Government Contracts

  • July 25, 2024

    Edible Cannabis Co. Can't Revive RFID Tag Case

    A Colorado state judge has said he won't let a company that makes edible cannabis continue to challenge the state's mandated use of radio frequency identification tracking tags, concluding that a senior enforcement official's statement at a rulemaking hearing was not a final action the company could appeal.

  • July 25, 2024

    Watchdog Backs $77.8M DOD Deal Over Ethics Concern

    The U.S. Government Accountability Office tossed claims that the U.S. Department of Defense's $77.8 million audit services order was tainted by an official's prior work for the awardee, Deloitte & Touche LLP, saying the DOD correctly dismissed the conflict claims after a thorough investigation.

  • July 25, 2024

    USDA Drops Push To Certify Contractors' Labor Compliance

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday scrapped from a proposed rule requirements for federal contractors to attest that they were following federal and state labor laws, tossing President Barack Obama's efforts an earlier version of the rule revamped.

  • July 25, 2024

    DP World Wins OK Of $194M Award Against Djibouti

    A D.C. federal judge entered a $194.3 million judgment against the Republic of Djibouti, enforcing an arbitration award secured by a Dubai-based port terminal operator in a long-running legal battle over an international container terminal in the East African country.

  • July 24, 2024

    Boeing, DOJ Finalize 737 Max Plea Deal

    The Boeing Co. has finalized its agreement to plead guilty to conspiring to defraud safety regulators about the 737 Max 8's development, avoiding a criminal trial over a pair of deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019, according to a U.S. Department of Justice court filing Wednesday evening.

  • July 24, 2024

    Co. Wants Gov't Sanctioned For Late Docs In Contract Dispute

    A contractor for the U.S. Air Force has urged the Court of Federal Claims to sanction the government after allegedly providing documents late and destroying other documents related to the company's suit alleging the Air Force wrongly terminated a support contract.

  • July 24, 2024

    Naval Engineers Urge 4th Circ. To Revive No-Poach Suit

    A pair of former naval engineers have urged the Fourth Circuit to revive their proposed class action accusing military shipbuilding contractors and related firms of using secret "no-poach" agreements, saying their suit was wrongly ruled untimely amid a cover-up of the alleged scheme.

  • July 24, 2024

    Ex-US Army Worker Gets 15 Years For $109M Fraud Scheme

    A former U.S. Army civilian employee will spend 15 years in prison for stealing nearly $109 million from a grant program meant for military dependents and their families to buy a fleet of luxury vehicles, jewelry and houses, federal prosecutors announced.

  • July 24, 2024

    Aerospace Co. Says Engine Buybacks Aren't Anticompetitive

    RTX Corp.'s subsidiary Pratt & Whitney urged a Pennsylvania federal court to toss a $450 million antitrust lawsuit from a "middleman" for used aircraft engine parts, arguing that Pratt & Whitney's decision to deal directly with numerous shops that break down old engines did not harm consumers or freeze the plaintiff out of the market.

  • July 24, 2024

    Ex-Atlanta Official Asks 11th Circ. To Toss Bribery Conviction

    A former Atlanta city commissioner sentenced to 4½ years in prison for taking bribes from a local contractor in exchange for steering millions of dollars to the contractor's company told the Eleventh Circuit Wednesday that her conviction must be reversed given the U.S. Supreme Court's recent holding in Snyder v. U.S.

  • July 24, 2024

    Newman Facing 2nd Suspension For 'Continuing Misconduct'

    A panel of Federal Circuit judges on Wednesday recommended U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman remain suspended for another year based on her ongoing refusal to cooperate with an investigation into her health, or even acknowledge the court's concerns.

  • July 24, 2024

    ICE Contractor Hit With Class Action Over Family Separations

    A father and son who were separated for six years under the Trump administration's policy of "zero tolerance" for unlawful border crossings have brought a proposed class action against the private contractor responsible for transporting children, seeking to make it pay for the emotional trauma families have endured.

