Matthew L.Haws

On April 30, 2026, President Trump issued an Executive Order that fundamentally shifts the “default” posture of federal acquisitions. Under the EO, fixed-price contracts and performance-based contracts become the “default and preferred method” of federal procurement. All non-fixed-price contracts—including cost-reimbursement, time-and-materials, and labor-hour—now require written justification, and those exceeding specified dollar thresholds require formal approval (with narrow exceptions).

On November 10, 2025, the Secretary of War released three memoranda and an acquisition reform strategy directing systemic reform across the defense acquisition landscape. The overarching theme of these reform initiatives is moving with urgency, prioritizing the integration of innovative capabilities, and accelerating a preference for commercial contracting.

On April 15, 2025, the Trump Administration issued executive order “Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement,” (the EO), which aims to overhaul the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) “to create the most agile, effective, and efficient procurement system possible.” The EO adds to the growing list of executive orders issued by the Trump administration in its effort to streamline the procurement process and comes in the wake of several weeks of rumored efforts by the Office of Management and

In this client alert, we discuss three week-one executive orders that reflect promises President Trump made on the campaign trail to attack DEI. Below, we summarize the key provisions for the private sector, discuss what likely comes next, and suggest steps to take now, in response.

Within hours of being sworn in, President Trump issued executive orders that may imperil a number of government contracts and grants. This alert covers what contractors and grant recipients should do if they are concerned about the continued viability of their federal funding.

On August 15, 2024, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued a proposed rule to incorporate contractual requirements related to the proposed Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program.

Jenner & Block Partner Matthew Haws has been named faculty of the prestigious Federal Publications Seminars. Matt, a member of the firm’s Government Contracts and Grants Practice, will teach the three-day Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) course at all of the Federal Publications weeklong conferences this year: La Jolla from May 8 to 10, Hilton Head from July 24 to 26, and Las Vegas from September 11 to 13. This program is a comprehensive course in contract requirements related to the CAS, with ke

Jenner & Block and Pub K, a resource of news and insights for the professional contract law community, are collaborating to provide a CLE that will explore intermediate government contracts and grants topics. CLE credit will be available through Pub K.

In an article for The Government Contractor, Partners David Robbins, Matt Haws, and Jen Lee explained an emerging trend of Government agencies paying increased attention to government contracts cost accounting issues. The article explains two recent enforcement resolutions that exemplify the increased cost and accounting risk and provides key takeaways for practitioners.

The government shutdown clock strikes “zero hour” on September 30, and government contractors and federal fund recipients are once again left wondering what will happen. We have been writing these alerts and client updates for years now, and the government is no better at managing its budget. So here we go again.

Partner Matt Haws spoke at the Federal Publications Seminars’ 2023 Small & Medium Business GovCon Forum. His panel, called “The Regulatory Panel- Rules, Relevancy & Requirements,” focused on the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which provides contractors with significant regulatory guidance and clauses to comply with. Matt discussed how understanding and implementing Executive Orders and new changes to guidance, regulations, and programs impacting federal contractors can be complicated, dau

On November 11, 2022, the FAR Council issued a proposed rule to implement section 5(b)(i) of Executive Order 14030. Executive Order 14030, issued by President Biden on May 20, 2021, began the regulatory process to require “major Federal suppliers” to publicly disclose greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate-related financial risk and to set reduction targets. The proposed FAR rule lays out the specifics of these requirements and to whom they will apply.

Partner Matthew Haws joined Federal News Network’s Federal Drive with Tom Temin for a conversation about the latest guidance from the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force regarding the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors. During the radio program, Mr. Haws discussed the implications of the new guidance and what’s next for contractors.

Partner David Robbins discusses The Boeing Company v. the United States in Episode 28 of the Government Contracts Legal Round-Up. The litigation could decide the fate of the controversial FAR cost accounting rule and clarify the jurisdictional rules that apply when contractors challenge the validity of FAR provisions and other procurement regulations. Mr. Robbins also shares key takeaways from two important bid protest decisions: Async-Nu Microsystems, Inc., B-419614.5, B-419614.6 and ASRC Fed

On October 18, 2022, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals entered as its judgement its August 26, 2022 opinion limiting the scope of a nationwide injunction of the Biden Administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors, which we previously covered here. Just days prior, on October 14, 2022, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force issued a website update for Federal Contactors regarding enforcement of the contractor vaccine mandate in light of the anticipated judgment of the cour

Welcome to Jenner & Block’s Government Contracts Legal Round‑Up, a biweekly update on important government contracts developments. This update offers brief summaries of key developments for government contracts legal, compliance, contracting, and business executives. Please contact any of the professionals at the bottom of the update for further information on any of these topics.

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Acquisition and Sustainment, Defense Pricing and Contracting (DPC) issued revised guidance last Friday granting DoD contracting officers increased flexibility to help contractors manage the effects of inflation—including for firm-fixed-price contracts. 

Welcome to Jenner & Block’s Government Contracts Legal Round‑Up, a biweekly update on important government contracts developments. This update offers brief summaries of key developments for government contracts legal, compliance, contracting, and business executives. Please contact any of the professionals at the bottom of the update for further information on any of these topics.

Episode 27 of the Government Contracts Legal Round-Up features an unusual FOIA request related to the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program and two notable bid protest and claims cases: G4S Secure Integration LLC, et al., v. United States and The Tolliver Group, Inc. v. United States. Partner David Robbins outlines the issues raised in these cases and key takeaways for contractors seeking to protect information in their EEO-1 Type 2 reports.

Partners Matthew Haws and Ishan Bhabha and Associate Sati Harutyunyan discuss the practical effects of the 11th Circuit recent federal contractor vaccine mandate decision in Law360. Their article addresses the three key questions every government contractor should be asking: