The Latest News Federal Contractors Need to Know: Bid Protests By Incumbents, GSA Schedule Best Value and More
I read all the news, so you don’t have to. Let’s start with tariffs and why it matters to federal government contractors. Russian and Indian Tariffs The U.S. Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which authorizes the President to impose up to 100% tariffs on the top five buyers […]
The Next Buy American Compliance Battleground: Product Characterization for Technology Manufacturers
There are plenty of risks with Buy American Act compliance, but the biggest risk is hidden – that a company started with the wrong legal framework. A perfectly documented domestic-content analysis provides little protection if the product should have been evaluated under a different regulatory standard. Beginning in 2029, the standard domestic-content requirement for many […]
The Chips Are Down: National Security, Trade, and the Fight Over AI’s Chokepoint
For years the U.S. has restricted exports of the most advanced AI chips. The goal is simple: keep the computing power behind frontier AI away from strategic rivals. It is one of the most consequential policies in modern trade law, and people still argue about whether it works. As an export lawyer, I see two […]
GAO Reminds Agencies that “Less Favorable” Doesn’t Mean “Ignored:” A Past Performance Lesson from a Recent VA Protest
If your company is one of the many that relies on CPARS reports and past performance ratings to win federal work, a recent GAO decision is worth five minutes of your time. It doesn’t involve a dramatic scandal or an agency acting in bad faith. It’s something certainly more common and arguably more useful: an agency that set up a reasonable-sounding evaluation shortcut that didn’t actually match what […]
No Place Like Home: The Need for Unique Contractor Addresses in the Wake of a Fraud Crackdown
Partially in response to reports on federal benefit and healthcare fraud, the current administration established a White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, led by the Vice President. One area of particular concern to the government is home health care fraud. In particular, fictitious organizations bill the government for services never provided. One key indicator […]
Five Percent to Stay Quiet: How the New “Loser Pays” Rule Discourages Legitimate Procurement Challenges
There is a quiet way to discourage people from challenging the government, and it is not to forbid the challenge. It is to attach a price to it. Section 875 of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law in December 2025, does exactly that. It directs the Department of Defense to […]
OneGov Evolution: The Temporary Solution Becomes Permanent
GSA launched its OneGov initiative to consolidate government purchasing, especially of software. In addition, GSA intended to build more direct engagement with OEMs and begin reducing the need for resellers. GSA claims savings of more than $1.1 billion in OneGov’s first year. Some of the initial contracts that contributed to those savings are now up […]
The New Rules of Federal Government Contracting
I have spoken at many conferences.  One thing I learned is that if you are the final speaker, let people out early if there is a cocktail hour.  So, on the cusp of a three-day weekend, I will be brief.  At Centre we have kept you informed on the fast-changing world of government contracting every week through our […]
When Corrective Action Collides with a Government Shutdown: GAO’s April 13, 2026 Decision in Identity One, LLC
Ideally, “corrective action” taken in response to a bid protest is supposed to fix a problem — not create a new round of disputes. But what happens when an agency announces corrective action, only to discover that the contractor has already performed most of the requirement during a Government shutdown? The Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) […]
Identity One: When Corrective Action Doesn’t Fully Reset the Procurement
On April 13, 2026, the Government Accountability Office (“GAO”)’s decision in Identity One, LLC (B-424040.2; B-424040.3) denied Identity One, LLC (“Identity One”)’s challenge to the US Coast Guard’s implementation of corrective action after its prior protest. The procurement involved a request for proposals (“RFP”) for handheld biometric reader hardware, software, and maintenance services. Parroco Production […]