  • July 24, 2024

    Ex-Pharma Exec Gets Jail For Insider Trading On Kodak Loan

    A Manhattan federal judge sentenced a former pharmaceutical executive from South Carolina to three months in prison Wednesday for taking over $500,000 of illegal trading profit based on his advance knowledge that Kodak would get a massive pandemic-era government loan.

  • July 23, 2024

    Hogan Lovells Wants Afghanistan Atty Fee Award Enforced

    Hogan Lovells US LLP has asked a New York federal court to enforce a more than $1.2 million award it secured against Afghanistan in arbitration over fees it says it's owed for the firm's work representing the country in various legal matters, including litigation over the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

  • July 23, 2024

    Construction Co. Protests Union Clause In Army Corps Deal

    Hensel Phelps Construction Co. has protested over terms of an Army Corps of Engineers construction contract requiring bidders to enter into a project labor agreement, mandated by regulation, saying the PLA requirement violates a competitive contracting law.

  • July 23, 2024

    Ex-Raytheon Worker Asks High Court To Take Up Firing Suit

    A former employee of defense contractor Raytheon asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse his ouster from the company, arguing that the Fifth Circuit's finding that he shouldn't be reinstated set up a circuit split.

  • July 23, 2024

    Colo. Judges Want Clarity On When Moot Cases Need Rulings

    Colorado appellate judges on Tuesday pushed a popular ski town to define what makes a case of "great public importance," as a major resort company argued its land fight with the town is weighty enough that the judges should rule even if the actual dispute is now moot.

  • July 23, 2024

    $680M Allergan FCA Suit Tossed After High Court Revival

    A Maryland federal judge on Tuesday again tossed a False Claims Act suit accusing an Allergan unit of overcharging Medicaid, previously revived by the U.S. Supreme Court, saying a whistleblower still hadn't shown any deliberate wrongdoing by the company.

  • July 23, 2024

    Oshkosh Says USPS Followed NEPA With New Vehicle Plan

    Oshkosh Defense joined the U.S. Postal Service in firing back at environmentalists and a coalition of 17 states' attempt to secure judgment in litigation protesting the agency's decision to replace its aging delivery fleet with only 62% electric vehicles, saying the group's challenge threatens to undermine such a significant transformation.

  • July 23, 2024

    Senate Dems Roll Out Bill To Codify Chevron Deference

    Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., led a group of Democratic senators Tuesday in introducing a bill to codify the now-defunct doctrine of Chevron deference after it was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court last month.

  • July 22, 2024

    No Injunction For Co.'s DQ From Habitat Restoration Deal

    A U.S. Court of Federal Claims judge denied an Illinois-based construction company's emergency bid to halt the U.S. Army's procurement for a habitat restoration deal it was disqualified from, saying the protester failed to show it would be irreparably harmed.

  • July 22, 2024

    EPA Awards $4.3B In Grants For Climate Change Projects

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it's steering $4.3 billion in grant funding to 25 projects that promise to help curb greenhouse gas pollution, advance environmental justice and transition the country to clean power.

  • July 22, 2024

    State Street Sets Aside $4.2M To Address Wage Discrimination

    Federal financial services provider State Street agreed to set aside $4.2 million to make wage adjustments in the future as part of a settlement to resolve allegations that it discriminated against some women managing directors with its base pay and bonuses, the U.S. Department of Labor announced Monday.

  • July 22, 2024

    Gov't Wants Protest Over $186M In DOD Fuel Deals Thrown Out

    The Defense Logistics Agency has urged the Court of Federal Claims to dismiss a protest alleging it wrongly ignored misconduct by companies awarded $186 million in fuel delivery deals, saying it adequately investigated the claims and found nothing untoward.

  • July 22, 2024

    Claims Court Upholds JV's $15M Boiler Plant Contract

    A Court of Federal Claims judge rejected a construction company's protest over a $14.7 million U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs contract for renovating a boiler plant at a VA medical center in Pennsylvania, saying the agency reasonably awarded the contract to a mentor-protégé joint venture based on "best value trade-off."

