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2025 Super Lawyers® Honors 13 PilieroMazza Attorneys for Outstanding Legal Service, PilieroMazza News
PilieroMazza is proud to announce that 13 attorneys from the Firm’s Government Contracts, Construction, Labor & Employment, and Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice groups have been honored with a listing in the 2025 edition of Super Lawyers® for their outstanding contributions to the legal profession. Read more here.
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Model Deviation to FAR Part 10
On May 22, the FAR Council released the model deviation text for FAR Part 10, Market Research. This deviation increases the flexibility of the government to choose its preferred method of market research, retains the requirements to comply with the Competition in Contracting Act, allows greater flexibility for applying market research for any-sized acquisition, and retains FAR Clause 52.210-1 as essential in the acquisition process. The Class Deviation removes consolidation and bundling requirements and disaster relief purchasing. The Model Class Deviation is available here. The General Services Administration’s (GSA) memorandum and class deviation fully incorporating the same into all GSA procurements is available here.
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Overhaul Adoption:
- Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Class Deviation to Implement the FAR Revisions Parts 1 and 52 Issued on May 2, 2025. On May 8, MCC issued a Class Deviation fully implementing and incorporating the FAR Model Deviation for FAR Parts 1 and 52. This Class Deviation will apply to all contracts and solicitations as of May 2, 2025, but does not apply to contracts signed and executed on or before May 1, 2025. Read more here.
- Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) FAR Class Deviation for FAR Part 1 in Support of Executive Order (EO) Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement. On May 16, CPSC issued a Class Deviation fully implementing and incorporating the FAR Model Deviation for FAR Part 1. This Class Deviation is effective immediately and applies to all CPSC procurements. Read more here.
- Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) FAR Class Deviation for FAR Part 34 in Support of Executive Order (EO) Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement. On May 16, CPSC issued a Class Deviation fully implementing and incorporating the FAR Model Deviation for FAR Part 34. This Class Deviation is effective immediately and applies to all CPSC procurements. Read more here.
- Department of Labor (DOL) Class Deviation to Implement the FAR Part 1 in Support of Executive Order (EO) on Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement. On May 21, DOL issued a Class Deviation fully implementing and incorporating the FAR Model Deviation for FAR Part 1. This Class Deviation is effective immediately and applies to all DOL procurements. Read more here.
- DOL Class Deviation for FAR Part 34 in Support of EO on Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement. On May 21, DOL issued a Class Deviation fully implementing and incorporating the FAR Model Deviation for FAR Part 34. This Class Deviation is effective immediately and applies to all DOL procurements. Read more here.
Small Business Administration (SBA) Article: SBA Launches Onshoring Portal to Advance America’s Economic Comeback: On May 20, SBA announced the launch of Make Onshoring Great Again Portal, which is a free-to-use tool intended to help small businesses identify U.S. manufacturers and producers. The portal is intended to help businesses source domestic suppliers and end dependence on foreign suppliers and adversaries. Read more here.
House Passes Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ in Marathon Overnight Session, The Hill
House Republicans on Thursday morning passed a sweeping bill full of President Trump’s legislative priorities, marking a major win for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) but kicking off what’s expected to be a bitter battle with the Senate over achieving key parts of the White House’s policy agenda. Read more here.
VA Sets New Rules for Contracts Worth More Than $10 Million, Federal News Network
The Veterans Affairs Department is turning up the scrutiny for all of its information technology, professional services, and any other new contracts valued at least $10 million. Two members of DOGE must approve all IT, professional services and new contracts worth at least $10 million at the Veterans Affairs Department. Read more here.
House-Passed Reconciliation Bill Includes More Changes to Proposed Federal Benefits Cuts, Federal News Network
House lawmakers narrowly passed the GOP’s budget reconciliation bill early Thursday morning in a vote of 215-214, after making one last revision to a series of proposals cutting federal benefits and civil service protections. Read more here.
Government Oversight Employees Detail Fears of Retaliation Under Trump Administration in New Senate Report, Government Executive
Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday released a report featuring anonymous testimony from employees at various offices of inspectors general about how their oversight work has been impacted by President Donald Trump’s firings of 19 of the agency watchdogs. 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
GSA in Negotiations with NASA to Take Over SEWP Contract, Federal News Network
The General Services Administration is in the early stages of figuring out how to take over the management of NASA’s SEWP contract. GSA and NASA are in “active discussions,” according to a source familiar with the effort. The source said while the process is underway, it’s far from a done deal and still has a long way to go. Read more here.
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) News: NLRB Acting General Counsel Cowen Issues Memo on Settlement Agreements
On May 20, the NLRB announced that it released a memorandum, Seeking Remedial Relief in Settlement Agreements, providing updated guidance on drafting settlement agreements before the board, including strategic use of default language and non-admissions clauses and parameters for unilateral settlements and make-whole relief. Read more here.
Agencies’ Effort to Unwind Project Labor Agreement Requirements ‘Flatly Contradict’ Order Establishing Them, Judge Says, Government Executive
The Trump administration had sought to neutralize a Biden-era executive order requiring contractors to negotiate with unions ahead of major construction projects with broad exceptions, something specifically barred by the underlying order. Read more here.
Staffing Cuts Will Improve Government Services, Agency Leaders Say, Government Executive
Agency leaders across the Trump administration on Tuesday told lawmakers their efforts to slash their rolls would lead to improved experiences for those interacting with their federal offices, despite some bipartisan concerns over the impacts of those cuts. Read more here.
After Years of Growth, DoD Cyber Workforce Braces for Reductions, Federal News Network
The Defense Department’s cyber workforce is expected to experience cuts amid an ongoing hiring freeze and efforts to reduce the overall number of DoD civilians. Pentagon officials are focused on upskilling to help stem the loss of civilians and contractors in the DoD cyber workforce. Read more here.
EEOC Annual Worker Data Bid Opens With Diversity Warning, Law360
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s annual workplace demographic data collection window opened Tuesday with a warning from the EEOC’s acting chair that employers can’t act on protected characteristics like race and sex to try to enhance diversity. Read more here (subscription required).
Appeals Court Allows Trump’s Anti-Union Order to Take Effect, Federal News Network
An appeals court has cleared the way for President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ending collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal employees while a lawsuit plays out. Read more here.
Upcoming Labor & Employment Presentations
WEBINAR: Labor Regulations, June 3, 2025, Nichole D. Atallah
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
PM WEBINAR: Multijurisdictional Employers, Part 2: 2025 State-by-State Updates on Non-Compete and Non-Solicitation Agreements, July 1, 2025, Sarah L. Nash, Zachary S. Stinson
PM WEBINAR: DOJ Uses FCA to Target DEI Policies and Antisemitism: The Impact on Government Contractors, July 10, 2025, Matthew E. Feinberg, Sarah L. Nash
LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Managing Litigation Risk During the Business Lifecycle, Part 3: Derivative Actions, PilieroMazza Blog, Abigail “Abby” L. Baker, Todd M. Reinecker, Mark F. Rosenow, Kaavya Ramesh, Cole R. Fox
While litigation risk is an unavoidable aspect of running a business, business owners can limit such risks with early planning. In this third installment of PilieroMazza’s blog series, “Managing Litigation Risk During the Business Lifecycle,” we explore the impacts of derivative actions and the proactive steps that business owners can take to avoid them. Read more here. ADD
Dem Lawmakers Reintroduce Supreme Court Ethics Bill, Law360
Two Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday reintroduced bills in the House and Senate that would require the U.S. Supreme Court to adopt a binding ethics code and create new recusal and disclosure standards for the nine justices. Read more here (subscription required).