Articles Posted in Government Contracts

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Caring Hearts Personal Home Serv., Inc. v. Burwell, a U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Medicare reimbursement case, describes the challenges confronting federal administrative agencies and the regulated community at a time when the demands on and the growth of government are somewhat astonishing. Judge Gorsuch begins his opinion as follows:

“Executive agencies today are permitted not only to enforce legislation but to revise and reshape it through the exercise of so-called ‘delegated’ legislative authority… The number of formal rules these agencies have issued thanks to their delegated authority has grown so exuberantly it’s hard to keep up. The Code of Federal Regulations now clocks in at over 175,000 pages. And no one seems sure how many more hundreds of thousands (or maybe millions) of pages of less formal or ‘sub-regulatory’ policy manuals, directives, and the like might be found floating around these days. For some, all this delegated legislative activity by the executive branch raises interesting questions about the separation of powers… For others, it raises troubling questions about due process and fair notice—questions like whether and how people can be fairly expected to keep pace with and conform their conduct to all of this churning and changing ‘law’… But what happens if we reach the point where even these legislating agencies don’t know what their own ‘law’ is?”

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For bid requests issued on or after July 1, 2016, California school districts, with approval of their governing board, Schoolmay procure design-build contracts for projects in excess of $1M, awarding the contract to either the low bid or the best value. The threshold currently is $2.5M. The new threshold was enacted as part of Assembly Bill 1358 (Dababneh) and will remain in place until January 1, 2025, unless a later enacted statute deletes or extends that date. As those in the industry already familiar, “design-build” refers to “a project delivery process in which both the design and construction of a project are procured from a single entity.” Design-build contractors should also take note that the new law will require that certain information is verified under penalty of perjury.

Photo:  Alan Levine, School, Taken May 24, 2012 – Creative Commons

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Public works contracts awarded on or after July 1, 2016 will be subject to the more expansive definition of public works added by California Assembly Bill 219 (Daly). For purposes of Article 2 of California’s Labor Code, commencing with Section 1770, the term “public works” will include “the hauling and delivery of ready-mixed concrete to carry out a public works contract, with respect to contracts involving any state agency, including the California State University and the University of California, or any political subdivision of the state.” Those who will be encompassed within the new definition will be required to pay the applicable prevailing wage rate, which will be the rate for the geographic area in which the concrete factory or batching plant is located, and to provide employee payroll and time records, as specified.

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In A New Cybersecurity Regime and a New Regulation to Mandate Secure Information Systems for Government Contractors, Cybermy colleague Travis Mullaney and I discuss Congress’ recent enactment of a wave of legislation to address ongoing cybersecurity threats, the Executive Branch’s recent adoption of new cybersecurity regulations, and other Federal initiatives that are underway and that will bring additional promised change requiring enhanced cybersecurity protections. In our Advisory, we discuss what government contractors need to do to prepare for these changes.

Photo:  Intel Free Press, Computer Security, Taken Sep. 4, 2012 – Creative Commons

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In Awardee Protests: A New Horizon?, my colleague John Jensen and I discuss a new decision from the U.S. Court of Federal Claims — National Air Cargo Group , Inc., v. U.S. — that opens the door to the possibility of a bid protest by an awardee under a multiple-award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. Previous decisions had held that a multiple-award IDIQ awardee lacks standing to protest the government’s award of additional contracts.

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On April 15, 2016, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register that would amend its current bid protest regulations, codified at 4 C.F.R. Part 21. The proposed rule adds a degree of formality to the protest process, but overall the rule mainly codifies or clarifies existing protest practices. In Proposed Changes to GAO Bid Protest Rules: Greater Formality, Overall Familiarity, my colleagues John Jensen, Dick Oliver, Meghan Doherty and I summarize the key proposed amendments.

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In False Claims Act “Implied Certification” Update: Supreme Court Oral Argument Forecasts Continued Vitality of Controversial Doctrine, we, along with our colleague Danielle Vrabie, report on the recent oral argument before SCOTUS,supremecourt in Universal Health Services v. United States ex rel. Escobar, No. 15-7, a case expected to resolve the current split among federal courts of appeals on the so-called “implied certification” theory of liability under the federal False Claims Act (FCA). SCOTUS’ decision, whatever it is, will have an enormous impact on the federal contractor and subcontractor community. If SCOTUS follows the expansive interpretation of implied certification endorsed by the First Circuit in Escobar, then federal contractors and subcontractors will be vulnerable to the risk that the government will escalate any lack of contract compliance into an FCA investigation.

Additional Source: SCOTUS Expected To Resolve Circuit Split on Implied Certification Under FCA

Photo:  Ryan Wick, Supreme Court Room, Taken December 29, 2009 – Creative Commons

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In Supreme Court to Hear False Claims Act “Implied Certification” Appeal, we provide a primer for the oral argument that will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on April 19, 2016 in Universal Health Services supremecourtv. United States ex rel. Escobar, No. 15-7. The Court is expected to resolve the current split among federal appellate courts on the so-called “implied certification” theory of liability under the federal False Claims Act (FCA). The FCA imposes significant financial penalties for “knowingly present[ing], or caus[ing] to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval,” and prohibits contractors from making false statements “material to a false or fraudulent claim.” As many government contractors are well aware, the FCA has long been the Government’s favorite enforcement tool against federal contractors. Stay tuned for updates!

Additional Source: Schumer Alleges False “Made in America” Representations on GSA Website: False Claims Act Inquiry to Follow?

Photo:  David, US Supreme Court, Taken Sept. 19, 2014 – Creative Commons

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In Government Contractors Brace For Continuing Changes in Cybersecurity Regulations, my Pillsbury colleague Travis Mullaney and I caution that the federal government is making cybersecurity a top priority and government contractors should expect a number of new regulation’s, policies and standards aimed at protecting against increasingly sophisticated cyber-warfare. As the government invigorates its own cybersecurity, contractors are and will be subject to parallel requirements. All federal contractors need a cybersecurity strategy that aligns with their business strategy with the federal government that will make them more competitive as requirements are invigorated through ongoing federal regulatory changes.

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In New Legislation Threatens to Further Erode Market Share of Non-Trade Union Contractors in California, Pillsbury attorneys Chris Rodriguez, Rob James, John Heisse, Andrew Bluth, and Marissa O’Connor discuss two new laws that go into effect in January 2016 that are expected to change the face of various public and private construction projects in California.  According to them, these new laws are part of an ongoing effort by the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California (SBCTC) to force public and private owners to use SBCTC-affiliated contractors for various construction work and to impose  obligations traditionally tied to public works—e.g., prevailing wage  requirements—even on private construction projects.