Bloomberg Law Quotes Cy Alba: Trump’s DEI Order Creates Dilemma for Federal Contractors
Federal contractors are scrambling to determine how far they should go in changing policies they’ve used to recruit and retain employees in light of the Trump administration’s crackdown on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. Agencies reported spending more than $770 Billion in prime contracts in 2024, and the new administration is now cutting all such DEI efforts and removing any DEI-related work from ongoing contracts. This has raised questions as to what constitutes DEI and how best to react. . . . Read More
UPDATE: President Trump’s Executive Orders Impose Tariffs on Products from Canada, Mexico, and China: The Cost to Government Contractors
PilieroMazza recently published a client alert (linked here ) regarding three executive orders issued on February 1, 2025, imposing additional tariffs on products from Canada, Mexico, and China that were to be effective February 4, 2025. This client alert provides an update on these tariffs as well as tariffs on steel and aluminum and reciprocal tariffs that were announced last week. To summarize, products from Canada and Mexico were set to be subject to 25% tariffs, except for “energy or energy resources” . . . Read More
Federal Judge Orders USAID and Foreign Aid Funding to be Restored
On January 20, 2025, the President issued Executive Order Number 14169 (Executive Order), which imposed a 90-day pause on new obligations and disbursements of development assistance funds to foreign countries and implementing non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and contractors pending reviews of such programs. Similarly, in furtherance of the Executive Order, on January 24, 2025, the Secretary of State issued a Memorandum ordering a pause on all new obligations of foreign assistance funding pending an 85-day review of United States foreign assistance programs. The Secretary additionally . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – February 13, 2025
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS Federal Judge Clarifies Scope of TRO Enjoining Federal Spending Freeze, PilieroMazza Client Alert, Samuel S. Finnerty As we recently outlined , on January 31, 2025, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) that blocks the federal funding freeze outlined in the now-rescinded January 27, 2025, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directive (Directive). On February 10, 2025, Judge McConnell clarified the scope of his TRO, explaining that it prohibits all categorical pauses or freezes in obligations or disbursements based on the OMB Directive . . . Read More
Government Contracts and New Mandates: Executive Orders and Cost Recovery Strategies Explained
Click here to view the recorded session. President Trump recently introduced a series of Executive Orders affecting government contractors in terms of new compliance obligations, cost considerations, and enforcement risks. Don’t miss Jackie Unger and Lauren Brier’s in-depth discussion on how recent and upcoming EOs are reshaping the government contracting landscape at federal, state, and local levels. Whether you’re navigating new workforce requirements, supply chain mandates, or funding restrictions, this webinar will provide practical insights to help your business remain compliant and competitive, as well . . . Read More
Federal Judge Clarifies Scope of TRO Enjoining Federal Spending Freeze
As we recently outlined , on January 31, 2025, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) that blocks the federal funding freeze outlined in the now-rescinded January 27, 2025, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directive (Directive). In the Order, the Court ruled that the Defendants (including the President, OMB, and numerous federal agencies) are prohibited from reissuing, adopting, implementing, or otherwise giving effect to the OMB Directive under any other name or title or through any other . . . Read More
Proposed Rule on Organizational Conflicts of Interest Signals Significant Changes for Contractors
Organizational conflicts of interest (OCIs) should be front of mind for any federal government contractor. The mere presence of an OCI may cause contractors to reconsider which contracting opportunities to pursue, reshape teaming and subcontracting arrangements, and revise mitigation policies, procedures, and plans in ways that impact company-wide systems and processes. Most significantly, an OCI may be enough for the government to strip a contractor of an award it just won. Recently, the government published a proposed rule ( Proposed Rule ), . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – February 6, 2025
If you have questions concerning the content below, please visit this link . Upcoming Events: Register to attend PilieroMazza’s upcoming events here . Recent Thought Leadership: Check out PilieroMazza’s recent client alerts and blogs here . Podcasts: Listen to PilieroMazza’s podcasts GovCon Live! here , Clocking in with PilieroMazza here , and Ex Rel. Radio here . REAs, CLAIMS, AND APPEALS Law360 Quotes PilieroMazza’s Lauren Brier: Federal Contractors’ Avenues for Tariff Mitigation, PilieroMazza News, Lauren Brier President Donald Trump’s tariff plans threaten to increase costs for federal contractors who won’t be exempt from the duties, . . . Read More
Law360 Quotes PilieroMazza’s Lauren Brier: Federal Contractors’ Avenues for Tariff Mitigation
President Donald Trump’s tariff plans threaten to increase costs for federal contractors who won’t be exempt from the duties, but contractors may be able to pursue avenues for reimbursement if they follow certain regulatory rules. . . . Some contracting officers may allow an economic price adjustment to be worked into an existing contract as a modification, and contractors facing a hit from tariffs should at least ask, although similar requests during the COVID-19 pandemic were rarely successful, according to PilieroMazza PLLC . . . Read More
FCA Settlement Highlights Importance of Accurate Small Business Certifications in Government Contracting
The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced a $949,696.90 False Claims Act (FCA) settlement with GS Foods Group Inc. (GS Foods) for improperly bidding on contracts reserved for small businesses despite not qualifying as a small business. The DOJ settlement underscores the critical need for accurate small business representations and certifications in government contracting. Visit this link to register for our webinar, “PilieroMazza Annual Review: What DOJ’s 2024 FCA Report Means for Government Contractors” and check out our podcast Ex Rel. Radio . Briefly, the . . . Read More