2020 Public Procurement Symposium

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Find 2020 Public Procurement Symposium brochure

Registration for CLE sessions opens soon!

Register now for these complimentary sessions

Keynote Addresses (registration required to attend)

• Thursday, November 19 | Noon – 12:30pm ET
  Keynote Address: David Silverman (click to register) — Founder & CEO CrossLead Inc. and co-author Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World
• Friday, November 20 | Noon – 12:30pm ET
  Keynote Address: Nathan Picarsic and Emily de La Bruyére (click to register) — Co-Founders of Horizon Advisory & Senior Fellows at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
  China's Military-Civil Fusion Strategy & Supply China Implications

Virtual Networking (registration required to attend)

• Wednesday, November 18 | 5 – 6pm ET
  Virtual Networking (click to register)
  
• Thursday, November 19 | 3:30 – 4:30pm ET
  Virtual Networking (click to register)

Top Reasons to Participate

• Empower yourself and invest in your future. Hear from industry leaders on the latest in government procurement issues, across a range of subject areas.
• Be inspired. The substantive knowledge you will gain by attending our panels and the connections you will make during the Symposium are an investment in your future. Feel inspired in your professional and personal development.
• Take advantage of the lowest cost Fall Meeting ever. To enable as many as possible to participate in our Virtual Public Procurement Symposium, we’re offering incredibly low rates for Section members. Our non-CLE sessions are being offered at no cost and our CLE sessions are only $40 per program. You can participate live or listen via our On-Demand schedule at your convenience after the Program ends.

Schedule

Wednesday, November 18

3:30 – 5pm ET
Practicum: Identifying & Responding to a Cyber-Related Disaster (CLE)
Increasing cyber threats to our infrastructure and other targets threaten our national security and safety. Government contractors are now required to quickly report on actual or suspected cyber incidents, to engage in the preservation of data, and to work with Government officials to mitigate such events. In this practicum, we present four professionals who have been at the table for real & simulated cyber-related events affecting national security, electrical power infrastructure, government operations, finance and transportation. Using our simulated cyber disaster exercise, we will walk you through what you need to know:
• Identifying and assessing the incident with imperfect information.
• Initial communications to potentially affected entities.
• Prioritizing continuity of operations.
•Inter-agency and cross-jurisdictional coordination.
• Debriefing, lessons learned and the importance of preparedness.
• The role of lawyers in this process.

Panel
• Brendan Conlon, Director — Cyber Security, Martin Defense Group, Honolulu HI
• Jeff Jones, Manager — Cyber Threat Intelligence E-ISAC at North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), Washington, DC
• Brian Levine, Managing Director, Ernst & Young, McLean, VA
• Elizabeth Wharton, Chief of Staff, SCYTHE, Laurel, MD

5 – 6pm ET
Virtual Networking (click to register) — Complimentary (registration required)

Thursday, November 19

Noon – 12:30pm ET
Keynote Address: David Silverman (click to register) — Complimentary (registration required)
Founder & CEO CrossLead Inc. and co-author of the New York Times best-selling leadership & management book, Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World

12:45 – 1:45pm ET
The Impact of COVID-19 on Federal Contracting, Where We Are Today & Where We Are Going (CLE)
A panel presentation & discussion of Families First Coronavirus Response Act ("FFCRA") and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES") provisions and other key COVID-19 legal provisions that are most relevant to federal contractors. The panel will explore the various legal, contractual, and oversight implications of these key statutes as well as major emerging issues.

The panel will address:
• The relevant provisions of FFCRA & CARES Acts for federal contractors.
• Employment/ paid leave considerations.
• Existing case law and regulations that may impact contractor profitability during the recovery phase.
• The current and prospective oversight environment for contractors who avail themselves of these provisions.
• Recent developments or government promulgations that are relevant.
• Risk mitigation measures to enhance government contract compliance.

Panel
• Christopher Bouquet, The Law Office of Christopher C. Bouquet, PLLC, Alexandria, VA
• Michelle DiCintio, Shareholder, Odin Feldman, Pittleman PC, Reston, VA
• Peter Herman, Policy Incurred Cost Division, Defense Contract Audit Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA
• Craig Stetson, Partner, Capital Edge Consulting, Tysons Corner, VA

2 – 3:30pm ET
Enforcement Issues After Disasters (CLE)
A collection of current and former government officials with experience prosecuting and defending investigations and enforcement matters after disasters will address enforcement responses and the relationship to recent and ongoing disaster responses by local, state, and federal governments.

The panel will address:
• How federal & state enforcement matters arise following disasters.
• Why contracting & enforcement after a disaster are not business-as-usual and require specific attention.
• What to expect from enforcement officials after disasters.
• Best practices for responding to enforcement inquiries.

Panel
• David Robbins, Partner, Jenner & Block, Washington, DC
• Rebecca Monck Ricigliano, Partner, Crowell & Moring LLP, New York, NY
• Jennifer Ward, Suspension & Debarment Director, FEMA Office of Chief Counsel, Washington, DC

3:30 – 4:30pm ET
Virtual Networking (click to register) — Complimentary (registration required)

Friday, November 20

Noon – 12:30pm ET
Keynote Address: Nathan Picarsic and Emily de La Bruyére (click to register) — Complimentary (registration required)
Co-founders of Horizon Advisory and senior fellows at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
China's Military-Civil Fusion Strategy & Supply China Implications
Recent US government actions highlight supply chain threats associated with Chinese commercial actors' support of the Chinese Communist Party and its military via a strategy of military-civil fusion. What is military-civil fusion? How is this strategy conceptualized by Chinese government and commercial actors? What are the mechanisms by which military-civil fusion is operationalized? The subject presentation will address these definitional questions and offer concrete examples of supply chain risks and enforcement considerations.

