Guide for Forming an 8(a) Native Hawaiian Owned Small Business
Are you a Native-Hawaiian Owned (“NHO”) business interested in applying for the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) 8(a) Development Program (“8(a) Program”)? Ward and Berry provides this brief informative guide as to the legal framework and regulations for becoming an NHO (as defined by the SBA) and applying for the 8(a) Program. Under 13...
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Important notice for DoD contractors and subcontractors
Attention all DoD contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers! Last week, DoD issued its proposal to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Supplement (DFARS) to incorporate solicitation and contractual requirements to implement CMMC 2.0, once finalized. As part of the notice and comment process, DoD seeks comments by October 15, 2024. Speak Now! What’s in the new...
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Federal Circuit Panel Issues Landmark Decision Addressing Tucker Act Standing and COFC Jurisdiction in Task Order Protests
The Federal Circuit’s recent decision in Percipient.AI, Inc. v. United States represents a major development in its case law regarding bid protest standing and task order protest jurisdiction. In the decision—which has rightly received significant attention this month—a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held that Percipient, which...
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FAR Council issues proposed rule on semiconductor supply chain management
A lot of attention has been paid in recent years to semiconductors, tiny electronic parts that power everything from consumer electronics and automobiles to critical infrastructure and advanced military systems. Most prominently, the CHIPS and Science Act, which President Biden signed into law in August 2022, appropriated nearly $52 billion to boost semiconductor research...
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Are they independent contractors or employees? What’s the economic reality?
On January 10, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued a final rule on worker classification under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). Under the final rule, the DOL is modifying their Wage and Hour Division regulations to reflect its latest analysis/guidance for determining whether a worker should be classified as an employee...
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The Looming Government Shutdown – How Will it Affect Government Contractors?
If Congress cannot pass a new funding plan by October 1, 2023 (the start of the federal fiscal year), the Government will “shut down” financially at 12:01 A.M. and that shut-down will last until Congress signs a new funding bill into law. The question is—what do you do as a government contractor when faced...
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