False Claims Act

On April 2, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia dismissed a whistleblower’s False Claims Act (FCA) action after the relator attempted to dismiss the government as a plaintiff-intervenor in the lawsuit. Continue Reading False Claims Act Gives Broad Dismissal Authority to Government, District Judge Says

According to an April 1 Department of Justice (DOJ) press release, DRI Relays Inc. (DRI), a subsidiary of TE Connectivity Corporation (TEC) and manufacturer of electrical relays and sockets used on military platforms, agreed to pay $15.7 million to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA). The company supplied military parts that failed to meet the required military testing specifications, while falsely certifying that they did. The settlement highlights the benefits of self-disclosures, the importance of robust diligence during the acquisition process, and the lengthy nature of some FCA investigations.Continue Reading New False Claims Act Settlement Highlights Importance of Voluntary Self-Disclosures and Due Diligence

On March 25, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced an $8.1 million settlement in a civil case under the False Claims Act (FCA) related to alleged customs evasion by a California importer of wood flooring. The private whistleblower who reported the conduct received over $1.2 million in the matter. As we suggested in a blog post in February, these sorts of enforcement actions will proliferate under the Trump DOJ.Continue Reading DOJ Settlement Highlights Customs, FCA Risks for Importers

A new executive order is set to reshape federal contracting by implementing more stringent transparency measures, but it may also create significant challenges for both government agencies and contractors.Continue Reading Executive Order on Federal Contracting Transparency: Potential Challenges and Implications

In the roughly four weeks since his inauguration, President Trump has announced then paused tariffs on Canada and Mexico, expanded tariffs on steel and aluminum, and suggested introducing reciprocal tariffs on the rest of the world. Continue Reading Update on Tariffs: Vigorous Enforcement Likely Amidst Uncertainty

UPDATE (January 29, 2026): On January 28, Law360 reported that the D.C. District Court issued a temporary restraining order enjoining OMB’s directive to freeze federal financial assistance.  We will closely monitor and report on further developments. 

The first seven days of the Trump administration have brought new meaning to the saying that the only constant in government contracting is change. Multiple executive actions promise to be just the start of what is expected to be a period of significant change to the rules governing federal contracts and grants. This summary provides government contractors, grant recipients, and compliance professionals with an overview of significant changes to federal contract and grant rules, with more to come over the coming weeks. Continue Reading Key Changes to Federal Contract and Grant Rules: What Government Contractors and Grant Recipients Need to Know About Trump’s First Week

On January 6, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Athira Pharma Inc., a Washington-based biopharmaceutical company, agreed to pay over $4 million to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act (FCA). The DOJ alleges Athira failed to report allegations of research misconduct in its grant applications, award progress reports, and assurances. The settlement serves as a reminder to companies performing on grants that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) takes allegations of research misconduct seriously and grantees must closely adhere to regulatory requirements related to disclosing such allegations.Continue Reading Athira Pharma Inc. Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

I’m excited to kick off the American Conference Institute’s 14th Annual Advanced Forum on Global Export Controls with a pre-conference workshop on February 24, 2025, from 1:30–5:00 PM. Together with Sarah York, Senior Counsel for International Trade Compliance at GE Aerospace, I’ll lead Workshop B – An Updated Roadmap on Making High Stakes, Time-Sensitive Decisions.

This interactive, small-group session will tackle critical compliance challenges, including:Continue Reading Join Us for a Pre-Conference Workshop at the Global Export Controls Forum

As we detailed in a previous blog, on October 3, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) published a strategic plan to “safeguard[] the integrity of HHS grants and contracts.” The plan comes after the HHS-OIG found “gaps in HHS oversight of grants and contracts—gaps that allow HHS funds to be misspent, programs to fall short of their promise, and people to be put at risk.”Continue Reading HHS-OIG Set To Intensify Scrutiny of Grants and Contract Compliance: How to Prepare

On August 22, the United States filed its complaint-in-intervention (Complaint) against the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and Georgia Tech Research Corp. (GTRC, collectively, defendants), asserting claims that the defendants knowingly failed to meet cybersecurity requirements in connection with certain Department of Defense (DoD) contracts in violation of the False Claims Act.

The government’s…

From the Bass, Berry & Sims Blog Network
From the Bass, Berry & Sims Blog Network

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