On June 17, 2020, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) issued its first report, “Top Challenges Facing Federal Agencies: COVID-19 Emergency Relief and Response Effort” (the “Report”). PRAC was established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”). It consists of the twenty-one offices of inspectors general (OIGs) that oversee the agencies that received the bulk of the emergency funding, and it sits within the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity…

Crowell & Moring’s “All Things Protest” podcast keeps you up to date on major trends in bid protest litigation, key developments in high-profile cases, and best practices in state and federal procurement. In this episode, hosts Rob Sneckenberg and Christian Curran are joined by guest Liam O’Reilly to discuss the Federal Circuit’s recent Inserso decision and how it may impact the COFC’s waiver analysis for pre-award solicitation challenges. Listen: Crowell.com | PodBean | SoundCloud |…

Section 889(a)(1)(B) of the FY 2019 NDAA, scheduled to become effective on August 13, 2020, bars the Government from entering into a contract, or extending or renewing a contract, with any entity that uses certain covered telecommunications equipment or services. The prohibition against “use” of covered equipment applies broadly to a contractor’s “use” anywhere within the company (including affiliates), and is not limited to its performance of government contracts. Industry has expressed substantial concerns over…

On Wednesday, June 17, 2020, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (“PRAC”), composed of 21 Offices of Inspector General overseeing agencies that received the most CARES Act funds, released its first report, “Top Challenges Facing Federal Agencies: COVID-19 Emergency Relief and Response Efforts.”  The report was derived from information provided by 37 Offices of Inspector General from across the government.  PRAC is responsible for leading OIG CARES Act funding oversight.  Although the report flags concerns…

On Wednesday June 17th, SBA and Treasury issued a revised Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application implementing the extended 24-week “covered period” and the reduction in payroll cost limitation on forgiveness from 75% to 60% of costs, per the PPP Flexibility Act of 2020 enacted June 5, 2020.  In addition to revising the full forgiveness application (and issuing revised instructions), SBA also published a new “EZ” version of the forgiveness application (and associated…

Section 889(a)(1)(B) of the FY 2019 NDAA, scheduled to become effective on August 13, 2020, bars the Government from entering into a contract, or extending or renewing a contract, with any entity that uses certain covered telecommunications equipment or services. The prohibition against “use” of covered equipment applies broadly to a contractor’s “use” anywhere within the company (including affiliates), and is not limited to its performance of government contracts. Industry has expressed substantial concerns over…

The U.S. Justice Department recently recommended that other countries consider focusing on collusion in government procurement, touting the early success of its interagency strike force. During yesterday’s virtual meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Competition Committee, Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim introduced the Antitrust Division’s recently formed Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), citing “significant signs of success on a national level and in the 13 U.S. Attorney Office partner districts.” The…