Apparent Conflict: Appearance of Impropriety Enough to Exclude a Contractor from Federal Contract

When a government employee moves from a federal agency to a private contractor, this sort of revolving door can lead to concerns that contractor hiring the ex-agency employee is getting special treatment. To avoid this concern, the ex-agency will sometimes bar the contractor from competing. In a recent case, the Navy did just that and a court had to review if the Navy made a reasonable decision.

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SmallGovCon Week in Review: April 29-May 3, 2024

Happy Friday! And just like that, it’s May! Hope you had a wonderful week and have some fun plans this weekend. This week in federal government contracting news included updates about small business federal contracting dollars (see our blog here) as well as new contracting bills coming out of Congress.

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SmallGovCon Week in Review: April 22-26, 2024

Good day and happy Friday! We hope you had a very productive week and are looking forward to the weekend. We have been, and will be, receiving some much-needed rain, so outdoor weekend activities might be a bit hit or miss here. It’s wonderful weather for all those recently planted gardens, however, as long as the storms aren’t bad!

In federal government contracting news this week, be sure to check out the stories about the new sustainability rules (and our recent blog), as well as new legislation on solicitation language and buying technology.

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Contracting While Impaired: Court Rejects Overbroad Finding of OCI Based on Impaired Objectivity

Contracting agencies, and contractors, must always be aware of potential organizational conflicts of interest (OCIs). An OCI can result in a contractor being kicked off a federal procurement. One type of OCI is an impaired objectivity OCI, typically resulting from a contractor evaluating its own offer or its own performance. In a recent decision, the United States Court of Federal Claims (COFC) said that an agency was overly cautious in rejecting an offeror based on a perceived OCI.

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SmallGovCon Week in Review: April 15-19, 2024

Happy Friday everyone! Here in the Midwest we are enjoying some nice spring weather. But along with the beautiful flowers comes the allergies for some folks. In contracting news this week legislators in Washington have been working on bills in an attempt to make it easier for small businesses to work with the government and there is continued movement on cybersecurity for federal contractors. You can read more about that in the articles below as well as other contracting news.

Have a great weekend.

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Govology Webinar: Past Performance: A Critical Factor For Success in the Government Marketplace (2024 Update), April 25, 2024, 1:00-2:30pm EDT

Please join us for an in-depth exploration of past performance management in government contracting. Gain valuable knowledge to leverage your past successes for future growth and competitive advantage.

Past performance management holds significant weight in the success of government contractors. Government agencies now place a premium on a contractor’s ability to deliver on promises, emphasizing the adage that “actions speak louder than words.” Contractors with a strong track record of past performance gain a competitive edge in the government contracting arena. 

Nicole Pottroff and Greg Weber, will discuss the essential components of past performance crucial for building a solid foundation for success. Register here.

SmallGovCon Week in Review: April 8-12, 2024

Happy Friday, readers. Around these parts, we’ve been enjoying some nice spring weather as we try to fill the void left by the end of March Madness. But it will be heating up soon, so enjoy the spring weather while you can and have a great weekend! Here are some recent updates from the world of federal contracting, including some new congressional initiatives to streamline federal contracting processes, as well as create new cyber standards for federal procurement.

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