The Rise of OTAs in Defense Contracting: Opportunities, Risks, and What Contractors Need to Know
Podcast - Navigating the Updated SF-328 Form
Podcast - A Comparative Guide to Obtaining an FCL: DCSA vs. the Intelligence Community
Diversifying Your Contract Pipeline by Maximizing Opportunities through the DOD’s Mentor Protégé Program
A Comprehensive Overview of FOCI Mitigation
Podcast - Defense Dynamics: Navigating the Post-Election Landscape for the National Security Sector, Part 2
Mitigating FOCI Under Section 847
Episode 345 -- Raytheon Pays $950 Million to Resolve Fraud, FCPA, ITAR and False Claims Act Violations
Everyone Come to Play: Exploring FOCI Mitigation Instruments
Defense Dynamics: Navigating the Post-Election Landscape for the National Security Sector
Podcast - Navigating M&A Due Diligence: Safeguarding Security Clearances
Podcast - Change Condition Packages: Tips for Cleared Contractors
Podcast - Corporate Documents in the Context of Clearances
Navigating Personnel Security Clearances (PCLs)
Cybersecurity Insights: Updates on CMMC Implementation and CUI Identification
What Is an FCL and How Do I Obtain One?
Protecting Our Nation’s Data: Cybersecurity Compliance for Government Contractors
Intellectual Property In Department of Defense Contracting
The When, Where, Why and How of CMMC with Fernando Machado
In the 22nd episode of "Are We All Clear? Facilitating Security Clearances," host Marina O'Brien is joined by Washington, D.C., International Trade attorney Andrew McAllister to help break down the Defense Counterintelligence...more
The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) published a press release on May 9, 2025, announcing an updated Standard Form 328 (SF-328), Certificate Pertaining to Foreign Interest. The updated form was approved...more
Section 847, which will expand foreign ownership, control or influence requirements to non-classified contracts, is on track for implementation in 2026. Section 847 of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2020...more
In Episode 15 of "Are We All Clear? Facilitating Security Clearances," host Molly O'Casey and members of Holland & Knight's International Trade Group discuss the complexities of Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI)...more
In the latest episode of "Are We All Clear?", host Molly O'Casey and national security attorney Antonia Tzinova discuss Section 847 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), aimed at mitigating Foreign Ownership,...more
In the 12th episode of "Are We All Clear? Facilitating Security Clearances," host Molly O'Casey and International Trade attorney Andrew McAllister provide insights on foreign influence, ownership or control (FOCI) mitigation...more
Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity is often the lifeblood of corporate growth. While whole treatises can be, and have been, written on cybersecurity and legal challenges during M&A activity, the following are a few key...more
As a result of a broader U.S. government effort to address supply chain vulnerabilities, Congress passed a new law focused on U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) contracting with certain entities that operate under foreign...more
The U.S. and the U.K. are focused on common national security risks, including preventing foreign access to key emerging technologies, the integrity of the defense supply chain, protection of critical infrastructure, and...more
Defense contractors and subcontractors that handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and do not have robust information-security system controls in place better get their house in order now if they want to do business...more
U.S. Reps. John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY) recently co-authored a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland calling for an investigation of a drone company with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for...more
The foreign ownership, control or influence ("FOCI") program administered by the Department of Defense's ("DoD") Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency ("DCSA"), which is by far the largest US FOCI program, continues...more
On February 24, 2022, seven cabinet agencies published reports in response to President Biden’s Executive Order (EO) 14017 with assessments of and recommendations for strengthening certain critical U.S. supply chains....more
On December 21, 2020, the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security published a Final Rule codifying the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual...more
The Department of Defense has issued a final rule codifying the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual in the Code of Federal Regulations at 32 C.F.R. Part 117, effective February 24, 2021. The NISPOM governs...more
On December 21, 2020, the Department of Defense (“DoD”) published a final rule in the Federal Register that codifies the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (“NISPOM”) in the Code of Federal Regulations...more
In a final rule effective Feb. 24, 2021, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) codified the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) in Title 32, Part 117 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Of primary...more
Not every potential buyer is a U.S. corporation controlled by U.S. interests. It is important, both for the buyer and the seller, to understand the implications of foreign ownership, control, or influence (“FOCI”) on the...more