Bradley is pleased to announce the publication of GovCon Source, the firm’s newest blog covering legal developments in government contracts and bid protests. This new blog will be the new home for government contracts information and will no longer be a regularly reported topic on the firm’s BuildSmart blog.
The GovCon Source blog discusses
A recent order from the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals in Zhang v. General Services Administration offers important guidance on the scope of discovery obligations in federal contract disputes — particularly where responsive records are held not by the respondent agency, but by a separate federal entity.
The decision merits attention for its analysis of
Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements have become one of the most important — and most misunderstood — vehicles for doing business with the federal government. Once limited to niche research programs, OTAs are now widely used across the Department of Defense and civilian agencies to accelerate acquisition of emerging technologies, prototypes, and innovative capabilities.
For
A recent executive order marks a significant policy shift in federal procurement by directing agencies to default to fixed-price, performance-based contracting. Framed as an effort to promote fiscal discipline, transparency, and accountability, the order reflects concerns about cost overruns and inefficiencies associated with cost-reimbursement models. This post examines the order’s key provisions, its legal and
The Cost Accounting Standards Board (CASB) has proposed a significant overhaul to CAS applicability thresholds — one that is clearly aimed at reducing compliance burdens, simplifying CAS administration, and expanding competition in the federal marketplace. If implemented, these changes would represent one of the most meaningful deregulatory CAS reforms in decades, particularly for growing mid-size
Government contracting can feel like learning a new language. Even sophisticated commercial vendors often struggle with the rules, acronyms, and procedural traps that come with selling to federal agencies.
Below are 25 of the most common questions contractors search online — along with short, practical answers designed for business owners, compliance teams, and government contracts
Federal contractors are often familiar with the well-defined bid protest processes at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and agency-level forums. But contractors pursuing state and local government work quickly learn that bid protests at the state and local level are a different animal entirely.
Instead of one uniform set
On March 26, 2026, the president issued an executive order titled “Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors”, directing federal agencies to include a new mandatory contract clause prohibiting federal contractors and subcontractors from engaging in “racially discriminatory DEI activities.” The order also expressly links compliance to False Claims Act (FCA) materiality, signaling heightened enforcement
The first quarter of 2026 brought significant legal, regulatory, and compliance developments that federal contractors and government procurement professionals must understand. From transformative regulatory initiatives to high-profile executive actions and agency guidance, these shifts reflect changing priorities across the federal acquisition landscape. Below is a summary of the most impactful trends and legal updates through
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced that IBM agreed to pay $17,077,043 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) in connection with its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring and employment practices. This resolution — the first under the DOJ’s Civil Rights Fraud Initiative — underscores heightened regulatory scrutiny