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Veterans Affairs Snubs GAO?

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 10.24.11

In Aldevra, GAO held that the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006 and implementing regulations required the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct procurements as service-disabled, veteran-owned, small-business set-asides (if market research first showed that two or more SDVOSB’s could perform the work), before purchasing from the Federal Supply Schedule.  In a rare instance of an agency defying a GAO recommendation, the VA has reportedly decided that, because “Executive Branch agencies are not bound by GAO's legal advice,” the GAO decision should not be followed, advising VA acquisition and procurement professionals “to continue using the Federal Supply Schedules Program.”

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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....