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Weeding Out Bad Contractors -- The Government's Push to Enhance its Suspension and Debarment Function

Client Alert | 1 min read | 11.17.11

On November 15, 2011, the head of OMB, Jacob Lew, issued a memorandum requiring the heads of executive departments and agencies to increase management attention on suspension and debarment, consistent with the policies and procedures in the FAR. On the heels of the OMB memorandum, the U.S. Senate's Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs convened hearings on November 16 on "Weeding Out Bad Contractors," which featured testimony from, among others, Daniel Gordon, the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy; David Sims, the Chair of the ISDC; and Steven Shaw, the Air Force’s debarment and suspension official.

For further analysis and links to the OMB Memo and Congressional testimony, click here for a related blog post by Daniel Forman.

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Client Alert | 14 min read | 03.13.26

AI for Government: 7 Days for Contractor Comments on GSA Proposed Contract Clause for AI Systems

On March 6, 2026, the General Services Administration (GSA) issued a significant proposed contract clause, GSAR 552.239-7001, Basic Safeguarding of Artificial Intelligence Systems (“Clause”), for inclusion in GSA Schedule solicitations and contracts for AI capabilities.  The proposed clause would impose substantial new requirements related to AI sources, intellectual property rights, data use, change management, and performance standards.  The Clause would also take precedence over any other contract terms (including commercial licensing terms) related to AI, including a Seller’s terms of sale and service to which the Government had previously agreed.  GSA requests comments by March 20, 2026....