The Rise of OTAs in Defense Contracting: Opportunities, Risks, and What Contractors Need to Know
CHPS Podcast Episode 5: The Future of Federal Procurement
2024-2025 Bid Protest Decisions with Far-Reaching Impacts for Government Contractors
SBA’s Final Rule Is Here: Key Takeaways on Updates to HUBZone Program, Other Small Business Programs, and Various Small Business Matters
Mitigating FOCI Under Section 847
Navigating Bid Protest Choices at GAO and COFC
Sustainable Procurement: A Closer Look at the New Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
DE Under 3: FAR Council Seeks to Require Federal Contractors to Report First-Tier Subcontractor Information, Including Potentially Executive Compensation Data
New Wave of Pay Transparency Requirements Affects Employers and Federal Contractors
Recent Bid Protest Decisions Reshape Strategies for Future Government Contractor Success
DE Under 3: FAR Council's Latest Proposed Rule & OFCCP's 10 New FAQs on Compensation History
Excitement, Turbulence & Confusion: The Top 10 Employment Law Issues That Affected Federal Contractors in 2023
Successor Government Contractor Hiring Obligations Change: DOL’s Long Awaited Nondisplacement Rule
DE Under 3: FAR Council Submitted for OMB Approval Proposed Rule on “Pay Equity and Transparency in Federal Contracting”
DE Under 3: FAR Council Issued Final Rule Requiring Unionized Workforces on Large Federal Construction Projects
Intellectual Property In Department of Defense Contracting
Podcast - Navigating the TikTok Ban: Implications for Government Contractors
[Podcast] TikTok off the Clock: Navigating the TikTok Ban on Devices for Government Contractors
This small law firm has a BIG niche blog that brings in the clients - Legally Contented podcast
For those who grew up gripping a joystick and dodging alien fire in Defender, riding ostriches through floating platforms in Joust, or crossing a hectic freeway in Frogger, winning wasn’t about memorizing rules; it was about...more
On June 6, 2025, President Trump issued a new executive order, “Sustaining Select Efforts to Strengthen the Nation’s Cybersecurity and Amending Executive Order 13694 and Executive Order 14144” (EO), signaling the construction...more
The Department of Defense (DoD) is revving its engines again—this time to rocket past its own software acquisition drag. Launched via an April 24 memo from Acting DoD CIO Katie Arrington, the DoD’s Software Fast Track (SWFT)...more
Transactions that involve government contracts carry a unique set of challenges. Unlike a typical merger or acquisition, deals involving government contracts require the navigation of a complex web of federal laws,...more
For many businesses, contracting with the U.S. government represents a significant opportunity for stable and often long-term revenue. However, doing business with the federal government comes with unique requirements,...more
On April 15, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) released official guidance on Organizationally Defined Parameters (ODPs) appearing in the newly published NIST SP 800-171 Revision 3. At the same time, the DoD reaffirmed...more
The FAR Council issued a proposed rule that would amend the several FAR provisions and add new clauses to provide guidance on the safe handling of CUI. Public comments on the proposed rule are being accepted until March 17,...more
On January 15, 2025, the FAR Council finally released a proposed rule (the Rule)1 regulating the use and handling of controlled unclassified information (CUI) as a part of the general strategy to reduce threats of...more
In his final days in office, President Biden signed an ambitious executive order to improve the federal government's approach to cybersecurity. Executive Order 14114 ("Executive Order"), issued January 16, 2025, titled...more
The wait is finally over! After more than 14 years of anticipation, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) Proposed Rule on Controlled Unclassified Information (“CUI”) was released on January 15, 2025 and comes as part of...more
On January 15, 2025, the Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration (GSA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (collectively, “the FAR Council”) issued a long-anticipated proposed...more
On January 15, 2025, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council published a proposed rule (the FAR CUI Rule) that would amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to impose government-wide cybersecurity, training, and...more
After years of anticipation, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council has announced the arrival of its proposed rule to enhance the safeguarding of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in federal contracts (the...more
To kick off the New Year (and as is now tradition, since we put out a similar Recap & Forecast last year), Sheppard Mullin’s Governmental Practice Cybersecurity & Data Protection Team has prepared a cybersecurity-focused 2024...more
On October 15, 2024, the Department of Defense (DoD) published the final rule for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program that not only finalizes the long-anticipated CMMC Rule but also foreshadows what...more
After numerous fits and starts, on October 14, the Department of Defense (DoD) published a final rule implementing the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program. Borne from documented deficiencies in the...more
The CMMC program is designed to ensure that federal contract information (“FCI”) and Controlled Unclassified Information (“CUI”) are sufficiently protected by government contractors. For example, the CMMC program requires...more
The Department of Justice (DOJ) secured another win for its Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative last week when it resolved a False Claims Act (FCA) action[1] alleging Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) failed to comply with...more
Some might say there’s little difference between dealing with the devil and being a federal contractor. And for the unwary or unprepared, that may not be far off. Federal contracting comes with a litany of “fine print” that...more
So far, 2024 has been another very busy year for U.S. cybersecurity regulation. Among the top priorities has been software security, as we previewed early this year. Companies that sell software to the federal government or...more
Much has been and will be written on responsibility determinations and compliance programs in federal contracting, particularly at the intersection of cybersecurity and recent developments. Although a federal contract is not...more
Last October, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council proposed two new rules, one of which that will influence cyber incident response practices. The scope is limited as it only applies to federal government...more
Over the holidays, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) issued proposed rules for updating its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program from its existing Defense Acquisition Regulatory Supplement (DFARS)...more
Designed for busy in-house counsel and compliance professionals, this newsletter seeks to bring you up to speed on key federal and state False Claims Act (FCA) developments, with links to primary resources. Each quarter, we...more
Last month the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council announced a major proposal regarding cybersecurity incident reporting and information. Comments currently are now due by February 2, 2024....more