In Life Science Logistics, LLC v. United States,[1] the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (“Federal Circuit”) affirmed that a disappointed bidder challenging an agency’s override of a Competition in Contracting Act (“CICA”) stay must only
Latest from The Federal Government Contracts & Procurement Blog - Page 2
SBIR/STTR Program Reauthorized Through 2031: What Small Business Contractors Need to Know
On April 13th, 2026, President Trump signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, which amends the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 14A). The Act reauthorizes the Small Business Innovation Research (“SBIR”) and Small Business Technology Transfer (“STTR”)
First DEI Settlement Under the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative Targets Conduct Pre-Dating the Current Administration
On April 10, 2026, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced a $17 million civil False Claims Act (“FCA”) settlement with IBM Corporation. This is the first FCA settlement reached under the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, which was created in May
FCA 101: Materiality
This is the fourth blog in a series on the False Claims Act (FCA), 31 USC §§ 3729, et seq., which targets any person that knowingly submits false claims for payment or false statements material to false claims to the
Protecting Protest Rights When a Procurement Scandal Is Unfolding
New revelations are emerging almost daily regarding procurement irregularities during the last 14 months at the highest levels of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Among other things, former Secretary Noem was featured in a $220 million advertising campaign that
Has GSA Adopted DOD’s CMMC Requirements?
If your organization handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) for the federal government, take note: the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has just raised the bar on compliance. On January 5, 2026, GSA published new requirements for contractors and other nonfederal
What GSA’s New Draft AI Procurement Clause Could Mean for Your GSA Schedule Contract
On March 6, 2026, the General Services Administration (“GSA”) published a draft contract clause, GSAR 552.239-7001, “Basic Safeguarding of Artificial Intelligence Systems,” that would establish binding requirements for contractors using artificial intelligence (“AI”) under GSA Multiple Award Schedule (“MAS”)
Acknowledging Amendments: When Is an Amendment Material to an Invitation for Bids?
When does a bidder’s failure to acknowledge an amendment to an Invitation for Bids (IFB) render the bidder nonresponsive? Generally, the FAR requires bidders to acknowledge receipt of material amendments to an IFB, but permits agencies to either allow a
The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals Issues New Rules of Procedure for Its Adjudicatory Role in the Administrative False Claims Act
On January 28, 2026, the United States Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA) issued final rulemaking to address its role in hearing and resolving disputes under the Administrative False Claims Act (AFCA), formerly known as the Program Fraud Civil Remedies
A Recent Federal Circuit Case Highlights the Perils of Not Intervening in a Bid Protest and Raises Issues Caused by a Party’s Failure To File a Redacted Pleading
A federal contractor whose contract award is challenged in a bid protest often faces a dilemma: whether to intervene and participate in the litigation. Intervention generally requires an awardee to retain counsel who can be admitted under a protective order