The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia recently issued a significant ruling in City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, et al. v. Christopher Wright, addressing constitutional constraints on executive agency conduct in the context of federal grant terminations. The decision — issued by Judge Amit P. Mehta — saw the court enter judgment
As 2025 draws to a close, both the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) and the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA) have released their annual reports for fiscal year 2025. Together, these reports offer valuable insights into contract dispute trends, case outcomes, use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), and broader developments practitioners and
The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) ostensible subcontractor rule remains one of the most consequential — and misunderstood — affiliation principles in federal procurement. For small businesses pursuing set-aside contracts, failing to navigate this rule properly can result in bid protests, loss of eligibility, and even contract termination.
Under 13
In a recent decision, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA) held that contractors performing loan-servicing work for the Department of Education are entitled to reimbursement for increased labor costs resulting from federal minimum wage and paid sick leave mandates. The ruling clarifies that such adjustments are permissible even under fixed-price contracts when the
Government shutdowns create unique challenges for federal contractors — especially when performance obligations collide with halted agency operations, furloughed contracting officers, and disrupted oversight. One often-overlooked risk during these periods is the potential for negative Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) evaluations. As outlined at FAR 42.1503(b)(2), agencies review contractor performance across a variety
Government contractors often focus on federal procurement opportunities, which are governed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) regime. However, the state-level procurement landscape presents a distinct — and often less uniform — set of rules, risks, and opportunities. For businesses expanding into state or local markets, understanding these structural and procedural differences is essential.
Colleges and universities are increasingly engaged in complex relationships with the federal government — through contracts, cooperative agreements, and research grants that fund everything from infrastructure and cybersecurity to medical and defense-related innovations. With billions of dollars in federal funding flowing annually to higher education institutions, compliance with government contracting and grant requirements is not
Under Executive Order 14275, Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement, and accompanying OMB Memorandum M-25-26, the FAR Council is undertaking a comprehensive redesign of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). The stated goal of this “Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO)” is to streamline the FAR, eliminate non-statutory or duplicative provisions, adopt clearer or “plain language”
When a federal government shutdown occurs, contractors often face difficult decisions about whether to continue performance on certain contracts. In some cases, contractors may feel pressure — from either operational necessity or the government’s informal requests — to keep working despite funding lapses. However, doing so can expose a contractor to significant financial and legal
The current federal government shutdown is on Day 8 as of the date of this post. The section of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that handles bid protests is included in the portion of the government that is currently shutdown. The GAO has stated on its website that because of the shutdown, certain timeliness rules