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
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
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
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
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
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...more
The first week of the second Trump Administration brought with it the issuance of dozens of executive orders (EO) that suggest far reaching implications for organizations large and small, for profit and non-profit alike....more
Acquisition Regulation: Foreign Tax Reporting, Conference Planning, and Trade and Investment Activities, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) - USAID is amending its Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) about...more
NIST Seeks Small Business Input for Chips Manufacturing Data and Analysis - As the United States works to bolster its semiconductor manufacturing capacity, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is...more
Although the United States military’s role in Afghanistan effectively ended in August 2021, the Government’s fraud watchdog for operations in Afghanistan, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Recovery (“SIGAR”),...more
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS - House Passes Sweeping $1.5 Trillion Omnibus Spending Bill - The Hill reported that the House passed a sweeping $1.5 trillion omnibus spending package to fund the government, hours after lawmakers...more
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT - DOD Guidance for COVID-19 Vaccination Attestation, Screening Testing, and Vaccination Verification - The Department of Defense published a memorandum that provides updated guidance for implementing...more
Government Contractor Pleads Guilty to Defrauding the Afghan Government of $100 Million - The owner of Assist Consultants Incorporated (ACI), an Afghan company that has received over $250 million in US-funded contracts...more
On April 10, 2020, the President issued a Memorandum to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (“DVA”) authorizing the exercise of authority under Public Law 85-804, 50 U.S.C. §§ 1431-35. (See Memorandum on...more
Federal contractors, grantees and cooperative agreement holders performing work overseas face enormous and broad-ranging challenges related to their work and the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. These include...more
This installment of our monthly Law360 bid protest spotlight features three noteworthy decisions from the Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) concerning reprocurement contracts, timeliness rules, and discussions. Steel...more
CLIENT ALERT: FAR Council Changes Rules Regarding Small Business Rerepresentation / Recertification and Multiple Award Contracts - On February 27, 2020, the FAR Council published a final rule that amends the Federal...more
Somewhat surprisingly, the end of 2019 provided two decisions regarding defective certifications, including one from the Federal Circuit. The first case, Kirlin Builders, LLC, ASBCA No. 61901, reminds readers that a...more
Our monthly edition of the “Government Contracts Regulatory and Legislative Update” offers a summary of and insight into the relevant industry developments that occurred during the previous month. Executive Orders - ...more
Two recent False Claims Act (FCA) settlements between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and transportation companies point to the continuation of a recent trend by the DOJ to use the FCA as a significant enforcement tool...more
In recent years, civil enforcement efforts involving the FCA have grown significantly. Today, the FCA impacts a vast array of businesses, as it is commonly used to redress false claims for government funds involving...more