When Does An Oral Presentation Become A "Discussion"?
Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 03.04.04
GAO ruled that an offeror’s oral presentation and the ensuing question and answer session did not become "discussions" that would trigger other offerors’ rights to revise their proposals, upholding a huge military health services contract award in Sierra Military Health Services (Dec. 5, 2003) — a protest in which Crowell & Moring represented the awardee. Tackling a difficult issue with a fact-bound decision, GAO held that an offeror’s presentation and the Q&A session constitute "discussions" only if agency personnel gave that offeror a chance to revise its proposal in, for example, the answers to the evaluators’ questions.
Insights
Client Alert | 4 min read | 09.15.26
GAO Indicates Reasonable Conflict of Interest Investigation Must Include Inquiry of Involved Firm
The U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) recent decision in Viderity Inc.—Costs, B-424422.5, Sept. 1, 2026, offers useful insight into what constitutes a legally sufficient conflict of interest investigation. The decision arose in an unusual procedural posture: Viderity initially protested, alleging that an agency evaluator had a personal conflict of interest. After the agency took corrective action, Viderity filed a cost entitlement claim requesting that GAO direct the agency to reimburse Viderity’s protest costs. In evaluating that claim, GAO assessed whether Viderity’s underlying protest ground was “clearly meritorious.”
Client Alert | 3 min read | 09.15.26
Client Alert | 7 min read | 09.14.26
AI in Life Sciences: Ten Legal Considerations and Risks of AI Use in Drug Discovery and Development
Client Alert | 6 min read | 09.14.26
Mental Health Parity Bulletin Restates Best Practices for Evaluating Compliance
