Photo of M.Yuan Zhou

M. Yuan Zhou is a counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Crowell & Moring, where she is a member of the firm's Government Contracts Group.

Yuan’s practice includes a wide range of investigatory, counseling, and transactional capabilities, including: internal investigations related to the False Claims Act, the Procurement Integrity Act, and other civil and criminal matters; compliance reviews and enhancing contractor compliance programs; representing clients in suspension and debarment proceedings; counseling on data rights issues, challenges, and disputes; mandatory disclosures; and providing government contracts due diligence in transactional matters. As part of the firm’s State and Local Practice, Yuan also counsels clients on state and local procurement issues, ranging from bid protests to contract negotiations with state agencies, and advises prime contractors and subcontractors on a variety of issues including prime/sub contract formation, disputes, and other government contracts issues.

SBA Proposed Rule to Update Various SBA Small Business Programs

This special edition covers the SBA’s August 2024 proposed rule to update and clarify various small business programs, and is hosted by Yuan Zhou and Olivia Lynch. Crowell & Moring’s “Fastest 5 Minutes” is a biweekly podcast that provides a brief summary of significant government

CMMC, DOJ, FedRAMP

This week’s episode covers DOD’s proposed rule regarding Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification 2.0, DOJ’s new Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program, and an OMB memo that proposes updates to FedRAMP, and is hosted by Peter Eyre and Yuan Zhou. Crowell & Moring’s “Fastest 5 Minutes” is a biweekly podcast that provides a brief

Clearances for Joint Ventures, Mentor-Protégé Program, GSA Schedule

This week’s episode covers a DoD memorandum establishing procedures for covered joint venture facility security clearances, an SBA notice relating to the Mentor-Protégé Programs, and an upcoming mass modification to all existing GSA Multiple Award Schedule contracts, and is hosted by Peter Eyre and Yuan Zhou. Crowell

FAR Part 40, Cyber Reporting, Bid Protest

This week’s episode covers a proposed rule to replace the phrase “significant deficiency” with “material weakness” for the government’s evaluation of contractor business systems, a GAO report on Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency’s current cybersecurity policies and procedures, and a nationwide preliminary injunction that halts the U.S. Department

On May 30, 2024, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement Section 803 of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, which modified 10 U.S.C. § 3455 to provide additional guidance regarding data requirements needed to support determinations of commerciality and price reasonableness under procurements for major weapon systems.  The rule applies to products that (i) have not previously been deemed commercial by the DoD; and (ii) are proposed as either a subsystem of a major weapon system or as a component or spare part of a major weapon system or subsystem. Continue Reading Commerciality Guidance for Major Weapon System Procurements

Federal Circuit Protest Ruling in Percipient.ai, Inc. v. United States

This special edition covers the Federal Circuit’s June 2024 protest decision in Percipient.ai, Inc. v. United States, and is hosted by Yuan Zhou and Anuj Vohra. Crowell & Moring’s “Fastest 5 Minutes” is a biweekly podcast that provides a brief summary of significant government

Commerciality, Employee-Owned Businesses, Procurement Collusion Strike Force

This week’s episode covers a final rule regarding commerciality and price reasonableness under procurements for major weapon systems, a DOD pilot program involving employee-owned businesses, and an update on the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, and is hosted by Peter Eyre and Yuan Zhou. Crowell & Moring’s “Fastest 5

Cyber, Semiconductors, AI, False Claims Act

This week’s episode covers cybersecurity updates, a proposed rule regarding prohibition on semiconductors produced by certain Chinese manufacturers, DOL guidance entitled “Artificial Intelligence and Equal Employment Opportunity for Federal Contractors,” and two settlements under the civil False Claims Act, and is hosted by Peter Eyre and Yuan Zhou. Crowell

On May 3, 2024, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) regarding the prohibition on semiconductors produced by certain Chinese manufacturers, enacted in Section 5949(a)(1) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023 (Section 5949) expanding on the prohibition on covered telecommunications equipment and services produced by Huawei, ZTE, and others from Section 889 of the FY 2019 NDAA (Section 889).    Continue Reading “(Don’t) Let the Chips Fall Where They May”:  FAR Council Previews Proposed Rule Implementing the Covered Semiconductor Prohibition  

FAR Part 40, Cyber Reporting, Bid Protest

This week’s episode covers a final rule updating the FAR to add Part 40 on information security and supply chain security, a notice of proposed rulemaking detailing how companies will have to comply with the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022, and a bid protest