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Award Fee Determination Must Be Made By Designated Official

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 01.29.07

As part of the long-running saga of the operation of the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant in Colorado, the Court of Federal Claims in The Boeing Co. v. United States. (Jan. 17, 2007) has held the Department of Energy in breach because, after the initiation of an investigation of the contractor, the Secretary's office mandated lower award fees than DOE's Rocky Flats Manager had independently determined. Restoring the independent determinations, the court found that, when the contract specifies the individual who is to make the determination (here the Manager), his superiors may not override that determination without breaching the contract.

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Client Alert | 2 min read | 12.29.25

FYI – GAO Finds Key Person “Available” Despite Accepting Employment with a Different Company

GAO’s key personnel rule is well-known—and often a source of frustration— amongst government contractors.  Proposed key personnel who become “unavailable” prior to contract award—especially where they have accepted employment with a different company—may doom an offeror’s proposal by rendering it noncompliant with solicitation requirements.  But GAO’s recent decision in FYI – For Your Information, Inc., B-423774, B-423774.2 (Dec. 19, 2025) provides some potential relief from that rule. ...