BLOG: For Contractors, an REA for Keeping Your People Safe and on the Job
In COVID-19 times, one of the ongoing challenges for contractors is how to obtain upward equitable adjustments for increased operating costs due to the crisis. These costs could include more janitorial services, reconfiguring and/or refurnishing workspaces, changing processes and/or systems, overcoming supply chain fluctuations, enabling more remote work, compartmentalizing work groups, implementing shift work, allotting administrative time for health checks, giving more transportation and parking benefits, providing Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”), adding headcount made necessary by changes, as well as . . . Read More
$484 Billion Relief Bill Signed Into Law, $310 Billion Allocated to Paycheck Protection Program
H.R. 266 , the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, was signed into law today. Appropriating $484 billion in relief for the COVID-19 outbreak, it provides additional funding for small business loans, healthcare providers, and COVID-19 testing. The Small Business Administration (SBA) has been unable to accept new applications for the Paycheck Protection Program or the COVID-19 related Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) assistance program (including EIDL Advances) because Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funding was exhausted. The . . . Read More
BLOG: HHS Provides Guidance on the CARES Act’s Provider Relief Fund
Under the CARES Act, Congress set aside $100 billion for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (the Provider Relief Fund) to reimburse healthcare providers for healthcare-related expenses or lost revenues attributable to the Coronavirus (COVID-19); the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, which President Trump signed into law, will provide an additional $75 billion to the Provider Relief Fund. Eligible healthcare providers that provide diagnoses, testing, or care for individuals with possible or actual cases of . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – April 24, 2020
If you have questions concerning the content below, please visit this link . COVID-19 Client Resource Center: To access resources for businesses navigating the COVID-19 crisis, we invite you to visit PilieroMazza’s “ COVID-19 Client Resource Center .” Please contact covid19@pilieromazza.com for immediate assistance. SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS & ADVISORY SERVICES $484 Billion Relief Bill Signed Into Law, $310 Billion Allocated to Paycheck Protection Program, April 24, 2020, Dave Shafer H.R. 266 , the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, was signed into law today. Appropriating $484 . . . Read More
Default Terminations – ASBCA Lacks Jurisdiction Over Excusable Delay, Constructive Change Defenses Not Presented to Contracting Officer for Final Decision
Westlaw Journal Government Contract recently published an article by Meghan Leemon and Lauren Brier titled “Default Terminations – ASBCA Lacks Jurisdiction Over Excusable Delay, Constructive Change Defenses Not Presented to Contracting Officer for Final Decision.” The article covers a decision from the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) that highlights the importance for prime contractors to preserve all relevant defenses to termination in advance of an appeal to the Board of Contract Appeals or Court of Federal Claims. To access the full article, please visit this link . . . Read More
Law360 Quotes Lauren Brier on Bad Faith and Allegations of Bias in JEDI Contract Award
The White House ‘s stonewalling of an investigation into the Pentagon’s JEDI cloud contract has prompted renewed allegations of bias from Amazon as it protests the deal, but experts say the company faces a steep climb to show the deal was unfair. . . . Showing bad faith effectively requires “very hard, clear facts” laid out in evidence such as internal communications, according to Lauren Brier , a PilieroMazza PLLC attorney who has written frequently about the JEDI procurement. Allegations that could be drawn from inferences about the . . . Read More
Tips for Keeping and Engaging Essential Employees in a Crisis
Click here to view the recorded session. While shelter-in-place orders and social distancing redefine the workplace, many industries are required to keep essential services up and running. Essential industries were estimated to employ anywhere from 49 to 62 million workers prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. A portion of these workers will continue to report to their jobs and ensure that the rest of the country can maintain some semblance of a typical life during this crisis. Facing additional risks from COVID-19, . . . Read More
CARES Act Small Business Workshop Spotlights Cy Alba
Cy Alba recently partnered with Nitin Pradhan of ScaleUP USA for a workshop on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act). The workshop serves as a starting point for startups, small businesses, and mid-size businesses seeking to apply for CARES Act small business funding. Questions addressed include: What is the CARES Act? What loan programs are available to small businesses? What are the program requirements for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)? How are the EIDL . . . Read More
BLOG: Do You Meet the Unique Eligibility Requirements for a PPP Loan?
If you missed the first batch of loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and want to determine if you are eligible for the next wave of funding that is expected to be added soon, this is what you need to know. Not surprisingly, given this is a very sought-after program, PilieroMazza attorneys are fielding a lot of questions from firms wondering if they qualify for a PPP loan. There are several requirements that need to be considered when assessing eligibility . . . Read More
Nichole Atallah Comments on Small Business Benefits in CARES Act, FFCRA, and EFMLA
Nichole Atallah participated in a virtual town hall hosted by USAV to share information on all things COVID-19. Topics addressed include: Chief benefits of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for small businesses Effect of shelter-in-place orders on Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) paid time off and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave How essential business designations affect employee access to the emergency paid time off and Emergency FMLA (EFMLA) benefits <br>