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Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Final Rule: List of Domestically Nonavailable Articles
On May 12, the General Services Administration (GSA), Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), Department of Defense (DOD), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) published a final rule to revise the list of domestically nonavailable articles under the Buy American statute. The rule is available here and will be effective June 11, 2025. Technical Amendments are available here.
Government Accountability Office (GAO) Press Release: Strengthening Accountability in the Federal Government, GAO Issues Revisions to the “Green Book”
On May 15, GAO announced that it issued revisions to Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government, also known as the Green Book. The Green Book sets the standards and provides the overall framework for designing, implementing, and operating an effective internal control system. As part of its ongoing efforts to help federal managers improve accountability in achieving agencies’ missions, GAO maintains the Green Book to keep it relevant in changing times. Read more here.
Small Business Administration (SBA) News Release: SBA Overhauls Reckless Biden-Era Lending Program
On May 19, SBA announced that it will overhaul the Community Advantage Small Business Lending Company Program, established during the Biden Administration, which provided 7(a) loans to underserved communities through mission-based lenders. SBA issued, effective immediately, a moratorium on the expansion of the program and implemented a requirement for existing lenders to meet financial stability standards for continued participation. Read more here.
Trump Calls on Justices to Stay Block of Gov’t Restructuring, Law360
President Donald Trump asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to pause a California federal judge’s order temporarily halting agencies from implementing an executive order to plan reorganizations and reductions in force, claiming the lower court’s decision has caused confusion and wasted taxpayer dollars. Read more here (subscription required).
Trump Tax Bill Advances After Deal for Faster Medicaid Cuts, Bloomberg Government
A key House committee advanced President Donald Trump’s giant tax and spending package after Republican hardliners won agreement from party leaders to speed up cuts to Medicaid health coverage. Read more here (subscription required).
Consolidating IT Systems Can Lead to Over $100M in Cost Savings, GAO Finds, NextGov/FCW
The federal government can save more than $100 billion if it addresses “overlap, duplication, and fragmentation” across agencies’ operations — $100 million of which could come from enhancing management of information technology systems — according to an annual report released on Tuesday by the Government Accountability Office. Read more here.
House Budget Bill Would Put 10-Year Pause on State AI Regulation, NextGov/FCW
The bill before the House Energy and Commerce Committee under the budget reconciliation process would prevent states from enforcing “any law or regulation” for AI models. It may run afoul of Senate rules. Read more here.
Upcoming Government Contract Presentations
WEBINAR: Small Business Contracting and Subcontracting, June 4, 2025, Isaias “Cy” Alba, IV
WEBINAR: Nuts, Bolts, and Beyond: To Be a Government Contractor, June 5, 2025, Eric Valle
CONFERENCE: Staying 8(a) Eligible: Navigating Compliance Amid Rising Scrutiny, June 9, 2025, Peter B. Ford
WEBINAR: Managing the Financial Impact of Tariffs on Your Government Contract, June 17, 2025, Jacqueline K. Unger, Ryan Boonstra
WEBINAR: Legal Strategies & Capture Planning, June 20, 2025, Isaias “Cy” Alba, IV
WEBINAR: Avoiding Common Teaming and Subcontracting Pitfalls, June 25, 2025, Jon Williams
WEBINAR: The Buy American Act and Trade Agreements Act: What Government Contractors Need to Know, June 26, 2025, Jacqueline K. Unger, Abigail “Abby” Finan
General Services Administration (GSA) Webinar to Discuss Recent Executive Orders
On May 28, the GSA will host a webinar to discuss the contract consolidation requirements under Executive Order (EO) 14240, Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement, and GSA’s deviations under the initiative to overhaul the Federal Acquisition Regulation under EO 14275, Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement. The webinar will be on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, from 1:00 – 2:45 p.m. EDT. To register, click here.
GSA’s Procurement Chief Details Administration’s Acquisition Reform Plans, NextGov/FCW
In a wide-ranging interview with GovExec TV, Larry Allen addressed the agency’s new OneGov strategy, AI opportunities, and the centralization of federal procurement functions. Read more here.
Department of Defense (DOD) Memorandum: Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness, Implementation Guidance
On May 15, DOD issued a memorandum rescinding prior guidance to comply with a Supreme Court decision regarding voluntary separation of service members. Read more here.
Appeals Court Issues Stay of Judge’s Decision Blocking Trump’s Anti-Union Order, Government Executive
The two Republican-appointed members of a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Friday issued a stay of an April preliminary injunction that blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to strip two-thirds of the federal workforce of their collective bargaining rights on national security grounds, allowing the White House to resume its union-busting campaign while the legal challenge plays out. Read more here.
Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Lift Block on Mass Layoffs, The Hill
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to lift a judge’s order blocking mass layoffs at 21 federal agencies. Read more here.
Federal Contract Employees Who Alleged Discrimination Forced to Wait as Enforcement Agency Is Dismantled, Government Executive
Layoffs are scheduled to take effect at the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs on June 6. Between the reduction in force and separation incentives, the agency’s workforce is expected to shrink by about 90%. Read more here.
Upcoming Labor & Employment Presentations
WEBINAR: Labor Regulations, June 3, 2025, Nichole D. Atallah
PM WEBINAR: Multijurisdictional Employers, Part 2: 2025 State-by-State Updates on Non-Compete and Non-Solicitation Agreements, June 5, 2025, Sarah L. Nash, Zachary S. Stinson
TRAINING: Labor Rules & Regulations: Federal Market Compliance, June 11, 2025, Nichole D. Atallah
TRAINING: Labor Rules & Regulations: Federal Market Compliance, June 25, 2025, Sarah L. Nash
FALSE CLAIMS ACT / AUDITS & INVESTIGATIONS
Presidential Action: Fighting Overcriminalization in Federal Regulations
On May 9, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) aimed at easing the regulatory burden on everyday Americans and ensuring no American is transformed into a criminal for violating a regulation they have no reason to know exists. The EO is available here.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Memorandum: Civil Rights Fraud Initiative
On May 19, the DOJ announced that it will be using the False Claims Act (FCA) to investigate and pursue claims against recipients of federal funds that “violate” civil rights laws. Examples of violations provided in the memorandum include “a university that accepts federal funds could violate the FCA when it encourages antisemitism, refuses to protect Jewish students, allows men to intrude into women’s bathrooms, or requires women to compete against men in athletic competitions.” Read more here.
LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Judiciary to Share Pros, Cons of AI for Courts with Congress, Law360
The federal judiciary is looking at the benefits and drawbacks of artificial intelligence for the court system and will share its discoveries with Congress, top officials testified on Wednesday. Read more here (subscription required).