By Oles Morrison on April 2, 2018 | Posted in Bid Protests
For years bid protest filings at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) have been done by e-mail (or even fax, mail or hand delivery). In January 2014, Congress directed GAO to establish a electronic filing and document dissemination system (not unlike the PACER system used by federal courts), and authorized GAO […]
By Oles Morrison on | Posted in Bid Protests
As we previously discussed, when Congress passed the FY 2018 NDAA it required the Department of Defense (“DoD”) to issue regulations providing for enhanced post-award debriefing rights on certain DoD procurements. Specifically, Congress mandated enhanced content requirements, a follow-up question process, and corresponding changes to the time to file a […]
By Oles Morrison on March 29, 2018 | Posted in Legislative and Regulatory Developments
Since at least 1945, the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the unique ability of government agencies to create binding, unwritten interpretations of their own regulations. What is most troubling about this is that the agency can make or amend its regulations during the course of a contractor’s performance. This government interpretation […]
By Oles Morrison on March 20, 2018 | Posted in False Claims Act
The Granston memorandum released in early 2018 caused a stir amongst False Claims Act qui tam relators and defendants alike. The practical effects of the Granston memo, however, are not yet fully apparent. Defendants in FCA suits should nonetheless take note that following the release of the Granston memo, the […]
By Oles Morrison on March 11, 2018 | Posted in News
Oles Morrison attorney, Jim Nagle, has been tapped to give the keynote presentation at the Alliance Northwest 2018 Conference on March 15. Jim’s keynote, “Contracting in the age of Trump,” will cover President Trump’s impact on the regulatory process, the Buy American act, the role of contractors in fulfilling the work […]
By Oles Morrison on March 1, 2018 | Posted in Procurement Issues
“Cooperative Agreements” are legal instruments that facilitate the transfer of something of value from federal executive agencies to states, local governments, and private recipients for a public purpose or benefit. Cooperative Agreements are distinct from traditional procurement contracts and thus are not subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Like […]
By Oles Morrison on February 26, 2018 | Posted in Claims and Disputes
In a recent decision, NOAA Maryland, LLC v. General Services Administration, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (“CBCA”) looked to “extrinsic” evidence outside the contract to interpret whether the government was required to pay real estate taxes. This case provides a reminder to contractors that while the CBCA is reluctant to […]
By Oles Morrison on February 22, 2018 | Posted in
Should a contractor find itself appealing a contracting officer’s denial of a claim to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) or the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA), they will likely engage in some sort of document discovery. In a world with seemingly limitless and inexpensive data storage, […]
By Oles Morrison on February 13, 2018 | Posted in Bid Protests
Despite the fact that the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC) has concurrent jurisdiction with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) over the vast majority of federal bid protests, GAO is the primary forum utilized by protesters—and by a wide margin. GAO handles approximately twenty-five times as many protests per […]
By Oles Morrison on February 5, 2018 | Posted in Other Transaction Authority
Other Transaction Authority (“OTA”) describes the streamlined procedures that federal agencies may use to procure innovative research or prototypes, without the constraints of a typical contract, grant, or cooperative agreement. This flexibility has made OTA an increasingly popular choice for federal acquisitions in recent years. OTA helps open the door […]
By Oles Morrison on February 1, 2018 | Posted in Claims and Disputes
The Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (the “Board”) recently issued another reminder in [Redacted], ASBCA No. 61065, that government contractors need to specifically reserve their rights to Contract Disputes Act claims in modifications and releases for final payment. While its name doesn’t quite rival the best of those associated […]
By Oles Morrison on January 25, 2018 | Posted in Bid Protests
The Randolph-Sheppard Act (“RSA”) grants blind persons, operating through State Licensing Agencies, mandatory priority in the award of contracts for the operation of vending facilities on federal property so long as the SLA contractor satisfies criteria established by the RSA’s implementing regulations prescribed by the U.S. Secretary of Education. In its recent […]
By Oles Morrison on January 22, 2018 | Posted in Claims and Disputes
In Appeal of American West Construction, LLC, the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals considered whether the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Government) lost its right to claim a credit under the Changes Clause by waiving its right to insist on compliance with the contract specifications prior to insisting on […]
By Oles Morrison on January 18, 2018 | Posted in Cybersecurity
Federal government contractors, grantees and those with cooperative agreements may find themselves in possession of (or handling) government information which the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) considers to be sensitive or confidential but not considered “classified.” On Dec. 31, 2017, in accordance with DFARS 252.204-7012 the National Institute of Standards and […]
By Oles Morrison on December 7, 2017 | Posted in Claims and Disputes
In Industrial Maintenance Services, CBCA 5618, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA) found a contractor was entitled to additional payment where the Agency paid certain direct costs associated with a change in the critical path of performance, but failed to include the costs of impacted, unchanged work in […]