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Crowell & Moring’s “All Things Protest” podcast keeps you up to date on major trends in bid protest litigation, key developments in high-profile cases, and best practices in state and federal procurement. In this episode, hosts Christian Curran, Olivia Lynch, and Rob Sneckenberg highlight recent GAO decisions and an ongoing Court of Federal Claims case involving mid-procurement key personnel departures, as well as strategies for avoiding or, if need be, addressing this troublesome situation.

You can find the materials discussed in this episode here.

Listen: Crowell.com | PodBean | SoundCloud | iTunes 

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Crowell & Moring’s “All Things Protest” podcast keeps you up to date on major trends in bid protest litigation, key developments in high-profile cases, and best practices in state and federal procurement. In this episode, hosts Olivia Lynch and Christian Curran cover a recent GAO decision that could have significant implications for awardee protesters.

You can find the materials discussed in this episode here.

Listen: Crowell.com | PodBean | SoundCloud | iTunes 

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This week’s episode covers DOJ, IDIQ, and GAO case law news, and is hosted by partner David Robbins. Crowell & Moring’s “Fastest 5 Minutes” is a biweekly podcast that provides a brief summary of significant government contracts legal and regulatory developments that no government contracts lawyer or executive should be without.

Listen: Crowell.com | PodBean | SoundCloud | iTunes 

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In AlliantCorps, LLC, B-415744.2, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) denied a protest by AlliantCorps, LLC (Alliant) alleging violations of the Procurement Integrity Act (PIA) by the Department of the Navy (Navy) following Alliant’s prior protest of a task order award to DKW Communications, Inc. (DKW).  Alliant asserted that DKW improperly received Alliant’s bid and proposal information when its proposed subcontractor’s labor rates were furnished to DKW “at the direction of the Navy.”  GAO found that the facts asserted could not form the basis of a PIA violation because the employees voluntarily disclosed their salary information to DKW.

The Navy initially awarded the task order seeking software maintenance services to DKW.  As part of its transition effort, DKW sent an email to Navy personnel providing a link to DKW’s employment application website.  After the Navy provided Alliant with its debriefing, Navy personnel forwarded DKW’s email soliciting employment applications to personnel working on the incumbent contract for Alliant’s proposed subcontractor.  Alliant subsequently protested the evaluation underlying the award challenging the Navy’s past performance evaluation and discussions, which prompted the Navy to take corrective action to clarify the solicitation and make a new source selection decision.

Continue Reading Incumbent Employees’ Self-Disclosure of Salaries is Not a Procurement Integrity Act Violation

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In Matter of: First Fin. Assocs., Inc., B-415713, Feb. 16, 2018, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) denied a protest filed by First Financial Associates, Inc. (FFA)  against an award by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service (DHS/USSS) to FEEA Childcare Services, Inc. (FEEA) for the administration of a childcare subsidy program.  FFA alleged that their proposal was not evaluated consistently with the RFP’s evaluation criteria regarding the protection of personally identifiable information (PII) incident reporting requirements.

Continue Reading How Quickly Should Contractors Report Data Breaches? GAO Denies Protest Finding 12 Hours Is Not Fast Enough

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Crowell & Moring’s “All Things Protest” podcast keeps you up to date on major trends in bid protest litigation, key developments in high-profile cases, and best practices in state and federal procurement. In this episode, your hosts break down GAO’s pre- and post-award timeliness rules, as well as recent changes to GAO’s regulations and DoD debriefings that you need to know.

You can find the materials discussed in this episode here.

Listen: Crowell.com | PodBean | SoundCloud | iTunes 

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On April 2, 2018, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published Final Rule 83 FR 13817, amending its bid protest regulations to implement the Electronic Protest Docketing System, make administrative and clerical changes, and “streamline the bid protest process.”

This Final Rule goes into effect on May 1, 2018.  We detail below some key changes it implements to the protest process.

Continue Reading GAO Implements Changes to Bid Protest Process with New Regulations

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When deciding where to file a bid protest, the most fundamental consideration is perhaps the most obvious one: does your desired venue have jurisdiction to hear your arguments?

In a recent decision, Cleveland Assets, LLC v. United States , the Federal Circuit may have changed that analysis for certain Court of Federal Claims (COFC) bid protests.

Continue Reading Did the Federal Circuit Narrow the COFC’s Bid Protest Jurisdiction?

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In the face of an actual or potential organizational conflict of interest (OCI), the potential solutions are often limited. There are several options for contractors and the government that are broadly categorized as mitigation, avoidance, neutralization, limitations on future contracting, and exclusion. Although used sparingly, the FAR also provides that the government can “waive” actual or potential OCIs. Specifically, FAR 9.503 states: “The agency head or a designee may waive any general rule or procedure of this subpart by determining that its application in a particular situation would not be in the Government’s interest.”

A recent GAO decision sheds light on how contractors and agencies should think about OCI waivers. CACI, Inc.-Federal; General Dynamics One Source, LLC, B-413860.4, et al., Jan. 5, 2018.

Continue Reading GAO Lets Stand an Agency’s OCI Waivers in Face of a Multi-Prong Challenge

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With 2017 firmly in the rear-view, it’s time to take stock of recent and anticipated bid protest developments.  Today, we’ll look back and highlight five of the most significant trends in 2017 bid protests.  In the near future, we’ll turn our gaze forward and predict the five most important protest developments to keep an eye on in 2018.

Continue Reading Top Five Bid Protest Topics in 2017