Here is a rundown of last week’s top developments related to government contracts to get you back on track and ready for Monday.
1. DOWNLOADING OS DOES NOT “SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSFORM” LAPTOP
U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a final determination, finding that downloading an operating system into a laptop that was manufactured and assembled in a non-TAA-designated country was not enough to change the computer’s country of origin for purposes of U.S. government procurement.
2. U.S. MUST REPAY PAYMENTS GIVEN TO UNAUTHORIZED AGENT OF CONTRACTOR
The Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals ruled that the United States must repay an Afghan contractor for cash payments that were stolen after the Army gave them to an unauthorized apparent agent of the company. Appeal of Seven Seas Shipchandlers, LLC.
3. OFPP INTRODUCES NEW TOOL FOR RATING ACQUISITIONS
The Office of Federal Procurement Policy issued guidance last week for Acquisition 360, a feedback tool to help OFPP and agencies evaluate and improve their acquisition procedures from pre-award activities to contract award and debriefings.
4. EXEC ORDER – PLANNING FOR FEDERAL SUSTAINABILITY
President Obama signed an executive order Thursday that requires federal agencies to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2025, and introduces expanded and updated federal environmental performance goals to help cut greenhouse gas emissions across the government and the federal supply chain.
5. GSA – NOTICE OF CLASS DEVIATION
The Office of Acquisition Policy is requesting feedback on a proposed class deviation to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the General Services Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) to address common Commercial Supplier Agreement terms that are inconsistent with or create ambiguity with federal law.