Employer Mandates ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
New Guidance ,
Public Contracts ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Subcontractors ,
Title VII ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
President Joe Biden signed on Jan. 25, 2021, executive order (EO) "Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of America's Workers," that directs a process for updating domestic preferences. This EO builds upon a...more
1/27/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Buy America ,
Buy American Act ,
Buy American and Hire American ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Information Technology ,
Made in the USA ,
Manufacturers ,
OMB ,
Public Procurement Policies ,
Rescission ,
Suppliers ,
Trade Agreements ,
Transparency ,
Trump Administration
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) issued a final rule, which generally adopts the Trump Administration's July 2019...more
As the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continues to spread throughout the United States, many government contractors are faced with unknown questions about continuing performance on contracts. Given the fast-moving situation,...more
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) ruled on Dec. 20, 2019, that the "Rule of Two" of the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006 (VBA) does not require the U.S. General Services...more
1/14/2020
/ Department of Veterans Affairs ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
GAO ,
GSAR ,
Leaseholds ,
Leases ,
Procurement Guidelines ,
Rule of Two ,
Small Business ,
Veterans ,
Veterans Administration
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), (collectively, the Agencies) just issued a Proposed Rule that addresses...more
7/1/2019
/ Comment Period ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Final Rules ,
General Services Administration (GSA) ,
NASA ,
NDAA ,
Proposed Rules ,
Public Comment ,
SBA ,
Small Business ,
Subcontractors
This is the fourth blog post in a series analyzing the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) as signed into law on Aug. 13, 2018. Stay tuned for more blog posts covering additional topics in the near future from...more
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently issued several proposed rules and a final rule amending the VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) as part of a phased approach intended to streamline the VAAR to eliminate...more
9/19/2018
/ Bid Protests ,
Bid Solicitation ,
Construction Contracts ,
Department of Veterans Affairs ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Final Rules ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Procurement Guidelines ,
Proposed Rules ,
Service Contracts ,
Small Business ,
Subcontractors ,
Veterans
On Aug. 31, 2018, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) issued Class Deviation 2018-O00018, which increases the micro-purchase threshold for DoD procurements from $5,000 to $10,000. The deviation implements Section 821 of the...more
For those of you who have ever protested a solicitation before the Government Accountability Office (GAO), you know about GAO’s strict rules regarding timeliness. Under GAO rules, a document is considered filed on a...more