Government Retail Therapy: Congress Removes Cap on OTA for Public Health Emergencies

In an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19, Congress is seeking to eliminate some red tape surrounding biomedical research and development. Specifically, Congress has removed approval requirements on specific transitions to support advanced research and development initiatives.

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GAO Declines Jurisdiction Over the “Other Transactional Agreement” Evaluation and Award Process

Evaluation and selection of an offeror for award of an “Other Transactional Agreement,” or “OTA,” are significantly more flexible than a traditional procurement under the FAR. This was at issue recently in GAO case MD Helicopters Inc., B-417379 (Comp. Gen. Apr. 4, 2019), where GAO clarified that it does not have jurisdiction to hear protests regarding OTA award decisions.

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