1. Home
  2. |Insights
  3. |Union Obtains Protest Relief In District Court

Union Obtains Protest Relief In District Court

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 03.08.06

In Nat'l Treasury Employees Union v. IRS (D.D.C., Feb. 22, 2006), the union successfully challenged the decision of IRS to contract out mailroom functions without holding a public-private competition as required by the 2004 IRS appropriations act. Of most interest was the finding of the district court that the provisions of 28 U.S.C. 1491(b) giving the Court of Federal Claims exclusive jurisdiction over protests did not apply because the union was not an "interested party" under that provision, i.e., an actual or prospective bidder.

Insights

Client Alert | 4 min read | 09.15.26

GAO Indicates Reasonable Conflict of Interest Investigation Must Include Inquiry of Involved Firm

The U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) recent decision in Viderity Inc.—Costs, B-424422.5, Sept. 1, 2026, offers useful insight into what constitutes a legally sufficient conflict of interest investigation. The decision arose in an unusual procedural posture: Viderity initially protested, alleging that an agency evaluator had a personal conflict of interest. After the agency took corrective action, Viderity filed a cost entitlement claim requesting that GAO direct the agency to reimburse Viderity’s protest costs. In evaluating that claim, GAO assessed whether Viderity’s underlying protest ground was “clearly meritorious.”...