12:45 – 1:45pm ET
State & Federal Biohazard Contracting: Developing Countermeasures & Stockpiling (CLE)
This panel with over 40 years of experience in local, state, and federal government contracting related preparation and response to bioterrorism and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats will discuss their experience in contracting in the state and federal biohazard arena.

Panelists will address the following:
• The role of the Federal Government in the development and acquisition of medical countermeasures against CBRN threats.
• Best practices in submitting a proposal response for an advance development and procurement contract for the medical countermeasure procurement.
• State, county, local ethics and purchasing limitations and budget timetables.
• Acquisition vehicles and fiscal limitations involved with medical biohazard countermeasure procurement.

Moderator
• Alan M. Apple, Partner, Ward & Berry, PLLC, Austin, TX

Panel
• David M. Ladd, Owner/ Principal, Blackthorne Services Group LLC, Boston, MA
• Adey Pierce, Director, Industry Specialty Services — Biodefense & Government Contracts, BDO USA LLP, Washington, DC
• Matthew Rose, General Services Administration, Washington, DC

2 – 3:30pm ET
Conserving Public Resources — How Energy Performance Contracting and Other Efficiency and Conservation Programs Can Help Combat Energy Change (CLE)
As discussed throughout this conference, change is affecting all aspects of public contracting and our daily lives. Climate change and how we use energy is another aspect of the changes government and individuals are dealing with in their operations and everyday life. This session will explore local, state and federal government programs (including state loan programs) and contracting approaches for future energy management and conservation efforts at all levels of government in the U.S.

Specifically, the panelists, who have worked on procurements and funding programs for energy performance solutions, construction and building retrofit projects (including financing efforts), public contracts and energy conservation programs, will address:
• Federal procurement & contracting approaches for energy management, efficiency and energy resilience.
• State, county & local government programs and procurement approaches for energy performance solutions and retrofit projects.
• State & local approaches to addressing climate change, for example Texas and other state clean water and drinking water revolving loan fund programs.
• Typical contracting and compliance issues (including certifications, contract flowdowns, and other impacts) arising in the above procurements and funding programs. Yes, the Davis-Bacon Act is involved, among other statutes.

Moderator
• Cheryl Burtzel, Partner, Spencer Fare LLC, Austin, TX
Panel
• Peter Chorynak, Senior Director — Solutions (Energy & Infrastructure), Siemens Government Technologies, Inc., Waltham, VT
• Eddy Trevino, P.E., Director State Energy Conservation Office, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Austin, TX
• Lauren Olmsted, Associate, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, Washington, DC

Saturday, November 21

10am – 1pm ET
PCL Section Fall Council Meeting

Sponsors

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Registration opens soon!

Attention ABA Members

If you are an ABA member but not a member of the Section of Public Contract Law, your symposium registration fee includes Section membership, up to a $45 value! You will be automatically enrolled in the Section after the conference. ABA membership is a prerequisite of Section membership.

If you are not already an ABA member, please call 800.285.2221 and join the ABA (but not the Section) prior to the first day of the conference to become eligible for this opportunity. Free membership only applies to individuals who have not been a member of the Section during the past two years.

Complimentary Sessions

Keynote Addresses (registration required to attend)
• Thursday, November 19 | Noon – 12:30pm ET
Keynote Address: David Silverman (click to register) — Founder & CEO CrossLead Inc. and co-author Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World
• Friday, November 20 | Noon – 12:30pm ET
Keynote Address: Nathan Picarsic and Emily de La Bruyére (click to register) — Co-Founders of Horizon Advisory & Senior Fellows at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
China's Military-Civil Fusion Strategy & Supply China Implications

Virtual Networking (registration required to attend)
• Wednesday, November 18 | 5 – 6pm ET
Virtual Networking (click to register)
• Thursday, November 19 | 3:30 – 4:30pm ET
Virtual Networking (click to register)

Webinar Series
$175 – ABA Public Contract Law Section Member
$225 – ABA Member
$350 – Non-Member
$175 – Government Employee
Free – Law Student

Individual Webinar
$40 – ABA Public Contract Law Section Member
$50 – ABA Member
$75 – Non-Member
$40 – Government Employee
Free – Law Student

Technical Requirements

These courses are compatible with any HTML5 and JavaScript enabled web browser including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and mobile devices using current software. Internet Explorer is not recommended. Some browser settings may interfere with the live stream — if you have trouble consider refreshing the page, trying a different browser, or disconnecting your VPN.

CLE

The ABA will seek 6.5 hours of CLE credit in 60-minute states, and 7.8 hours of CLE credit for this program in 50-minute states Credit hours are estimated and are subject to each state’s approval and credit rounding rules. For general information, visit the ABA CLE page.

Americans with Disabilities Act

If any special arrangements are required for a person with a disability, please contact Sean Dickerson by Friday, October 30.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations received two (2) business days or more before the program will receive a 100% refund, less a $25 cancellation fee. No refunds will be provided for cancellations after that date.