Government Contracts

Those of us who have spent time working in—or with—the federal government over the past several decades know that government shutdowns are not entirely uncommon.  There have actually been a total of 21 government shutdowns over the past 50 years, with the last occurring in 2019 and the longest lasting 35 days. By the...

A recent GAO protest decision, Wright Brothers Aero, Inc., B-423326.2, July 7, 2025, provides contractors with a helpful reminder of the risks posed by delaying a protest, even if the contractor believes that they do not “definitively” know of a basis for protest. GAO’s Bid Protest Regulations contain strict rules regarding timeliness, and disappointed...

On August 22, 2024, the Department of Justice (DoJ) filed a lengthy complaint againstGeorgia Tech alleging that the university had misrepresented its compliance with several important cybersecurity regulations that outline what contractors must to do to protect government information residing on, passing through, or accessible by contractor systems. Ironically, the complaint focuses on allegedly...

Attention all DoD contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers! Last week, DoD issued its proposal to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Supplement (DFARS) to incorporate solicitation and contractual requirements to implement CMMC 2.0, once finalized. As part of the notice and comment process, DoD seeks comments by October 15, 2024. Speak Now! What’s in the new...

If Congress cannot pass a new funding plan by October 1, 2023 (the start of the federal fiscal year), the Government will “shut down” financially at 12:01 A.M. and that shut-down will last until Congress signs a new funding bill into law. The question is—what do you do as a government contractor when faced...

Applications for the Small Business Administration (“SBA”)’s 8(a) program are currently on hold as the SBA develops its response to a decision from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee (the “district court”) finding one element of the program unconstitutional.  The district court’s decision is somewhat old news, at least in...