Over the last few years, the government has shifted away from lowest price technically acceptable valuations placing a larger importance on past performance. The past performance requirement can sometimes create obstacles for firms who lack the required substantive past performance bonafides. A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) decision offers another avenue as the agency attributed the past performance of two joint venture (JV) partners who previously worked as a prime and subcontractor on similar contracts to their Mentor-Protégé JV.
Continue Reading Joint Venture Past Performance Can Be Gleaned from Previous Prime-Sub RelationshipsRegister Now | Subcontract Negotiation Strategy and Best Practices Webinar
All government contractors routinely review and negotiate subcontractor agreements. Whether you are the prime or the subcontractor, these agreements are critical for delivering solutions to government customers and capturing federal compliance requirements.
Please join our panel of Bass, Berry & Sims Government Contracts experts – Richard Arnholt, Todd Overman, and Sylvia Yi – along with our in-house colleague, Chad Pryor, Chief Counsel, Public Sector at TTEC, to discuss the art of negotiating subcontractor agreements and best practices for ensuring a successful relationship for both parties.
The webinar will take place on Monday, March 6, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET. Click here to register.Continue Reading Register Now | Subcontract Negotiation Strategy and Best Practices Webinar
International Trade Enforcement Roundup – January 2023
You are reading Bass, Berry & Sims’ enforcement roundup, where we bring notable enforcement actions, policy changes, interesting news articles, and a bit of our insight to your inbox every month.
To stay up to date, subscribe to our GovCon & Trade blog. If you have questions about any of the actions mentioned and how they relate to your business, contact our firm’s international trade team. We welcome your feedback and encourage sharing this newsletter with anyone interested.
January saw a bevy of interesting enforcement actions and regulatory policy changes. A high-level former FBI agent was charged with sanctions violations, for the first time ever a North Korean national was extradited to the U.S. for money laundering to benefit designated persons, and yet another instance of Chinese espionage was thwarted. Let’s jump in!Continue Reading International Trade Enforcement Roundup – January 2023
Task Orders May Carry Implicit Size Recertification Requirements
Generally, when a business is awarded a multi-year IDIQ contract, it retains its “small” business designation unless a contracting officer (CO) requires the business to recertify its size status, and has since grown larger than the small business threshold. A recent decision from the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) throws a wrench into that general understanding when OHA found an implicit recertification requirement absent an express requirement or CO demand.
Continue Reading Task Orders May Carry Implicit Size Recertification RequirementsWebinar: The FTC’s Proposed Ban on Non-Competes and What It Could Mean for You

On January 5, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed a new rule that would prohibit employers from imposing non-competes on workers, and, if finalized, will have far reaching implications for many businesses operating in the United States. The proposed ban would make it illegal for employers to enter into or attempt to enter into non-compete agreements with workers, continue to maintain such agreements if they already exist, or represent that a worker is subject to a non-compete. It would further require companies with active non-competes to inform workers that they are void. Under the proposed rule, non-competes that bar workers from accepting competing employment or starting a competing business would be prohibited.
Join us for a webinar in which Bass, Berry & Sims labor & employment and antitrust attorneys will address topics and concerns pertaining to the proposed ban, including:
Continue Reading Webinar: The FTC’s Proposed Ban on Non-Competes and What It Could Mean for YouAttention SBIR Applicants…Remember that Affiliation Rules Still Apply
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program has an interesting construction. With seemingly no competition to bring size protests and the successful completion of a previous grant before a second grant, the unusual process can make participants forget that normal Small Business Administration (SBA) size regulations still apply. A recent SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) decision reminds SBIR awardees to comply with all affiliation rules and ownership requirements or risk losing follow-on SBIR awards.
Continue Reading Attention SBIR Applicants…Remember that Affiliation Rules Still ApplyInternational Trade Enforcement Roundup – December 2022
You are reading Bass, Berry & Sims’ new enforcement roundup, where we bring notable enforcement actions, policy changes, interesting news articles and a bit of our insight to your inbox every month.
To stay up to date, subscribe to our GovCon & Trade blog. If you have questions about any of the actions mentioned and how they relate to your business, contact our firm’s international trade team. We welcome your feedback and encourage sharing this newsletter with anyone who may be interested.
December was a busy month! A highly complex Russian procurement network dismembered, a former Marine indicted, a government contractor sentenced to prison for export violations, and temporary denial orders (TDOs) galore! Let’s get into it.Continue Reading International Trade Enforcement Roundup – December 2022
Arizona Judge Dismisses Challenge to Government Contractor Minimum Wage Executive Order
On January 6, U.S. District Judge John Tuchi in the District of Arizona agreed to dismiss a lawsuit brought by five states challenging the April 2022 Executive Order (EO), increasing the minimum wage for federal contractors to $15 per hour. Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Nebraska, and South Carolina argued the administration did not have the authority to stipulate an increase in the minimum wage of federal contractors under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act (FPASA). Judge Tuchi disagreed.
Continue Reading Arizona Judge Dismisses Challenge to Government Contractor Minimum Wage Executive OrderSBA to Adjust for Alternative Size Standards under the SBIC
On November 17, 2022, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) published an interim final rule in the Federal Register to make certain inflationary adjustments for the alternative size standards under the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program. The interim final rule became effective on December 19, 2022, but the SBA will accept public comments until…
Register Now | FCPA Enforcement Update: Lessons Learned for Best Practices Webinar
We look forward to presenting a webinar titled “FCPA Enforcement Update: Lessons Learned for Best Practices” for the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics alongside V. Channing Landreth, AVP Managing Counsel at Labcorp. We will cover:
- Overview of FCPA
- Key Compliance Challenges
- Lessons from Recent Enforcement Actions
- Compliance Best Practices
The webinar will be held…