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OHA Authority and Impact Expanded

Client Alert | 1 min read | 02.11.11

On February 2, 2011, the Small Business Administration issued a final rule amending its regulations, effective March 4, 2011, to expand and better define the authority of SBA's Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) by allowing for OHA review of all timely appeals of size determinations, whereas traditionally OHA would not review formal size determinations if the contract had been awarded and the issues ripe for review were contract specific, including joint venture issues and violations of the ostensible subcontractor and non-manufacturer rules. Additionally, OHA now has to issue decisions within 60 days of the close of a record, and if OHA affirms a size determination finding a protested concern to be other than small the contracting officer must terminate the contract or not exercise the next option.

Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 04.25.24

JUST RELEASED: EPA’s Bold New Strategic Civil-Criminal Enforcement Collaboration Policy

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) just issued its new Strategic Civil-Criminal Enforcement Policy, setting the stage for the new manner in which the agency manages its pollution investigations. David M. Uhlmann, the head of OECA, signed the Policy memorandum on April 17, 2024, in order to ensure that EPA’s civil and criminal enforcement offices collaborate efficiently and consistently in cases across the nation. The Policy states, “EPA must exercise enforcement discretion reasonably when deciding whether a particular matter warrants criminal, civil, or administrative enforcement. Criminal enforcement should be reserved for the most egregious violations.” Uhlmann repeated this statement during a luncheon on April 23, 2024, while also emphasizing the new level of energy this collaborative effort has brought to the enforcement programs....