The Trump Administration issued another Executive Order impacting federal procurement—this one aimed at consolidating government purchasing at the General Services Administration (GSA). Released March 20, 2025, “Eliminating...more
A federal court has blocked key provisions of the Trump Administration’s executive orders on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). On February 21, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued a...more
The Department of Defense (DOD) is taking steps to comply with President Trump’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)-related Executive Orders (EOs). In a memorandum dated January 28, 2025, DOD’s Acquisition and...more
2/14/2025
/ Contract Modification ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Government Agencies ,
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Trump Administration
Despite two Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) issued by federal courts in Rhode Island and Washington, DC, the US District Court for the District of Rhode Island found that the Trump Administration’s funding freeze...more
2/11/2025
/ Constitutional Challenges ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Funding ,
Government Agencies ,
OMB ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Rhode Island ,
State and Local Government ,
TRO ,
Trump Administration
The US District Court for the District of Rhode Island and the US District Court for the District of Columbia both have issued Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) enjoining the Government from enforcing the Office of...more
2/4/2025
/ Appeals ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Funding ,
Fraud and Abuse ,
Government Agencies ,
Judicial Authority ,
OMB ,
Regulatory Freeze ,
TRO ,
Trump Administration ,
USAID
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued memorandum M-25-13, “Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs,” (OMB Memo) on Tuesday, January 27, 2025. Two days later on January 29,...more
President Trump signed a multitude of Executive Orders (EOs) during his first two weeks in office. EOs are directives from the President to federal agencies that do not require Congressional approval. EOs include mandates...more
1/30/2025
/ Affirmative Action ,
Border Security ,
China ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Discrimination ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Executive Orders ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Foreign Adversaries ,
Gender Identity ,
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) ,
OFCCP ,
OMB ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Rescission ,
TikTok ,
Trump Administration
The Trump Administration has issued three executive orders (EOs) aimed at eliminating from the federal government certain diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and gender ideology policies and programs that the administration...more
1/28/2025
/ Affirmative Action ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Diversity ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Executive Orders ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Contractors ,
OFCCP ,
Subcontractors ,
Trump Administration
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published its 2024 False Claims Act (FCA) statistics and press release this week touting $2.9 billion in judgments and settlements last fiscal year, slightly higher than 2023’s $2.7...more
1/17/2025
/ Compliance ,
Cybersecurity ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Ethics ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Funding ,
Fraud ,
General Services Administration (GSA) ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Qui Tam ,
Settlement ,
Whistleblowers
The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA) recently posted its Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2024 (Report). In Fiscal Year 24 (FY24), Contract Disputes Act (CDA) appeals were down, while Alternative Dispute Resolution...more
In this blog post, we will explore the knowledge element. Despite being a fraud statute, the FCA does not require specific intent to defraud the government to impose liability. Instead, the FCA defines culpable “knowing,”...more
To prove a False Claim under the False Claims Act (FCA), the government or relator must establish three elements:
1.Falsity; -
2.Knowledge; and -
3.Materiality.
In this blog post, we will explore the Falsity element. ...more
10/3/2024
/ Collective Knowledge ,
Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Failure to Comply ,
False Billing ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Materiality ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Misrepresentation ,
Reimbursements
On August 15, 2024, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced the much-anticipated Proposed Rule that would amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to include Cybersecurity Maturity Model...more
8/26/2024
/ Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) ,
Cybersecurity ,
Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
DFARS ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Proposed Rules ,
Risk Assessment ,
Risk Management ,
Suppliers ,
Supply Chain
The Small Business Administration (SBA) will eliminate self-certification for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) starting October 1, 2024. The SBA confirmed on August 1, 2024, that it would go forward...more
This is a blog series on the False Claims Act (FCA), 31 USC §§ 3729, et seq., which targets any person that knowingly submits false claims for payment or false statements material to false claims to the US government. FCA...more
In the wake of the tragic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, businesses that rely on the Port of Baltimore (“Port”) are grappling with impacts to their contracts and supply chains. The Port suspended waterway traffic until...more
On February 22, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) released its Fiscal Year 2023 False Claims Act (“FCA”) statistics showing recoveries of almost $2.7 billion. Last year’s recoveries exceeded 2022’s $2.2 billion...more