On January 13, 2017, the FAR Council released a final rule (available here) that: (1) prohibits agencies from contracting with entities that require employees/subs to sign internal confidentiality agreements or statements that restrict the lawful reporting of waste, fraud, or abuse; and (2) requires bidders on federal contracts to certify that they do not utilize such agreements. Starting on January 19, 2017, the rule will apply to all solicitations and contracts using fiscal year 2015 funds and subsequent fiscal year funds, unless the solicitation or contract already contains a comparable provision/clause.
Continue Reading Final FAR Rule on Internal Confidentiality Agreements: Considerations for Contractors Before Employees Sign on the Dotted Line
Confidentiality Agreements
New FAR Requirement Forces Contractors to Examine Confidentiality Agreements
By Jason Crawford & Charles Baek on
Posted in Ethics & Compliance
On March 22, the comment period is set to close on a new rule proposed by the FAR Council titled, “Federal Acquisition Regulation: Contractor Employee Internal Confidentiality Agreements.” This rule will prohibit federal dollars from going to companies that require employees or subcontractors to sign restrictive confidentiality agreements that could limit the ability of employees…
Proposed FAR Rule Targets Restrictive Confidentiality Agreements
By Jason Crawford & Charles Baek on
Posted in Legal Developments
On January 22, 2016, the FAR Council proposed adding a new rule (link here) prohibiting federal dollars from going to companies that require employees to sign confidentiality agreements that could limit the ability of employees to report suspected fraud and abuse to the government.
The proposed rule comes at a time of increased attention…