Past Performance Remains Fertile Ground For Protest Challenges
Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 11.18.05
In J.A. Farrington Janitorial Servs. (Oct. 18, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/decisions/bidpro/296875.pdf), GAO found unreasonable the agency's assignment of a "high confidence" rating to the awardee of a grounds maintenance contract where the awardee's past performance references all related to efforts of far smaller magnitude and for only commercial customers. GAO also found that the agency's determination that the price offered by the protester, a HUBZone small business, was unrealistic amounted to a responsibility determination, and therefore had to be submitted to the Small Business Administration for a possible certificate of competency.
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Client Alert | 2 min read | 07.15.26
CMMC Phase II Suspension Requires Reconsideration of Such Requirements in Solicitations
As discussed in more detail here, the U.S. Department of War (DoW) recently issued a memorandum (Memo 26-P-1023, dated July 13, 2026) directing the immediate suspension of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Phase II requirements. Significantly, the memo directs that “all pending and future CMMC implementation milestones across DoW solicitations and contracts are held in abeyance until further notice.” Moreover, the DoW issued a memorandum on implementing these requirements (available here), directing agencies to issue amendments removing CMMC Level 2 and 3 requirements from active solicitations “as soon as practicable.” Contractors should monitor the government’s compliance with this requirement and should be prepared, if needed, to file a bid protest to protect their rights.
Client Alert | 3 min read | 07.13.26
Amici Rally Behind Liberty Global, Urging Tenth Circuit to Rein in Economic Substance Doctrine
Client Alert | 2 min read | 07.13.26
Department of War Immediately Suspends CMMC Phase II Requirements, Launches 60-Day Reform Review
Client Alert | 3 min read | 07.10.26
