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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 | 5 min read | 06.05.26

Grants Overhauled: What the Proposed Rewrite of 2 CFR Part 200 Means for Federal Financial Assistance Award Recipients

The Office of Management and Budget issued on May 29, 2026 a Proposed Rule that would significantly revise the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, potentially impacting the full lifecycle of federal grants, cooperative agreements and other forms of financial assistance, from pre-award merit review through post-award administration and termination. These proposed changes are designed to implement the President’s policy priorities, executive actions related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) activities, and Executive Order No. 14332, Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking (EO 14332)....