The Procurement Playbook

Earlier this year, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed different versions of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (“FY 2018 NDAA”).  The Senate version contained dramatic bid protest reforms that, with the exception of the reforms to debriefing, were largely unpopular in the government contracting community.  The House […]

Most government contractors are well-aware that the road to preserving and pursuing a claim against the government is one where opportunities for contractors to waive or otherwise lose their right to assert valid claims abound. In a decision where form has once again prevailed over substance, the Armed Services Board […]

Last week, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC) published an opinion in Sonoran Tech. and Professional Services, LLC, v. United States, dismissing all of Sonoran’s bid protest claims as untimely.  There are a number of timeliness issues discussed in the Sonoran opinion.  One of the holdings from Sonoran that contractors (especially awardees with contracts under protest) need […]

Howard Roth authored an article on Buy America and Buy American for the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Below, learn about the differences between the two acts and why they matter to contractors. In this first year of Donald Trump’s administration, American sourcing requirements are receiving heightened focus that impacts […]

Escobar was initially feared as authorizing another avenue for plaintiffs bringing False Claims Act (FCA) claims. Some federal district courts, however, have used the two-step test of Escobar as a stringent requirement for an implied certification theory for proceeding against a contractor. Other courts, however, have charted a different pathfinding that […]

A recent case makes clear the importance of focusing on the fundamentals, such as knowing the rules on who the government is required to pay on a government contract.  In The Hanover Insurance v. United States, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims recently found that a surety’s letter to the […]

Under the National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAAs), Congress provides legislation on various aspects of how the Department of Defense (DOD) defines and purchases commercial items. In July, Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a study on detailing (1) trends in the DOD’s acquisition of commercial items; and (2) recent NDAA changes […]

Oles Morrison attorney Howard W. Roth commented to the L.A. Times on proposed “Buy American” provisions in NAFTA. Howard explained that while proponents for “Buy American” cite a Government Accountability Office review stating that the U.S. has available twice as much government procurement to foreign companies, a lot of other countries just […]

With every new administration, there is both great uncertainty and opportunity in federal government contracting. To help you navigate the rough seas of doing business with the federal government in this new administration, we have assembled nationally recognized practitioners who will cover topics relevant to government contractors large and small, novice […]

On July 25, 2017, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Wage and Hour Division, issued a memorandum increasing the health and welfare fringe benefits rate for contracts covered by the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act (SCA). The SCA requires contractors and subcontractors performing work on federally funded prime contracts in excess […]

In April, we wrote about  how President Trump’s estimated $1 trillion infrastructure plan may come with possible repeal or suspension of the Davis Bacon Act (DBA).  A few months later, and the Trump Administration seems to be singing a different tune.  More recently, comments from Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao suggest that […]

Following Executive Order 13788 issued April 18, 2017, “Buy American and Hire American,” contractors and subcontractors should prepare for increased enforcement of the Buy American Act (BAA), Buy America legislation, the “Little Buy American Acts,” and related civil or criminal prosecution under the False Claims Acts (FCA). In recent years, […]

It is common for corporations to compensate executives (and other employees) based upon stock price performance.  Tax implications lend support for this practice with respect to high-paid employees, as executive compensation is only deductible up to a limit of $1 million per year, so companies are inclined to compensate executives […]

This post is the second in a multi-part series discussing the fundamental steps that protesters (and their outside counsel) can take to enhance their chances of success at GAO.  Previously, in Part 1 of this series, we discussed the importance of making the most of your debriefing.  Today, in Part 2 of […]

In a decision publicly released June 5, 2017, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) ruled in favor of Oles Morrison Rinker & Baker LLP’s (“Oles Morrison”) client, TOTE Services, Inc. (TOTE), in a bid protest challenging the U.S. Navy – Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) award of $32 million O/M contract […]