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Government Contracts Monitor

Regulations (FAR, DFARS and others)

Changing Key Personnel After Proposal Submission? Not So Fast....

As the GAO recently determined, and the Court of Federal Claims affirmed, an offeror who finds itself in a position of having to modify key personnel specified in its proposal, after the deadline for proposal submission, may end up with an unacceptable proposal.  If an agency notified offerors that it might award without discussions, an offeror will not be able to "re-open" the proposal process to…

New Statute Extends Small Business Size Standard Reference Period to Five (from Three) Years, Enabling More Companies to Qualify as Small

In December 2018 – just before Christmas – the Senate approved, and the President signed into law, the so-called “Small Business Runway Extension Act of 2018,” Pub. L. No. 115-324 (the “Act” or “statute”).  This statute extends the three-year reference period for calculating a revenue-based small business’s size status to five years.  This Act was intended – as implied by its name – to extend the…

So Long, Farewell, Goodbye, to Low Price Technically Acceptable

The Department of Defense (“DoD”) recently proposed a new rule (click here) that would restrict the use of the lowest price technically acceptable (“LPTA”) source selection method.  The rule will apply to FAR Part 15 negotiated procurements, Federal Supply Schedule orders, commercial item acquisitions, simplified acquisitions, and orders against multiple award indefinite delivery contracts. The…

New Year's Resolutions, 2019 - Reassess Your Size Status, Update Your SAM and DSBS Listings, Check Your Past Performance Ratings, and Update Your Employment Policies, Handbooks and Postings

Happy New Year!  The start of a new year is the time for New Year’s Resolutions.  Here are several we strongly urge you to follow-through on early in 2019.

 

     1.  Reassess Your (and Any Subcontractors’) Small Business Size Status:  Most companies operate on a calendar year for tax reporting purposes.  For such companies the start of a new tax year, and the end of the prior year, means a change and…

The Challenge in Challenging A CICA Override - Know Your Facts

Under the Competition in Contracting Act’s (CICA’s) automatic stay, agencies, upon receiving notice that the award is being protested, must “direct the contractor to cease performance under the contract and to suspend any related activities that may result in additional obligations being incurred by the United States under that contract.” 31 U.S.C. § 3553(d)(3)(A)(ii)(2). Although CICA gives the…

FAR Change Clarifies that Offerors (Including Joint Ventures) Must Register in SAM Before Submitting Offers

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) has been amended to make clear that offerors, including joint ventures, must be registered and active in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to submitting bids or offers responding to Federal Government solicitations.  Such registration includes completing the standard annual Representations and Certifications (Reps & Certs) required by most…

Short Take - Minimum Wage Increases to $10.60, Effective January 1, 2019

The Department of Labor (DOL) recently published a Notice [83 Fed. Reg. 44906 (9/4/18)] announcing that, effective January 1, 2019, the minimum hourly wage required to be paid to workers performing work on or in connection with covered federal contracts, per Executive Order 13658, will increase from the present $10.35 to $10.60. The minimum hourly tipped wage will increase from $7.25 to $7.40.

By…

Don't Count on Enhanced Debriefing Rights to Extend Protest Filing Deadlines Indefinitely

Disappointed bidders usually want an explanation of why they lost. The bid protest regulations recognize as much and provide unsuccessful offerors an opportunity to receive a debriefing that explains the basis for the agency’s decision. The Department of Defense (DoD) recently decided to provide enhanced debriefing rights to its unhappy offerors, which is generally considered a good thing, at…

Government Matchmaking Is Not "Government Involvement"

Disappointed bidders seeking to challenge an award decision naturally often look to precedent to guide their arguments. When available precedent is ambiguous, however, they may resort to crafting particularly creative arguments. While this strategy makes sense in most cases, the recent Government Accounting Office (GAO)  decision in Management Sciences for Health, B-416041; B-416041.2 (May 25,…

FY2019 NDAA Seeks to Change Definition of "Subcontract"

On May 7th, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) made public H.R. 5515, its version of the FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). One of the provisions that is already generating buzz is Section 832, which would create a “precise” definition of "subcontract" in title 41, United States Code, and incorporate the new definition in title 10, United States Code. As noted by the HASC,…

New Year's Resolutions, 2018

Reassess Your Size Status, Update Your DSBS and SAM Listings, Check Your Past Performance Ratings, and Update Your Employment Policies, Handbooks and Postings

Happy New Year! The start of a new year is the time for New Year’s Resolutions.  Here are several we strongly urge you to follow-through on early in 2018.

    1.    Reassess Your (and Any Subcontractors’) Small Business Size Status: Most companies…

Short Take: DOD Seeks Public Input on Changes to DFARS Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses

Pursuant to President Trump’s February 24, 2017 Executive Order (E.O.) 13777, “Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda,” the DFARS Subgroup to the DOD Regulatory Reform Task Group is seeking public input as to DFARS solicitation provisions and contract clauses that may be appropriate for repeal, replacement or modification. This comment opportunity provides contractors (and other members of the…

 

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