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Equality For All - OMB Instructs Agencies To Ignore GAO And Give Equal Consideration To Three SBA Programs

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 07.23.09

On July 10, 2009, OMB instructed agencies to continue to adhere to the SBA's "parity" regulations despite two recent GAO decisions-Mission Critical Solutions, 2009 CPD ¶ 93, and Int'l Program Group, Inc., 2008 CPD ¶ 172-that required agencies to prioritize Historically Underutilized Business Zone ("HUBZone") small businesses over 8(a) Program participants and Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses in satisfying the agencies' acquisition requirements. OMB explained that the GAO decisions were not binding and instead instructed agencies to consider multiple small business programs pursuant to their existing contracting practices and the SBA's "parity" policies.

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Client Alert | 3 min read | 08.18.25

FCPA Enforcement Continues to Evolve with Newly Unsealed Indictment

On August 11, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced that it had unsealed an indictment against two Mexican businessmen for alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”). DOJ asserts that the defendants, both Mexican nationals living in Texas, paid bribes to officials at Petróleos Mexicanos (“PEMEX”), and its subsidiary, PEMEX Exploración y Producción (“PEP”) to secure contracts worth an estimated $2.5 million. These charges come amidst a period of uncertainty regarding FCPA enforcement following the Trump administration’s temporary pause on FCPA enforcement and the subsequent issuance of new investigation and enforcement guidelines....