Compliance Stuff

Federal procurement is in a period of deliberate disruption. For many years, the government has translated policy objectives into new regulations and compliance requirements imposed on government contractors. Now, for the first time in decades, the government is signaling a sustained shift toward faster buying, reduced regulatory burdens, and greater reliance on commercial practices . For industry, the opportunity is real, as are the risks. The contractors that thrive in 2026 and beyond will be those that can adapt quickly, operate comfortably in more varied acquisition environments, and help their government customers execute amid uncertainty. This moment is not defined by a single acquisition reform. It is a convergence of several key initiatives: a sweeping rewrite of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), major defense acquisition transformation efforts, and procurement consolidation and channel modernization. These initiatives are collectively designed to push the federal acq...

The Administration’s 2026 AI Action Plan foreshadowed broad efforts to bring Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities to government. Now, the General Services Administration (GSA), which leverages government-wide purchasing power, is proposing a new, required clause, GSAR 552.239-7001, Basic Safeguarding of Artificial Intelligence Systems, in all solicitations and contracts in which Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities are either (a) provided to the government or (b) used by the contractor as part of performance of the contract. The plain language of the draft clause also indicates that its compliance scheme applies to contractors doing business with GSA and also commercial AI service providers supporting GSA contractors. GSA published the draft clause on March 6, 2026, as part of the advance notice for Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation Refresh 31 (Solicitation No. 47QSMD20R0001) , at buy.gsa.gov. GSA now seeks public and industry comment on the proposed new clause by ...

On February 26, 2026, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Chair Andrea Lucas issued a letter to the 500 largest companies in the United States warning them of potential liability under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for race and sex-based discrimination that may result from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies or practices. The move is the latest by the EEOC chair as she continues the shift in civil rights enforcement in line with the Trump administration, with significant implications for employers across industries. Quick Hits The EEOC issued a warning to Fortune 500 companies about potential Title VII violations related to DEI programs, urging merit-based practices. This marks a continuation of the shift in enforcement priorities, indicating possible increased litigation against companies with policies, programs, or practices that the EEOC has characterized as DEI-related discrimination. The letter, entitled “ Reminder of Title VII Obligations R...

Directs all federal agencies to procure only those large language models (LLMs) developed in accordance with two Unbiased AI Principles: truth-seeking and ideological neutrality. Within 120 days, the Director Management and Budget (OMB), in coordination with the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), the Administrator of General Services (GSA), and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), must issue guidance for implementing this directive. Agencies must then, within 90 days of receiving that guidance, adopt procedures to ensure all procured LLMs meet these principles. Additional Documentation Trump Executive Order -  Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government   Source(s): Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government (Trump EO Tracker) | JD Supra . (2025). JD Supra. https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/preventing-woke-ai-in-the-federal-5999766/?origin=CEG&utm_source=CEG&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CustomEmailDigest&utm_...

  Hello everyone, so far Canada (where I was born) is not the 51 st  state.  In other news:   GSA Consolidation   Executive Order 14240 mandates that GSA submit a plan today, June 18, 2025, to centralize procurement of common goods, services and GWACS for IT.    This was supposed to be a dance of agencies proposing how to consolidate procurements within GSA and GSA developing a plan for how that will be implemented.  So far no one has agreed on what kind of DJ will host the event and who is bringing the snacks.   FAR Redo   So far (excuse the pun), nothing major has been done under the FAR redo.  The Trump administration issued the third set of changes under the “Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Overhaul,” revamping FAR Part 18 (Emergency Acquisitions), Part 39 (Information and Communication Technology), and Part 43 (Contract Modifications) through proposed class deviations.  Those changes have not been signif...