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Steven Herrera is a senior attorney in the Construction and Government Contracts practice groups. His practice is primarily focused on U.S. government contracts and procurement law, particularly high-value procurements, billion-dollar litigation, and intricate bid protests.

On June 2, 2026, President Trump signed a sweeping executive order titled “Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security,” signaling the administration’s latest effort to strengthen America’s leadership in artificial intelligence while addressing emerging cybersecurity and national security risks associated with advanced AI systems.

The executive order reflects the administration’s broader policy approach

What Are Flowdown Clauses in Federal Contracting?

When the federal government awards a contract, it imposes a detailed set of legal obligations on the prime contractor through the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and agency-specific supplements. Those obligations do not stop at the prime level. Many of them — sometimes dozens — must be passed down

Under Executive Order 14275, Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement, and accompanying OMB Memorandum M-25-26, the FAR Council is undertaking a comprehensive redesign of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). The stated goal of this “Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO)” is to streamline the FAR, eliminate non-statutory or duplicative provisions, adopt clearer or “plain language”

When a federal government shutdown occurs, contractors often face difficult decisions about whether to continue performance on certain contracts. In some cases, contractors may feel pressure — from either operational necessity or the government’s informal requests — to keep working despite funding lapses. However, doing so can expose a contractor to significant financial and legal