In June 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14306 (EO), titled “Sustaining Select Efforts to Strengthen the Nation’s Cybersecurity and Amending Executive Order 13694 and Executive Order 14144,” which amends and supersedes portions of President Biden’s [1] and President Obama’s [2] executive orders on cybersecurity. The EO was accompanied by a Fact Sheet , which provides further reasoning for the revisions. Although the EO amends and supersedes portions of President Biden’s and President Obama’s executive orders, it generally leaves the framework established by these orders in place. . . . Read More
Recently, there has been a good deal of speculation about whether the so-called “Rule of Two” will continue to exist after the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) overhaul that is currently ongoing. Specifically, whether FAR Part 19 will continue to have such a rule, given it is not expressly stated in the Small Business Act (the Act) (but it is certainly intimated that such a rule is the best way to ensure that the statutory small business goals are met). However, . . . Read More
The House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure hearing titled “Leveling the Playing Field: Fostering Opportunities for Small Business Contractors,” originally scheduled for July 8 to address key issues impacting small business government contractors, was postponed. A new date has not been confirmed. It is anticipated that the hearing may be rescheduled for some time in September. Please visit this link for our original client alert. In the meantime, PilieroMazza encourages stakeholders to still submit letters. Sharing your experiences now will . . . Read More
Click here to view the recorded session. In the wake of Executive Order 14173, federal contractors face heightened scrutiny of their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The EO requires contractors to certify that DEI programs comply with federal anti-discrimination laws. Now, the Justice Department has announced it will use the False Claims Act (FCA) as an enforcement tool to target companies that maintain DEI programs in violation of the EO and current Administration policies. The announcement may substantially impact the . . . Read More
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is facing growing scrutiny from Congress after it abruptly canceled hundreds of contracts—many of which support critical services for veterans—based in part on recommendations from a hastily developed artificial intelligence (AI) tool. On June 13, 2025, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Angus King (I-ME), members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (Committee), sent a letter to Acting VA Inspector General David Case urging a formal investigation into the VA’s contract termination process. If . . . Read More
On July 8, 2025, the House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure (Subcommittee) will hold a hearing titled “Leveling the Playing Field: Fostering Opportunities for Small Business Contractors.” The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) is coordinating the submission of letters of support to ensure small business voices are heard by the Subcommittee. Why Your Letter Matters—and How to Submit It Letters of support will be accepted through Tuesday, July 15. This is a crucial opportunity for small business . . . Read More
On May 19, 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memorandum launching a new enforcement program known as the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative (the Initiative). Furthering the Trump Administration’s direct targeting of diversity, equity, and inclusion ((DEI) policies and alleged antisemitism among corporations and institutions receiving government funds, the Initiative will utilize the False Claims Act (FCA) to “investigate and . . . pursue claims against any recipient of federal funds that knowingly violates federal civil rights laws.” As part of the Initiative, . . . Read More
The federal government is actively trying to reduce its size and deregulate agencies across the Executive Branch. As noted in a previous Client Alert by Sam Finnerty, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) has not been exempt from these initiatives. On May 6, 2025, the FAR Council issued its first formal deregulation measure, signaling that any regulations not explicitly codified by statute may be subject to removal from the FAR and the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) regulations. As a result, the “Rule of . . . Read More
The Department of Defense (DoD) has issued a significant policy memorandum “to promote fiscal responsibility, streamline operations, and maximize [DoD] readiness and lethality.” The May 27 Memo, Implementation of Executive Order 14222 – Department of Government Efficiency Cost Efficiency Initiative Memorandum , identifies four distinct policies aimed at in-sourcing expertise, reducing reliance on external support, and harnessing the talent of existing DoD experts. This latest reform is consistent with the DoD’s ongoing efforts to phase out and eliminate reliance on consulting service contracts. Tightened Restrictions on Information Technology (IT) Consulting and Management Services The . . . Read More
