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Crossing The Threshold

Client Alert | 1 min read | 01.22.08

In a memorandum dated January 7, 2008, GSA's Senior Procurement Executive, David Drabkin, acknowledged that "currently there is no government-wide standard that addresses" whether the Trade Agreements Act (TAA) threshold (soon to rise to $194,000) applies at the order level or the contract value level for GSA multiple award contracts and is seeking to have all GSA Contracting Activities weigh in on the issue. Largely at the instigation of the IT industry which, back in the 1980s, wanted to be freed of counting component costs under the Buy American Act regulatory test for domestic end products, GSA has traditionally applied the TAA threshold to the total expected contract value for GSA Schedule contracts, but now given the Buy American Act exemption for commercial IT products contained in FAR 25.103(e), certain companies might well find it advantageous if the threshold were to be applied at the order level.

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Client Alert | 4 min read | 04.18.24

Maryland and Colorado Say the Price Isn’t Right: State Drug Affordability Review Boards Seek Drug Upper Payment Limits

Following federal lawmakers’ initiative to lower prescription drug prices under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, several states have taken similar steps to limit certain drugs’ prices. Drug affordability for consumers is a top priority for federal and state lawmakers and regulators because it is a bipartisan issue that directly impacts consumers’ wallets. With negotiations between the federal government and drug manufacturers over 10 drugs’ prices for Medicare beneficiaries well underway under the Inflation Reduction Act, 11 states, including Maryland and Colorado, have created drug affordability review boards to more directly tackle rising prices for both brand and generic drugs.[1] And another 12 states have pending legislation to create these boards.[2] ...