Proof Of Actual Bias Not Required To Show Conflict Of Interest
Client Alert | 1 min read | 12.07.06
Using the rarely-invoked exception to its timeliness rules for protests raising issues of widespread interest to the procurement community, the GAO in Celadon Laboratories, Inc., (http://www.gao.gov/decisions/bidpro/ 298533.pdf, Nov. 1, 2006) upheld a protest challenging an HHS decision not to fund the protester’s Small Business Innovation Research proposal, finding a conflict of interest where the members of the Special Emphasis Panel (SEP) that evaluated (and rejected) the proposal were employed by, or funded by, firms that support a competing technology. Because of the specific conflict information protester brought to the agency’s attention during the evaluation, GAO not only rejected HHS’s reliance on its SEP’s self-certification but also, rejected the argument that actual bias must be shown and instead concluded that in cases in which the evaluator has a conflict, prejudice is presumed.
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Client Alert | 4 min read | 09.20.24
Department of Commerce Unveils New Tool to Inform Supply Chain Risk Mitigation
The U.S. Department of Commerce unveiled a groundbreaking analytic risk assessment tool to inform the U.S. government’s efforts in mitigating supply chain risks. Launched at the inaugural Supply Chain Summit hosted by the Department of Commerce and the Council on Foreign Relations on September 10, 2024, the SCALE Tool marks a significant milestone in the U.S. government’s broader commitment to strengthening the U.S. supply chain ecosystem.
Client Alert | 3 min read | 09.13.24
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Tri-Agencies Finalize NQTL Comparative Analysis Standards in Final Rule
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