Photo of Frederick Benson

Frederick Benson

Last year, we highlighted the Court of Federal Claims’ (“COFC”) decision in Starry Associates, Inc. v. United States, 127 Fed. Cl. 539 (2016), which sharply criticized a Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) decision to cancel a solicitation, a rare rebuke in an area where agencies enjoy considerable deference from the courts. The Court’s decision noted the unique circumstances of that case—a series of agency actions resulting in the cancelation of the solicitation at issue that the Court characterized as “capricious” and “reflect[ing] a lack of fidelity to the procurement process.” That cancelation resulted in multiple GAO protests, a hearing at GAO, multiple depositions of agency officials during a follow-on protest at the Court, and a decision enjoining HHS from cancelling the solicitation (raising the interesting question of whether HHS must now award the contract to Starry Associates). In a subsequent decision issued in the case last week, Starry Associates, Inc. v. United States, No. 16-44C (Fed. Cl. Mar. 31, 2017), the case’s exceptional nature was further demonstrated by the COFC’s decision to award “enhanced” attorney fees to plaintiff’s counsel.
Continue Reading COFC Awards Enhanced Attorney Fees In Protest Following “Egregious” Agency Conduct

Each year, the Interagency Suspension and Debarment Committee (ISDC) reports to Congress on the status of the Federal suspension and debarment system.  With its mission of assisting agencies to build and maintain efficient and effective suspension and debarment activities, the ISDC is uniquely situated to provide comments and insight on the status of suspension and debarment practices generally. 
Continue Reading ISDC Reports a “Plateauing” in Suspension and Debarment Activity

The Civilian Board of Contract Appeal’s recent decision in Muhammad v. Department of Justice provides another example of an Agency Board of Contract Appeals requiring the Government to file the complaint instead of the contractor—a growing trend which promotes more efficient appeals by helping to ensure that contractors are provided adequate notice of the basis of a Government claim when appealing a Contracting Officer’s final decision. 
Continue Reading CBCA Orders Government to File Complaint in Contractor’s Appeal of Government Claim

On December 22, 2015, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia invalidated a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) memorandum setting out the Agency’s position on the “Buy America” waiver for steel manufactured products.  The decision creates uncertainty as to the proper administration of Buy America requirements, and will likely reduce demand for steel and iron imports used in federally-funded transportation projects.
Continue Reading District Court Invalidates Important FHWA Exemptions to the “Buy America” Requirement

Congress enacted the SAFETY Act in 2002 in an effort to incentivize the development of anti-terrorism technologies following the attacks of September 11, 2001.  The Act affords liability protections to sellers of Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technologies (“QATTs”) in the event of an act of terrorism where QATTs are deployed.  Although the SAFETY Act’s protections have not yet been tested in court, a recent publication from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of SAFETY Act Implementation (“OSAI”) further explains and reaffirms how the Act’s most significant liability protection—the government contractor defense—would operate to protect a SAFETY Act-approved company sued in court following a terrorist attack.
Continue Reading OSAI Issues Guidance on the Government Contractor Defense for Certified Anti-terror Technologies