The Weekly Update January 20, 2017
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS Recognition of Tribal Organizations for Representation of VA Claimants The Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) is amending its regulations concerning recognition of certain national, state, and regional or local organizations for purposes of VA claims representation. Specifically, this final rule allows the Secretary to recognize Tribal organizations in a similar manner as the Secretary recognizes state organizations. The final rule allows a Tribal organization that is established and funded by one or more Tribal governments to be recognized . . . Read More
The Weekly Update January 16, 2017
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS Federal Acquisition Regulation; Federal Acquisition Circular 2006-95 This Federal Acquisition Circular provides a summary presentation of final rules issued by the Department of Defense (“DOD”), the General Services Administration (“GSA”) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration and agreed to by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council. The Small Entity Compliance Guide for these final rules can be found here . Item I – Uniform Use of Line Items (FAR Case 2013-014) This final rule . . . Read More
The Weekly Update January 6, 2017
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS Memorandum: Implementation of Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement Final Rule 2016-D002, Enhancing Effectiveness of Independent Research and Development On January 4, 2017, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics released a memorandum to implement the class deviation the Department of Defense (“DOD”) issued on December 1, 2016 for its final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement. This class deviation alleviates the requirement that the technical interchanges between “major” defense contractors and a technical . . . Read More
The Weekly Update December 30, 2016
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; Payment of Subcontractors On January 20, 2016, the Department of Defense, Government Accountability Office, and National Aeronautic and Space Administration proposed a rule to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) Case 2014-004, Payment of Subcontractors, requiring contractors to notify the contracting officer in writing if the contractor pays a reduced price to a small business subcontractor, or if the subcontractor’s payment to a small business contractor is more than 90 . . . Read More
The Weekly Update December 23, 2016
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS Payment of Subcontractors The Department of Defense (“DOD”), General Services Administration (“GSA”), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (‘NASA”), have issued a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) to implement a section of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. This statute requires contractors to notify the contracting officer, in writing, if the contractor pays a reduced price to a small business subcontractor or if the contractor’s payment to a small business subcontractor is more than . . . Read More
The Weekly Update December 16, 2016
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors The Department of Defense (“DOD”), General Services Administration (“GSA”), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (“NASA”) have issued an interim rule revising the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) to implement Executive Order 13706 (the “E.O.”), Establishing Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors. The E.O. seeks to increase efficiency and cost savings in the work performed by parties who contract with the Federal Government by ensuring that employees on those contracts can earn up . . . Read More
The Weekly Update December 9, 2016
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS Set-Asides under Multiple-Award Contracts The Department of Defense (“DOD”), General Services Administration (“GSA”), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (“NASA”) are proposing to revise the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) to implement regulatory changes made by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) in its final rule (78 FR 61114), dated October 2, 2013, regarding the use of small business partial set-asides, reserves, and orders placed under multiple-award contracts. SBA’s final rule implements the statutory requirements set forth at section 1331 . . . Read More
The Weekly Update December 2, 2016
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS FAR Amendment Proposal to Implement Section of NDAA 2016 The Department of Defense (“DOD”), General Services Administration (“GSA”), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (“NASA”) are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement a section of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, which will clarify that agency acquisition personnel are permitted, and encouraged, to engage in responsible and constructive exchanges with industry, so long as those exchanges are consistent with existing law and . . . Read More
The Weekly Update for November 14, 2016
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Revised Interim Implementation of Government-wide Guidance for Grants and Cooperative Agreements The DOD has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPRM”), the first in a sequence of six NPRMs, which collectively establish, for DOD grants and cooperative agreements, an updated interim implementation of government-wide guidance on administrative requirements, cost principles, and audit requirements for federal awards. This NPRM removes a part of the DOD Grant and Agreement Regulations (“DODGARs”) and replaces it with a new DODGARs part . . . Read More
The Weekly Update for November 4, 2016
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Withholding of Unclassified Technical Data and Technology from Public Disclosure The Department of Defense (“DOD”) Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics has proposed a rule that establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and prescribes procedures for the dissemination and withholding of certain unclassified technical data and technology subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and Export Administration Regulations. It applies to DOD components, their contractors and grantees, and is meant to control . . . Read More