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D.C. Circuit Loosens Public Disclosure Bar While Tightening the Reins on Damages

Client Alert | 1 min read | 05.16.12

In United States ex rel. Davis v. District of Columbia (May 15, 2011), the D.C. Circuit held that recent Supreme Court precedent had abrogated the Circuit's long-standing rule that a relator must provide the government with the information upon which his allegations are based not only before filing an action, but also prior to any public disclosure. The Circuit Court also applied its recent holding in U.S. v. Science Applications Corp., 626 F.3d 1257, that proof of damages requires a showing that, as the result of the alleged fraud, the value of what the government received was less than what it believed it had purchased, finding that, in the matter before it, because there was no allegation that claimed reimbursements were for services not actually received or of inflated value -- only that they lacked documentary support -- "the government got what it paid for and there are no damages."

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Client Alert | 2 min read | 05.14.26

Proposed DFARS Rule Could Require Disclosures and Mitigation Related to Foreign Ownership, Control, and Influence (FOCI) on Certain Unclassified Contracts

On May 7, 2026, the Department of War issued the long-awaited Proposed Rule to implement Section 847 of the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) regarding Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI) requirements for contractors. The proposed rule would expand the applicability of FOCI reviews, requiring contractors and subcontractors on unclassified “covered contracts” — defense contracts and subcontracts valued in excess of $5 million that are not for commercial products and services — to submit FOCI disclosures to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) for FOCI risk assessment (and as applicable, mitigation) as part of contract award. This would effectively require DCSA assessment and adjudication of FOCI considerations prior to contract award. Thus, both cleared and uncleared defense contractors would be subject to the rigorous DCSA disclosure requirements, scrutiny, and FOCI mitigation. Crowell discussed the Section 847 requirements in a prior alert....

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