March 2025: Reducing the Negative Impacts of a Government Shutdown for Federal Contractors
On top of the uncertainty introduced through the Trump administration’s shifting priorities and rapid-fire executive orders, government contractors are now confronted with an impending shutdown as the federal government is set to run out of funding on March 14. Although the House of Representatives passed a six-month continuing resolution that would keep funding at current levels through the rest of the fiscal year (i.e., September 30), it remains to be seen whether the Senate has the votes to pass the . . . Read More
10 FAQs: Navigating Legal Challenges for Government Contractors Impacted by President Trump’s Recent Executive Orders
Government contractors are facing a host of legal and compliance challenges following President Trump’s recent executive orders. These orders have prompted government-wide contract reviews, funding issues, increased scrutiny on foreign assistance agreements, and the mass issuance of stop work orders and terminations for convenience. If you are a government contractor, here are some key questions you should be asking to ensure your business is protected. If any of these FAQs apply to your business, consulting legal counsel promptly can help . . . Read More
Court Blocks Suspension and Termination of Foreign Aid Contracts: Key Takeaways for Government Contractors
In a landmark decision, Judge Ali has issued a preliminary injunction (PI) preventing the U.S. government from enforcing suspensions, stop-work orders, and terminations for foreign aid contracts issued between January 20 and February 13, 2025—the date on which Judge Ali issued a temporary restraining order in this case. The ruling is a major rebuke of the executive branch’s attempt to halt congressionally appropriated funds, reaffirming Congress’s constitutional spending authority. This ruling requires the government to resume payments and allow drawdowns for . . . Read More
Cy Alba and PilieroMazza Earn #1 Spot in JD Supra’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Award for Government Contract Thought Leadership
PilieroMazza is thrilled to announce that Isaias “Cy” Alba, IV , and the Firm earned a #1 ranking in JD Supra’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Award for outstanding thought leadership covering topics related to government contracting. This distinction celebrates Cy and PilieroMazza for consistently delivering content that achieved the highest visibility and engagement among readers of GovCon topics over the past year. From a pool of over 2,000 authors covering all aspects of government contracting in 2024, Cy’s fourth consecutive year receiving this honor further underscores both Cy’s expertise and PilieroMazza’s commitment . . . Read More
Corporate Transparency Act, Part 9: Reporting Due March 21, 2025, No Penalties for Not Reporting (For Now)
On February 18, 2025, the final court order [1] blocking reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) was lifted. Thus, the CTA’s reporting requirements are back in effect, and the new reporting deadline for most reporting companies is March 21, 2025; however, FinCEN has announced that no penalties or fines will currently be enforced for not reporting. Please visit this link to access Parts 1-8 in this series. Although reporting requirements are back in effect, penalties and fines will not be enforced for . . . Read More
Guilty Until Proven Innocent: Key Takeaways from the Recent Final Rule on the FAR’s Suspension and Debarment Procedures
In a recent Final Rule (Rule) made effective January 17, 2025, the Federal Acquisition Regulation’s (FAR) suspension and debarment procedures were revised to be more consistent with the procedures in 2 CFR part 180 applicable to nonprocurement transactions such as grants, cooperative agreements, and loans. Below is background on the FAR’s suspension and debarment procedures and key takeaways from the Rule. Background Federal contracts may only be awarded to “responsible prospective contractors.” In other words, contractors must be presently responsible to do . . . Read More
2nd Court Blocks Government Funding Freeze: 5 Takeaways for Contractors
A second federal judge indefinitely blocked the Trump administration’s blanket freeze on appropriated and obligated federal funds for government contractors, reinforcing Congress’s authority over government spending. This decision directly impacts government contractors who rely on federal funding for projects and operations. Key Takeaways for Government Contractors Funding Pause Declared Unlawful The court ruled that the executive branch cannot impose a blanket freeze on congressionally appropriated funds. Judge McConnell wrote, “[t]he Executive put itself above Congress. It imposed a categorical mandate on . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – March 6, 2025
If you have questions concerning the content below, please visit this link . Upcoming Events: Register to attend PilieroMazza’s upcoming events here . Recent Thought Leadership: Check out PilieroMazza’s recent client alerts and blogs here . Podcasts: Listen to PilieroMazza’s podcasts GovCon Live! here , Clocking in with PilieroMazza here , and Ex Rel. Radio here . GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS SCOTUS Greenlights Release of Foreign Aid Funds to Government Contractors, PilieroMazza Client Alert, Samuel S. Finnerty , Lauren Brier , Kelly A. Kirchgasser On March 5, 2025, the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) upheld a federal judge’s order directing . . . Read More
SCOTUS Greenlights Release of Foreign Aid Funds to Government Contractors
On March 5, 2025, the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) upheld a federal judge’s order directing the government to pay nearly $2 Billion to federal contractors for completed foreign aid work. [1] This client alert identifies key takeaways from the SCOTUS denial and provides important considerations for government contractors whose payments were subject to executive freezes on foreign aid spending. Background As previously reported by PilieroMazza , President Trump issued Executive Order 14169, “ Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid ,” which ordered agencies with foreign development assistance programs . . . Read More
Tariffs on Products from Canada, Mexico, and China: Rising Costs and Supply Shortages for Government Contractors
PilieroMazza recently published a client alert regarding executive orders issued on February 1, 2025, imposing additional tariffs on products from Canada, Mexico, and China, and the decision to delay the tariffs on Canada and Mexico until March 6, 2025. This client alert provides government contractors with an update on these tariffs—which may increase the cost of performance or lead to supply shortages, resulting in delays—and how to insulate your business. To summarize, products from Canada and Mexico were subject to a 25% tariff, . . . Read More