Speakers:

       
Jon Williams
, Ben McMartin (Public Spend Forum), Elizabeth Jochum (Smith Pachter McWhorter), and Mark Ries (Crowell & Moring LLP)
 
Program:

       
Force Majeure?
 Understanding Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Government Contractor Impacted by COVID-19
 

Date / Time:

        March 16, 2020 / 2:00 PM ET
Organizer:

        Public Spend Forum
Location:

        Webinar
Registration:

        Visit this link to register.
Description:
 
       

The current COVID-19 outbreak has raised several questions within the government contracting community. From canceled events, to closed facilities, to strains on supply chains, government contractors are having contingency plans put to the test. As companies scramble to interpret force majeure clauses within their commercial contracts, our question is: “What are the rights and responsibilities of companies in this current atmosphere under their government contract terms?”

This virtual roundtable brings together practitioners from some of the leading government contracts firms to discuss how companies should be protecting themselves in the current environment.

With the help of these practitioners, we will discuss:

  • What are the differences from a typical force majeure clause in a commercial transaction and similar provisions in a government contract?
  • What actions should vendors be taking to protect themselves in the current environment?
  • Can companies be excused from their government contracts?
  • Can companies insure against these types of events and is such insurance an allowable cost in the public arena?
  • If companies act preemptively and self-cancel performance, what issues does that cause?
  • If it comes down to litigation, how can companies best protect their interests?