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GAO Ups the Ante on Biased Ground Rules OCIs

Client Alert | 1 min read | 03.15.10

In Energy Systems Group (Feb. 26, 2010), GAO found that the agency had acted reasonably in excluding the protester from the competition because of concerns about a biased ground rules organizational conflict of interest ("OCI") when protester had previously prepared a feasibility study in anticipation of a potential sole-source award upon which the agency relied to develop approximately 80% of the requirements for the competitive procurement at issue. GAO rejected protester's arguments that (i) at the time protester prepared the feasibility study, a competitive procurement was not anticipated and, therefore, the study could not affect an unanticipated competition; (ii) protester was unaware that the feasibility study might be incorporated into the requirements for the competitive procurement; and (iii) the feasibility study was released to all prospective offerors.

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Client Alert | 10 min read | 10.23.25

The EU’s Defense Readiness Roadmap and Omnibus: What are the Implications for Defense Procurement?

On October 16, 2025, the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy presented their Defense Readiness Roadmap 2030 to the EU Member States. This comprehensive plan aims to strengthen European defense capabilities. It follows, and should be read together with, the Commission’s Defense Readiness Omnibus that was published in June 2025. The Omnibus contains a set of proposals to facilitate defense investments and boost EU Member States’ responsiveness to today’s security challenges....