President Trump has already signed more than 50 Executive Orders, reshaping policies, undoing previous administrations’ actions, and reinstating measures from his first term. One of the big ones ends a... The post Federal Contracting: The good, bad, and ugly of Trump’s Executive Orders appeared first on Schoonover & Moriarty, LLC ..read more

One week into President Trump’s second term, we’ve seen a bevy of executive actions aimed at reshaping the federal government. Among them is an Executive Order that changes previously-existing affirmative... The post Executive Order Changes Anti-Discrimination Compliance Landscape appeared first on Schoonover & Moriarty, LLC ..read more

As 2025 approaches, the FAR Council has released its proposed adjusted acquisition thresholds. The proposed adjustment increases the thresholds to account for inflation and the Consumer Price Index. The most... The post Acquisition Thresholds Would Increase With FAR Council’s Proposed Rule appeared first on Schoonover & Moriarty, LLC ..read more

The SBA dropped a bombshell proposed rule last week that it estimates could result in an additional $6 billion in government contract task or delivery orders going to small businesses.... The post SBA proposed rule would set aside more task orders for small businesses appeared first on Schoonover & Moriarty, LLC ..read more

Last week, a federal contractor, Avant Assessment, LLC, found themselves in a Catch-22. Avant had filed a complaint at the Court of Federal Claims renewing a previous claim on new information. Avant earned an early tactical win when it defeated a motion to dismiss. However, that win directly led to dismissal of the case. We’ll explain. The Federal Contractor’s Claim The Court of Federal Claims dismissed Avant’s claim for lack of jurisdiction. Avant based its arguments on newly presented facts brought to light in previous litigation that Avant was arguing before the Armed Services Board of Cont ..read more

Introducing “Behind the Desk”—a blog series where we peel back the professional facade and delve into the unique personalities that make our law firm shine. From the quiet disruptors to the office comedians, “Behind the Desk” promises to be a captivating journey into the heart and soul of our team.  Join us as we spotlight the incredible individuals who bring their passion, quirks, and expertise to the workplace every day.  Meet John!   When asked to describe John in one word, his officemates describe him as contemplative, intentional, virtuous, genuine, compassionate, and ..read more

Given the advancements of the past year, you might be wondering: Can federal contractors trust AI to interpret regulations? We tested it. You be the judge. AI, analyze a FAR part 22 clause for us We asked ChatGPT to “Briefly summary the requirements of FAR 22.1003-4(d)(1)” It responded: FAR 22.1003-4(d)(1) pertains to labor standards for contracts exceeding $2,500. This subsection requires contractors to submit weekly certified payroll records, ensuring compliance with prevailing wage rates and fringe benefits as stipulated in the contract. ChatGPT Not quite. What (d)(1) really does is list c ..read more

Being competitive begins with understanding the ground rules of the game being played. In federal contracts, competitive ground rules are established by the solicitation. A duo of protest and appeal options provide powerful tools to influence the competitive ground rules and improve competitive standing. NAICS Code Appeals In one of the more masterful displays of bureaucracy, the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) leveraged the Census Bureau’s North American Industry Classification System (“NAICS”) codes to assign a corresponding size limit to each industry. These thresholds establish brigh ..read more

Ian Patterson was quoted in a LAW360 article by Daniel Wilson this week centered around a proposal that would eliminate price as a consideration in IDIQ contracts. “I think that, messy as it may be, there is a value in the federal procurement system having various escape hatches to review decision-making,” said Ian Patterson, a member at government contracts boutique Schoonover & Moriarty LLC. “And if you’re going to be cutting that off, I have concerns about what the implications of that may be down the road.” Several other attorneys in the know also voiced their reactions and thoughts. R ..read more

A new lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (“DBE”) program. One can’t help but wonder if this is a dry run for an 8(a) Program challenge. The ripple effects of the U.S. Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College (“SFFA”) continue to take effect in the small business contracting world. In a recent complaint filed with the Eastern District of Kentucky, Mid-America Milling Company, LLC challenged the DOT’s DBE program. Mid-America has alleged tha ..read more