ABA 18th Annual Federal Procurement Institute
March 22-23, 2012
To register please click here.
The objective of Federal procurement law has always been to ensure that the government obtains the best value products and services while maintaining the public’s trust and fulfilling public policy objectives. Today’s fiscal and budgetary realities mean that, now more than ever, the government and its contractors must assure taxpayers that they are spending money wisely. With more than one out of every six dollars of Federal government spending going to contractors, storms are brewing over whether and how procurement law and policy must change to adapt to these pressures. In the meantime, the pressure on contractors is rising, as they face increasing audit scrutiny and oversight from Congress and Inspectors General.
Jointly sponsored by the ABA Section of Public Contract Law, National Contract Management Association, and Government Contracts Section of the Federal Bar Association, our expert panelists from the judiciary, industry, government, private practice and consulting firms will fly into the eye of the storm and navigate through the changing legal landscape. Our panelists will address:
- Spending bid protest dollars wisely in light of substantive and procedural legal developments at GAO and the Court of Federal Claims
- Efforts to combat fraud, waste, and abuse by Agency Inspectors General and Suspension and Debarment Officials
- Preparing for DCAA audits under the new Business Systems Rule
- Trends in the industrial base—strategic mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and foreign investment
- Navigating unsettled issues in the regulation of Organizational Conflicts of Interest.
In addition, a panel of judges will discuss effective (and cost-effective) case presentation at the Boards of Contract Appeals and the Court of Federal Claims, and a 2-hour panel on ethical issues in our changing world will help many practitioners meet their state bar’s mandatory ethics training requirements.
Optional events include a Wednesday evening Practicum on the expanded use of the implied certification theory in False Claims Act litigation and the Thursday Construction Luncheon Program on the Legal Trends in Small Business Set Aside Procurements and Programs.
On Saturday, March 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, the Council will meet in open session where a number of action and information items will open the window on legislation, regulatory, and other substantive issues of current interest and importance to government contract practitioners.