Expert Analysis

  • DOJ's Biopharma Settlement Raises Anti-Kickback Questions

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    In the aftermath of the U.S. Department of Justice's settlement with Ultragenyx over genetic testing programs, it may be prudent to reevaluate genetic tests through the lens of the Anti-Kickback Statute and reconsider whether it is proper for free testing programs to be treated like patient assistance programs, says Mary Kohler at Kohler Health Law.

  • Where Justices Stand On Chevron Doctrine Post-Argument

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    Following recent oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court, at least four justices appear to be in favor of overturning the long-standing Chevron deference, and three justices seem ready to uphold it, which means the ultimate decision may rest on Chief Justice John Roberts' vote, say Wayne D'Angelo and Zachary Lee at Kelley Drye.

  • GAO Decision Underscores Complexity Of '180-Day Rule'

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    The Government Accountability Office's ruling last month in Washington Business Dynamics, evaluating its eligibility for a small business set-aside contract, provides an important reminder for companies to stay vigilant of developments around the evolving "180-day rule" for submitting a proposal, say Stephen Ramaley and Adam Bartolanzo at Miles & Stockbridge.

  • Perspectives

    6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice

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    An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.

  • Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga

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    Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • How US Companies Can Wield The New Foreign Bribery Law

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    U.S. companies operating in high-risk markets can use the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act that passed last month to their advantage both in preventing bribe demands and in negotiating with the Justice Department to prevent prosecution or to receive cooperation credit, say attorneys at Squire Patton.

  • A Potential Proactive Tool For Public-Private Joint Ventures

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    In the current environment of heightened antitrust enforcement, the National Cooperative Research and Production Act seems tailor-made for the collaborative work among competitors encouraged by the Biden administration's infrastructure and green energy funding legislation, say Jeetander Dulani and Susan Ebner at Stinson.

  • How Gov't Use Of Suspension And Debarment Has Evolved

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    A recent report to Congress about federal agencies' suspension and debarment activities in fiscal years 2021 and 2022 shows exclusion remains a threat to government contracting businesses, though proactive engagement with suspending-and-debarring officials and alternate forms of redress are becoming more common, says David Robbins at Jenner & Block.

  • Uncharted Waters Ahead For FCA Litigation In 2024

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    Following a year of significant court decisions, settlements, recoveries and proposed amendments, 2024 promises to be a lively year for False Claims Act actions and litigation, and one that will hopefully provide more clarity as FCA jurisprudence evolves, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • What's On Tap For Public Corruption Prosecutions In 2024

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    All signs point toward another year of blockbuster public corruption prosecutions in 2024, revealing broader trends in enforcement and jurisprudence, and promising valuable lessons for defense strategy, says Kenneth Notter at MoloLamken.

  • Series

    Baking Bread Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    After many years practicing law, and a few years baking bread, I have learned that there are a few keys to success in both endeavors, including the assembly of a nourishing and resilient culture, and the ability to learn from failure and exercise patience, says Rick Robinson at Reed Smith.

  • Federal Courts And AI Standing Orders: Safety Or Overkill?

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    Several district court judges have issued standing orders regulating the use of artificial intelligence in their courts, but courts should consider following ordinary notice and comment procedures before implementing sweeping mandates that could be unnecessarily burdensome and counterproductive, say attorneys at Curtis.

  • The 5 Most Important Bid Protest Decisions Of 2023

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    Attorneys at Bradley Arant discuss noteworthy 2023 bid protest decisions from the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and U.S. Government Accountability Office, offering perspectives on standing, document production, agency deference, System for Award Management registration requirements and mentor-protégé joint venture proposal evaluations.

  • 4 Questions On Groundbreaking New Foreign Bribery Law

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    The recently enacted Foreign Extortion Prevention Act will significantly alter the anti-corruption landscape under U.S. law by allowing prosecutors to pursue foreign officials for soliciting or accepting bribes, but it’s not yet clear how the statute will be used and by whom, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • OIG Report Has Clues For 2024 Healthcare Fraud Enforcement

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    A recent report from the Health Department's Office of the Inspector General reveals healthcare fraud and abuse enforcement trends that will continue in 2024, from increased telehealth oversight to enhanced policing of managed care, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

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