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Customary Commercial Practice Deserves Respect

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 10.03.12

In Verizon Wireless (Sept. 17, 2012), GAO sustained a solicitation protest in a FAR Subpart 8.4 procurement for a blanket purchase agreement for wireless telecommunications devices and services off the Federal Supply Schedule when the agency had selected contract terms and conditions that were inconsistent with customary commercial practice in the industry. GAO concluded that the agency had failed to conduct the necessary market research to realize that the disputed terms were irregular and, thus, had failed to prepare the mandatory, documented determination of why it was necessary to deviate from normal commercial practice.


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Client Alert | 1 min read | 04.18.24

GSA Clarifies Permissibility of Upfront Payments for Software-as-a-Service Offerings

On March 15, 2024, the General Services Administration (GSA) issued Acquisition Letter MV-2024-01 providing guidance to GSA contracting officers on the use of upfront payments for acquisitions of cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).  Specifically, this acquisition letter clarifies that despite statutory prohibitions against the use of “advance” payments outside of narrowly-prescribed circumstances, upfront payments for SaaS licenses do not constitute an “advance” payment subject to these restrictions when made under the following conditions:...