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Pentagon Looks to Silicon Valley for Innovation

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 04.24.15

In a move designed to attract commercial technology companies into DoD contracting, the Pentagon has announced plans to open a Silicon Valley office and provide venture capital to identify and fund innovative technologies that can improve national defense. Although traditionally Silicon Valley companies have been wary of contracting with DoD because of its bureaucracy and rigorous intellectual property requirements, Pentagon leaders have pledged to address these concerns to entice high technology companies and to enable DoD to compete with commercial technologies utilized by our adversaries.


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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 (Level I and II self assessments are still permitted). 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....