VA Proposes to End Disparate-Impact Liability Under Title VI: What Recipients of VA Federal Financial Assistance Should Know
Article by: Rory Hatch, Associate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VI”) bans discrimination in federally funded programs. But how far does that ban go? Does it cover only deliberate discrimination, or the unintended effects of neutral policies as well? The Department of Veterans Affairs has a new proposed rule...
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DOJ and FTC Signal New Direction on Competitor Collaborations: Implications for Government Contractors
In a series of recent developments, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) have signaled a shift in how they will evaluate collaborations among competitors—an issue that could have significant implications for government contractors that rely on teaming agreements, joint ventures, and subcontracting relationships in federal procurement. In December 2024,...
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SBA Proposes New Social Disadvantage Test for Individually Owned 8(a) Applicants, Eliminating the Rebuttable Presumption
On June 11, 2026, the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) published a proposed rule that would revise how individually owned small businesses establish social disadvantage for purposes of the Section 8(a) Business Development Program (the “8(a) Program”), 91 Fed. Reg. 35433 (June 11, 2026). The proposed rule would remove the longstanding rebuttable presumption of...
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The FAR Overhaul’s CUI Rule Heads to Formal Rulemaking: What Contractors Should Watch
Article by: Steffanie Lee On Tuesday, June 23, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council published the first tranche of proposed FAR rules in the Federal Register, formally opening public comment on the first wave of its Revolutionary FAR Overhaul. This first set spans roughly 17 FAR Parts, with additional batches expected in the coming months....
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The Navy’s 2026 Shipbuilding Plan: Acquisition Reform and Industrial Capacity Take Center Stage
In May 2026, the Department of the Navy released its latest Shipbuilding Plan (the “Plan”), outlining a long-term vision for expanding and modernizing the Fleet while simultaneously addressing longstanding acquisition and industrial-base challenges. While the Plan discusses future fleet composition and procurement priorities, one of its most notable themes is the Navy’s recognition that...
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Harden It or Ship It? What the AI Executive Order and NSPM-11 Mean for Government Contractors
Within three days in early June 2026, the White House issued two major artificial intelligence (“AI”) policy directives. On June 2, President Trump signed the Executive Order, Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security (the “EO”). On June 5, he signed National Security Presidential Memorandum/NSPM-11 (the “Memorandum”). Read together, the two actions are designed...
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