Continuing threats to the supply chain pose increasing risks to our national security. The new interim Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rule published on August 13, 2019, seeks to address certain of these threats by imposing new representation and reporting requirements on contractors and their subcontractors (herein “contractors”) in the new FAR 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain
Helping individuals, companies, and organizations understand key legal and practical considerations for promoting compliance and making better business decisions in these types of federal, state, and local government contracting matters MORE
Statutes and Regulations
Digging into the Details of the Latest Buy American Executive Order for Federal Construction Contractors
E.O. 13858 Reiterates the Need for Strict Application of Buy American Rules on Infrastructure Projects
On January 31, 2019 President Trump issued his “Executive Order on Strengthening Buy-American Preferences for Infrastructure Projects” (E.O. 13858). The Order is a re-assertion of and expansion upon his April 18, 2017 “Executive Order on Buy American and…
FAA Announces Audit of Its Award Practices for Major Acquisition Program Contracts
In order to operate, maintain, and modernize the National Airspace System (NAS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) relies on an expansive portfolio of capital assets. Acquisition plays a key role in supporting FAA’s mission to operate the NAS and modernize air traffic control through implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The NextGen…
OFCCP Announces New “Voluntary Enterprise-wide Review Program”
On February 13, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”) issued Directive 2019-04, “Voluntary Enterprise-wide Review Program (VERP).” VERP is essentially an elective audit program and, while it may seem to have some appealing components, it is hard to imagine how the risk of participation would outweigh the reward…
SCOTUS False Claims Act Statute of Limitations Decision Looms Large
As most federal government contractors know, the False Claims Act (“FCA”), 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–33, can be a trap for the unscrupulous. The penalties associated with FCA violations can be steep, and the myriad other consequences (including debarment) can create an existential crisis. Government contractors would do well to pay attention to the FCA’s latest…