GovConJudicata Weekly Debrief (7/24–28)
This week's Weekly Debrief covers False Claims Act news, Lockheed's contract for nuclear-powered spacecraft, Northrop's HALO module work, UFO whistleblower alleges government coverup, and NDAA amendments for small business.
False Claims Act
"The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Preci Manufacturing Inc. (Preci) has agreed to pay $150,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by selling parts to the United States military that Preci failed to test, despite clear contract testing requirements meant to ensure the strength and durability of the parts."
"On July 21, the Department of Justice announced that Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (Booz Allen) agreed to pay $377 million to resolve allegations of False Claims Act (FCA) violations. Booz Allen, according to its website, is a global firm of approximately 29,200 employees. The government alleges that Booz Allen improperly billed the government for consulting contracts. Government contracting rules stipulate that companies may only bill the government for direct or indirect costs that are connected to the overall objectives of their contract."
Space
"Weapons maker Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) has been awarded a contract by a U.S. Department of Defense agency to develop a nuclear-powered spacecraft for the purposes of exploration and national defense, the company said on Wednesday. This comes at a time when U.S.-based space companies, along with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Elon Musk's SpaceX, are competing to cater to the burgeoning demand for commercial space operations and space travel.
"Northrop Grumman said it took a $36 million charge on its contract to build a module for NASA’s lunar Gateway, citing changing mission requirements and broader economic issues. In the company’s fiscal second quarter financial results released July 27, the company announced an unfavorable estimate-at-completion adjustment of $36 million for its work on the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) module, one of the first elements of the Gateway."
UFO
"A former intelligence official told lawmakers Wednesday that the federal government has misappropriated funds to retrieve and reverse engineer technology from crashed unidentified flying objects and has “non-human” remains in its possession from these recovery efforts."
Small Business
"U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, praised Senate approval of key contracting provisions that will bolster small businesses in Maryland and nationwide as part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2024 (NDAA). Thanks to an amendment Senator Cardin authored, the bill increases the size of defense contracts available to firms that are socially-and-economically disadvantaged; certified to be owned by women, veterans, or service-disabled veterans; or located in HUBZones. His NDAA amendment also ensures that contract size limits are raised every five years to reflect inflation."
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