Commercial companies sell billions of dollars’ worth of goods and services to the federal government every year. And for many companies, government sales represent only a small portion of annual revenue.
Government contracts contain risks and liabilities not present in commercial contracts. For example, a contractor giving false or misleading information to the government risks criminal liability, and could be suspended or debarred from public contracting — and breaching a government contract may have the same consequences.
A company with even one government contract should have a compliance plan to manage federal sales risk. That plan should address all the clauses referenced in the contract. Not all clauses present the same risk. This article highlights a few high-risk clauses to consider when developing a government contract compliance plan.