The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is often described as the “bible” of federal procurement. For decades, it has governed how agencies acquire goods and services, and how contractors compete for, win, and perform government contracts. While incremental updates are common, the federal procurement community is now bracing for the implementation of an effort describing itself
In a recent decision, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) clarified its minimum pleading standard for bid protests. The decision was a bit unusual because, unlike the courts, the GAO rarely uses published decisions to address procedural issues. Nevertheless, the pleading standard described in the decision, which was prompted by a Congressional reporting mandate, provides
As the federal government continues to modernize procurement processes and embrace emerging technologies, contractors are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) tools to streamline their responses to solicitations. From drafting technical proposals to analyzing past performance data, AI offers considerable potential to improve efficiency, accuracy, and competitiveness. However, as with any transformative tool, the use
In a cautionary decision that reinforces the importance of strict compliance with solicitation instructions, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently denied in part and dismissed in part a protest challenging a contractor’s elimination from a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) procurement.
The recent case — FI Consulting, Inc. (FIC) — centers on a seemingly minor
As the regulatory environment continues to evolve in the new administration, U.S. government contractors are facing an increasingly complex array of legal challenges. Staying compliant and competitive requires close attention to several ongoing legal issues in addition to emerging ones:
Cybersecurity remains a top priority for federal agencies, and
On March 14, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order rescinding several policies from the previous administration, including Executive Order 14026, which had increased the minimum wage for federal contractors.
Signed on April 27, 2021, by then-President Joe Biden, Executive Order 14026 mandated that federal contractors pay a minimum
In light of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) recent efforts to reduce the number of federal government contracts and purportedly streamline the procurement process, it has never been more critical for federal contractors to understand the importance of bid protests. These protests can have far-reaching consequences for all parties involved, from the protester to
On January 30, 2024, the Biden administration proposed a rule (the Salary Rule) that would amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to “prohibit contractors and subcontractors from seeking and considering information about a job applicant’s compensation history when making employment decisions for certain positions.” The new rule would also require contractors and subcontractors to disclose
Bradley’s Government Contracts Practice Group recently published a Law360 Expert Analysis article entitled “The 5 Most Important Bid Protest Decisions of 2023.” This article provides summaries of the most noteworthy bid protest decisions from the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the Government Accountability Office in 2023 and discusses how these cases might shape future