Labor Day has a way of sneaking up on the federal market. The fiscal year is closing, the fourth-quarter obligation sprint is in full swing, and most of us are also trying to squeeze one more week out of summer
McCarter & English, LLP
McCarter & English, LLP is a law firm with multiple offices across the United States. The firm publishes insights and analysis primarily focused on various legal practice areas including corporate law, litigation, intellectual property, labor and employment, government contracts, and regulatory compliance. Their content often addresses developments in federal acquisition regulations, defense procurement, cost accounting standards, and government shutdown impacts on contractors. The firm provides detailed commentary on legal and regulatory changes affecting industries such as energy, healthcare, technology, and finance. Their publications serve clients and professionals seeking updates on legal strategies, compliance issues, and industry-specific legal challenges.
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Latest from McCarter & English, LLP - Page 3
Prove the Policy, Not the Story: SBA’s Final Rule Rewrites the 8(a) Social Disadvantage Test
The proposed rule is now history. On August 11, 2026, the Small Business Administration (SBA) published its final rule, Reforms to 13 CFR 124.103 To Remove SBA’s 8(a) Program’s Rebuttable Presumption of Social Disadvantage for Individually Owned Firms Only, 91…
Meet George Jetson’s Government Contractor: 3D Printing, CUI, and Who Owns the Recipe
I’m totally aging myself (due to reruns) but The Jetsons (created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera (1962-63)), promised us a future where you pushed a button and the “Food-a-Rac-a-Cycle,” a machine, made whatever you wanted. Dinner. Clothes. Maybe an…
Credit Where Credit Isn’t Due: GAO Sustains Protest Where VA Credited the Awardee for the Government’s Own Work
Two proposals rated Exceptional. Two past performance ratings of Substantial Confidence. A price gap of nearly $15 million between the two offerors. On that record, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) did what source selection authorities routinely do. It declared…
DoD Suspends CMMC Phase 2. What Happened, What It Means, and What Nobody Is Telling You
By Alex Major
On July 13, 2026, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced the immediate suspension of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Phase 2, which had been scheduled to take effect on November 10, 2026. Phase 2 would have made third-party…
Grounded Before Takeoff: A Cautionary Tale on the “Late-Is-Late” Rule
Peak summer travel season has jet fuel moving by the millions of gallons, so there is a certain irony in a fuel-supply dispute that turned on an email no one at the agency ever opened. A contractor sent its proposal…
Here Comes the Boom: SBA Proposes New 8(a) “Social Disadvantage” Test
On June 11, 2026, the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a much-anticipated proposed rule aimed at overhauling the 8(a) Business Development Program. More specifically, the proposed rule, entitled “Reforms To Remove SBA’s 8(a) Program’s Rebuttable Presumption of Social Disadvantage” and…
A Field Guide To NDC Status: Identifying The Defense Industry’s Newest (And Oldest) Protected Species
In December 2025, Section 1826 of the FY 2026 NDAA created one of the most valuable classifications in defense contracting and most companies that qualify don’t know it yet. Qualify as a “nontraditional defense contractor” and you’re exempt from certified…
Chambers USA Ranks McCarter’s Government Contracts Practice Band 1 Nationwide for 2026; Partners Turner and Major Also Ranked
McCarter & English’s Government Contracts practice has once again ranked Band 1 nationally by Chambers USA for 2026. Partner Alex Major is ranked Band 1 Nationwide: Government Contracts-Cybersecurity, and both Major and partner Franklin Turner are ranked nationwide for Government…
China Supply Chain Compliance Is Becoming Whack-a-Mole
By Alex Major
Why a clean name-match screen is no longer enough, and why the diligence meant to find hidden China exposure can create risk on the other side of the Pacific.
Picture the boardwalk version of supply-chain compliance. It’s August. Fingers are…