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Strong Mitigating Factors Trump Debarment

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 07.30.07

In Canales v. Paulson (D.D.C. July 16, 2007, https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2006cv1330-47), the federal district court overturned a Treasury Department debarment from government contracting on the ground that the debarring official did not explain reasons for debarment in the face of strong mitigating factors (spotless record before the offense; five years since the incident; extensive business with the government in the interim; misdemeanor conviction) presented to him at the debarment proceeding.

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Client Alert | 3 min read | 07.10.26

Federal Circuit Clarifies Application of Blue & Gold: Proposal Submission Deadline, Not Award, is the Operative Time for Filing

In Utech, Inc. v. United States, No. 24-1586 (Fed. Cir. June 24, 2026), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit clarified that in most cases, a pre-award protest must be filed before the proposal submission deadline to avoid the Blue & Gold waiver rule.  This decision, while nonprecedential, is in line with U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) precedent, which has long held that pre-award protests must be filed before the proposal submission deadline....