Reliance on Supplier's Country of Origin Certification Reasonable
Client Alert | 1 min read | 09.04.14
On August 29, 2014, the D.C. Circuit affirmed the grant of summary judgment for the contractor in a qui tam FCA case alleging Govplace had violated the Trade Agreements Act (TAA) by unreasonably relying on the distributor's country of origin certification and selling IT hardware that allegedly failed to comply with the TAA. The court concluded not only that Govplace could reasonably rely on the distributor's certification (a practice it had disclosed to GSA during Contractor Administrator Visits), but also that, because the hardware was generally manufactured in both TAA-designated countries and in non-designated countries, neither an email from the manufacturer's employee nor a competitor's price list suggesting conflicting country of origin information undermined Govplace's continued reliance on the distributor's certification.
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Client Alert | 4 min read | 08.27.26
FCC Clarifies Covered List for Power Inverters and Advanced Robotic Devices
On July 28, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) updated its Covered List — established through the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act — to include foreign-produced connected power inverters and advanced robotic devices, following an executive branch national security determination that they “pose unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons.” Equipment on the Covered List is ineligible for FCC equipment authorization, effectively prohibiting the import, sale, or marketing of those products without an exception or approval.
Client Alert | 4 min read | 08.27.26
Power Play: New Executive Order Targets Electrical Grid Equipment
Client Alert | 5 min read | 08.26.26
D.C. Circuit Upholds Designation of PFOA and PFOS as CERCLA Hazardous Substances
Client Alert | 5 min read | 08.26.26
