Practical guidance for contractors
Short articles and client alerts from our attorneys on the rules and decisions that affect your contracts.
Bid protest deadlines at GAO, and the days that matter most
GAO's filing windows are short and strictly enforced. Here is how to count them, and how the debriefing can change the clock.
Teaming and joint ventures · October 2026Five teaming agreement pitfalls, and how to avoid them
Teaming agreements are signed quickly, under proposal pressure. These are the gaps we see most often, and the drafting that closes them.
Claims · October 2026REA or claim? Choosing the right path when a contract changes
A request for equitable adjustment and a Contract Disputes Act claim can ask for the same money. They carry very different rules on costs, interest, certification and appeal rights.
Contract performance · February 2025What to Do When Served with a Stop-Work Order: A Guide for Federal Contractors
Your rights and obligations under FAR 52.242-15, and the steps that protect your interests when the government tells you to stop work.
Subcontracts · November 2023New DFARS Commercial Subcontract Flowdown Restrictions
DFARS 252.244-7000 now bars flowing down clauses to commercial subcontracts unless required or customary. Here is what that means for primes and subcontractors.
Cybersecurity · November 2023New Cybersecurity Contract and Supply Chain Requirements
Three FAR clauses implementing FASCSA orders add removal, representation and quarterly SAM.gov review duties for contractors and subcontractors.
Security clearances · October 2023New Guidance on Joint Venture (JV) Facility Security Clearance
ISOO and SBA Joint Notice 2024-01 sets one approach for deciding when a joint venture needs its own facility security clearance, and leaves some questions open.
Compliance · September 2022Updates to DOJ Corporate Criminal Enforcement Policy
How DOJ weighs voluntary self-disclosure, timely cooperation, prior misconduct and compliance culture when resolving corporate investigations.
Small business · September 2022New Small Business Subcontractor Past Performance Rule
SBA’s rule at 13 C.F.R. 125.11 gives small businesses past performance credit for joint venture and first-tier subcontract work, and requires primes to provide ratings.
Export controls · January 2020DOJ Revised Policy for Export Controls Voluntary Disclosures
DOJ’s National Security Division offers a presumption of non-prosecution for companies that self-disclose willful export control violations, cooperate and remediate.