The Federal False Claims Act 31 USC 3729 is used by federal law enforcement agents to investigate, charge and convict small businesses and large federal contractors. Learning to combat these charges up front is critical to avoiding criminal charges or hefty civil fines during false claims and qui tam litigation…. Read more »
When agencies use their source selection process for evaluation and best value trade-off of technical proposals, the government contract law only allows for reasonable technical proposal and best value trade-off decisions. This occurs during the final stages of a negotiated procurement by comparing competing proposal to each other. When the Agency receives initial proposals,… Read more »
When you find a federal Request for Proposal that you believe that you can perform, you also want to develop good proposal ideas that can reduce the government’s risk, and can also offer additional value. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) does not give a checklist of suggestions to create additional value. The burden… Read more »
In a GAO bid protest that challenges the agency’s small business set aside decision, contractors would have to focus on facts pertaining to the prior procurement history, the recommendations of appropriate small business specialists, and market surveys that include responses to sources sought announcements. This one reason why government contracting agencies issue… Read more »
The government shutdown could impact the amount of claims or equitable adjustments submitted by contractors. However, as for any claim under the Contract Disputes Act, businesses must be aware that such claims must be directly related to the contract itself. A common issue that will arise is the ability of contractors to pay their… Read more »
Discrimination in the Workplace — Practices to Avoid When it comes to employer discrimination in the workplace, government contractors are subjected to strict compliance with workplace discrimination laws. Your contract contains specific statutory language to that effect. Therefore, especially for larger contractors, you must ensure that your supervisors are familiar with the laws… Read more »
In 2008, under FAR 52.203-13, “Contractor Code of Conduct and Business Ethics and Conduct” – the clause promulgated that appears in all Federal prime contracts that exceed $5 million and have a period of performance of 120 days or more and is required to be included in subcontracts of that dollar… Read more »
Theodore P. Watson, Esq.Watson & Associates, LLC professionals often serve as government contractor defense attorneys. when the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the Office of Inspector General ( OIG) comes knocking on your door. The importance of having a strong legal defense early in the investigation stage means having legal… Read more »
With Congress still at a gridlock in approving a spending bill, Federal Agencies across the Nation have begun to close their doors and send employees home. The impact of the government shutdown carries a ripple effect that may include government contract claims. While there is not currently a fixed end in sight,… Read more »
Indulging in Federal construction contracts can be very lucrative in the federal procurement world. However, the risk of non-performance is definitely present and any federal construction contracting company must approach projects with caution. As a contractor, you should be aware that you are dealing with an extremely large client with a… Read more »