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Another Salvo in the War for Control of Contractor "Systems" Approval

Client Alert | 1 min read | 08.20.10

In the "Report on Allegation of Unsatisfactory Conditions Regarding Actions by the Defense Contract Management Agency, Earned Value Management Center" (July 28, 2010 http://www.dodig.mil/Audit/reports/fy10/apo/D-2010-6-002.pdf), the DoD Inspector General recommended that the Defense Contract Management Agency "prohibit joint surveillance reviews or other joint activities with a contractor" in order to avoid compromising DCMA's "independence" and to take action to increase DCAA "participation" in Earned Value Management Systems audits. While DCMA did not concur in many of the recommendations in the IG report, if the IG recommendations were adopted they would inevitably be applicable to other contractor "systems" issues, make it more difficult for contracting officers to resolve systems issues raised by DCAA, and have a decidedly negative impact on compliance and contract administration activities in the procurement process.

Insights

Client Alert | 4 min read | 08.25.26

DOJ Signals Increased Antitrust Scrutiny of Algorithmic Pricing in Willow Bridge Decision

Algorithmic pricing tools commonly used by businesses to increase efficiency and profits are under increasing antitrust scrutiny. This summer, federal regulators, state attorneys general, and state legislatures grappled with competing businesses providing nonpublic, competitively sensitive data to common algorithmic platforms. The Third Circuit deepened an emerging circuit split with the Ninth Circuit on algorithmic pricing liability, reviving antitrust claims against Atlantic City casino-hotels in a decision with direct implications for any company that uses a common pricing platform. See Crowell’s recent client alert. And New Jersey enacted two landmark laws—the FAIR Act and the Fair Price Protection Act—directly regulating algorithmic rent-setting and surveillance pricing. See Crowell’s recent client alert....