The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, signed into law on December 23, 2022, makes numerous changes to acquisition policy. Crowell & Moring’s Government Contracts Group discusses the most consequential changes for government contractors here. These include changes that provide new opportunities for contractors to recover inflation-related costs, authorize new programs for small businesses, impose new clauses or reporting requirements on government contractors, require government reporting to Congress on acquisition authorities and programs, and alter other processes and procedures to which government contractors are subject. The FY 2023 NDAA also includes the Advancing American AI Act, the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY 2023, and the Water Resources Development Act of 2022, all of which include provisions relevant for government contractors.
supply chain
Going Hard on Software: OMB Unveils Mandatory Software Supply Chain Security Compliance Requirements




Yesterday, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released Memorandum M-22-18, implementing software supply chain security requirements that will have a significant impact on software companies and vendors in accordance with Executive Order 14028, Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity. The Memorandum requires all federal agencies and their software suppliers to comply with the NIST Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF), NIST SP 800-218, and the NIST Software Supply Chain Security Guidance whenever third-party software is used on government information systems or otherwise affects government information. The term “software” includes firmware, operating systems, applications, and application services (e.g., cloud-based software), as well as products containing software. It is critical to note that these requirements will apply whenever there is a major version update or new software that the government will be using. …
The CHIPS Are Down and Incentives Flow as Congress Attempts to Vitalize the U.S. Semiconductor Industry




Last week, the United States Congress passed the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (CHIPS Act)[1] to bolster domestic semiconductor and microchip manufacturing in the United States. The bipartisan legislation will facilitate federal investments in the form of grants, loans, and loan guarantees to eligible entities and create significant business opportunities for companies in the U.S. The legislation also provides funding and new programs to boost advanced workforce training and research and development in a range of scientific and technology areas. The legislation now awaits the signature of President Biden, who hailed its passage as “exactly what we need to be doing to grow our economy right now.”
The legislation seeks to reverse the decades-long decline in U.S. microchip and semiconductor manufacturing and counter the rise of China as a source for technologically advanced manufacturing processes and products. By boosting domestic manufacturing and supply chains, the legislation also aims to relieve the global semiconductor shortage that has plagued manufacturers of a diverse set of products – everything from automobiles to children’s toys – and has contributed to the nation’s supply chain woes for more than two years.
The cornerstone of the legislation is $52 billion that will be allocated to the U.S. Department of Commerce semiconductor initiative to develop and expand domestic manufacturing capacity. Implementation of that program was already underway at the Department of Commerce[2], following Congressional authorization in the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (FY21 NDAA), and the legislation passed last week now provides the critical funding needed to commence direct federal incentives for the construction, expansion, or modernization of semiconductor manufacturing facilities.
The CHIPS Bill Introduces New Tax Credit to Incentivize U.S. Semiconductor Industry

Background and expected impact. The House and Senate have passed the CHIPS Bill of 2022 (HR 4346), and President Biden has said that he will sign it. In furtherance of the broad goal of reducing U.S. reliance on foreign suppliers of semiconductor chips, the Bill will add the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit (the “AMI Credit”) to the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”).
The CHIPS Bill could produce more than $20 billion in AMI Credit for the semiconductor industry. However, its expected value could be significantly reduced if the minimum corporate tax on book earnings, revived as part of the Manchin-Schumer deal and endorsed by the President, is enacted. …
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Fastest 5 Minutes IT, Supply Chain, DOJ’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force, and American Jobs Plan


This week’s episode covers the Department of Commerce’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking relating information and communications technology and services, an update from the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, GAO testimony about ongoing supply chain challenges at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the American Jobs Plan, and is hosted by partner Peter Eyre and counsel Monica …
Task Force Report on Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Pandemic Provides Recommendations to Improve Resiliency



On November 6, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) Task Force, a public-private supply chain risk management partnership, published Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Pandemic. In laying out the challenges posed by the pandemic, the report highlights the inevitable tension in supply chain risk management between achieving efficiencies and…
Last Chance to Comment on FASC Rule – More Supply Chain Restrictions Coming



Companies have less than one week to submit comments regarding a recent interim rule that provides the responsibilities, processes, and procedures for the Federal Acquisition Security Council (“FASC”), established by the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018. Under the immediately effective interim rule, the FASC is responsible for assessing supply chain risk and…
New Rules Combating Trafficking in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods Impact E-Commerce





On January 31, 2020, the Trump administration issued an executive order cracking down on U.S. businesses that import directly or facilitate the import of counterfeit or pirated goods, illegal narcotics and other contraband. The order, entitled “Ensuring Safe & Lawful E-Commerce for US Consumers, Business, Government Supply Chains and Intellectual Property Rights,” directs…
Crowell & Moring’s 2016 Litigation & Regulatory Forecasts: What Corporate Counsel Need to Know for the Coming Year

Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to release its “2016 Litigation & Regulatory Forecasts: What Corporate Counsel Need to Know for the Coming Year.” The reports examine the trends and developments that will impact government contractors and other corporations in the coming year—from the last year of the Obama administration to how corporate litigation strategy is transforming from the inside out. This year will bring remarkable change for companies, as market disruptions and the speed of innovation transform industries like never before, and the litigation and regulatory environments in which they operate are keeping pace.
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