The Government Contractors Forum serves attorneys that practice in the area of government contracting by presenting programs that provide helpful information on the ins and outs of government contracting, from general principles to subtle nuances that are unique to that area of law.The programs benefit those just striking out in the profession, as well as seasoned veterans. Many of the Forum's programs feature prominent government officials from agencies such as DoD and GSA. In addition to providing background on topics relevant to everyday practice, the programs give members a the opportunity to meet fellow members of the community, and share knowledge and experience.
The chairs of the Government Contractors Forum are:
NEWS ALERTS PROVIDED BY VENABLE LLP:
Are Those Real Parts? Government Contractors Must Comply With New Inspection and Reporting Requirements Created by NDAA 2012 for Counterfeit Electronic Parts (February 2012): The recently enacted National Defense Authorization Act (“NDAA”) of 2012 establishes a host of new requirements for government contractors regarding detecting and avoiding counterfeit electronic parts. Contractors who fail to follow these new requirements risk suspension, debarment and potential civil and criminal liability. View Complete Article here.
DCAA’s Access to and Use of Defense Company Internal Audit Reports (February 2012): Recently, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report recommending that the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) have more access to contractor Internal Audit reports. As a result of this recommendation, contractors will likely see an increase in the number of requests from DCAA for their Internal Audit reports causing contractors to reassess their policies and procedures regarding DCAA access to their Internal Audit reports and how they use their Internal Audit groups. View Complete Article here.
The Public Disclosure of Contractor Information on FAPIIS is Here to Stay (January 2012): In January of this year, the interim rule making information, excluding past performance information, loaded to the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) will be publicly available was made final. This signals the ongoing scrutiny placed on government contractors, serves as an important reminder of the need for compliance to avoid this negative information, and notifies contractors to be mindful of intended postings to FAPIIS, as some information can be curtailed or mitigated if addressed in a timely manner. View Complete Article here.
GSA Requires IT Contractors to Create and Implement IT Security Plans: This May Only Be the Beginning (January 2012): The General Services Administration (GSA) finalized a rule in early January of this year requiring GSA IT contractors to submit and implement IT security plans in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Information Security Manage Act of 2002 (FISMA). While this rule only applies to GSA buys, it signals to contractors of what may be on the horizon with all agencies as the federal government becomes increasingly concerned over IT and cyber security. The New Personal Conflicts of Interest Rule presents contractors with new reporting challenges. Among these challenges is the development of information-gathering business practices that enable companies to discover personal conflicts of interest among their employees. View Complete Article here.
