By Crowell & Moring on Posted in Legal DevelopmentsCrowell & 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… Continue Reading
By Steve McBrady, Lorraine M. Campos, Alan W. H. Gourley and Adelicia R. Cliffe on Posted in Legal DevelopmentsBy notice published in the Federal Register, the U.S. Trade Representative has confirmed that New Zealand has acceded to the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement and thereby, effective August 12, 2015, has become a “designated country” under the Trade Agreements Act. Accordingly, products and services from New Zealand are now eligible to be procured under all contracts… Continue Reading
By J. Catherine Kunz and Adelicia R. Cliffe on Posted in GSA Schedule/Commercial ItemsOn Wednesday, September 9th at 12 PM Eastern, join our government contracts attorneys for a webinar entitled: “Mitigating Trade Agreements Act Risks for GSA Schedule Holders.” During this 60-minute webinar, we will provide an overview of the GSA Schedule contract requirements related to the Trade Agreements Act (“TAA”), review recent enforcement actions by the government… Continue Reading
By J. Catherine Kunz on Posted in Ethics & ComplianceThe start of a new year is a perfect opportunity for government contractors to refocus and rejuvenate their compliance efforts. Regardless of whether a company is contractually required to have a compliance program, contractors should take time to determine the contractual obligations and risks they face now and in the year ahead. Is your company… Continue Reading
By J. Catherine Kunz on Posted in False ClaimsProfessional whistleblower Brady Folliard’s most recent False Claims Act suit against technology vendors alleging violations of the Trade Agreements Act (“TAA”) has survived a motion to dismiss with respect to two defendants (GovPlace and Government Acquisitions, Inc.), but otherwise has been dismissed for the other six defendants (which include Hewlett Packard and GTSI Corporation). In… Continue Reading
By J. Catherine Kunz on Posted in GSA Schedule/Commercial ItemsI will be participating in a webinar on June 1, 2011, to discuss GSA Schedule contracting. This webinar will provide an informative overview of the key contract requirements and compliance obligations, including pricing disclosures, the Price Reduction Clause, Trade Agreements Act, labor qualifications, and payment of the Industrial Funding Fee. It will also provide insightful discussion of… Continue Reading
By J. Catherine Kunz on Posted in False ClaimsHome Depot was sued in 2008 by two whistleblowers claiming that the company had violated the False Claims Act by selling products that did not comply with the Trade Agreements Act (“TAA”) to the U.S. government through its GSA Schedule contract. The United States has not intervened in the case. Home Depot recently moved for reconsideration of… Continue Reading
By J. Catherine Kunz on Posted in GSA Schedule/Commercial ItemsThe United States has intervened in yet another False Claims Act suit against GSA Schedule contractors alleging violations of the Trade Agreements Act. On November 24, 2010, the United States filed its Complaint in Intervention in U.S. ex rel. Navarro v. Divine Imaging, Inc. et al. The complaint alleges that four different office supply companies… Continue Reading
By J. Catherine Kunz on Posted in False ClaimsAlmost five years ago, a number of large office products companies with GSA Schedule contracts settled allegations that they had submitted false claims when selling office products to the U.S. Government that were not compliant with the Trade Agreements Act (“TAA”). The allegations came not from a government audit or from employees of these companies, but… Continue Reading
