Beyond the FAR

This week on Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman welcomes Dave Zvenyach, CEO & Co-Founder of MakeGov and former senior executive at the General Services Administration (GSA). Most recently, Zvenyach served as Director of Technology Transformation Services and Deputy Commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service at GSA. Drawing on his extensive government experience, he explores the challenges of federal procurement data, transparency, and technology modernization. The conversation examines SAM.gov, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, FedRAMP, and whether procurement itself is responsible for government inefficiencies—or whether better collaboration, smarter technology, and more effective use of data offer a path forward.

This week on Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman welcomes Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Bowne, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for Space Systems Command and GW Law alumnus, to discuss the evolving challenges of artificial intelligence in federal procurement. Drawing on his experience as an Air Force judge advocate and AI researcher at MIT, Bowne examines common misconceptions about AI, the risks associated with agentic systems, and the importance of effective governance. The conversation explores data rights, limitations of traditional contracting frameworks, and the growing role of Other Transactions in acquiring emergingtechnologies, offering valuable insights for attorneys, acquisition professionals, and policymakers.

This week on Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman welcomes Will Roberts, a former contracting officer, and former Chief of Acquisition for the Department of Defense’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center. Roberts discusses the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul, alternative acquisition pathways, artificial intelligence procurement, and the future of the federal acquisition workforce. Drawing on his experience in government and acquisition education, he examines the shift toward mission-focused, principles-based procurement and the importance of empowering contracting professionals to exercise sound judgment. The conversation offers valuable insights for law students, attorneys, acquisition professionals, and others navigating a rapidly changing federal procurement landscape.

This week on Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman is joined by Arash Heidarian and Phil Carter of Google and GW Law to explore the evolving intersection of technology and government procurement. Drawing on the innovative course they teach at GW Law, Government Procurement of Technology, the discussion examines how agencies acquire cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other rapidly evolving technologies while balancing commercial practices with federal procurement requirements. The episode also explores technology negotiations, shared responsibility models, cybersecurity, data rights, and the growing importance of AI literacy for the next generation of government contracts attorneys.

This week on Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman welcomes Professor Sope Williams, one of the world’s leading scholars of comparative public procurement law and the newest member of GW Law’s Government Procurement Law Program. Their conversation explores the intersection of procurement, anti-corruption, and governance, drawing on Professor Williams’ research across Africa and Europe. Together, they discuss how corruption undermines procurement systems, the challenges of balancing efficiency with accountability, the lessons of South Africa’s state capture experience, and the growing importance of gender-responsive procurement. The episode offers valuable global perspectives for students, practitioners, and policymakers alike.

This week on Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman welcomes Polly Hall, GSA’s Chief Advisor for Acquisition Innovation and Policy and Executive Lead of the practitioner workstream for the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO). Marking one year since the executive order that launched the RFO, the conversation explores the policy changes, workforce strategy, and cultural transformation driving one of the most consequential procurement reform efforts in decades. Hall discusses acquisition innovation, practitioner engagement, leadership accountability, and the shift from a "check the box" acquisition culture toward one centered on mission outcomes, strategic judgment, and thoughtful risk-taking in federal procurement.

In this episode of Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman is joined by David P.J. Timm, a government contracts litigator, to examine the growing risks associated with generative AI misuse in Government procurement litigation. The discussion focuses on the rise of “hallucinated” legal citations, the increasing presence of AI-driven errors in bid protests, and the implications for tribunals and practitioners. Timm explores how both pro se litigants and law firms are contributing to the problem, as well as the broader risks to the integrity of the procurement system. The episode also considers potential safeguards and the importance of verification in an AI-enabled legal landscape.

In this episode of Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman speaks with Scott Simpson, an acquisition professional known for advancing procurement innovation across the federal government. Simpson discusses his work with the Department of Homeland Security’s Procurement Innovation Lab, his role supporting acquisition reform initiatives, and his current work exploring artificial intelligence applications within government procurement. The conversation highlights the importance of experimentation, learning from failure, and empowering contracting professionals to innovate within the framework of procurement law. For law students and practitioners alike, the episode offers practical insights into how policy, technology, and creative problem-solving can transform the acquisition process.

In this episode of Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman is joined by Professor Christopher Yukins to examine how recent U.S. trade policies, tariff measures, and procurement reforms are reshaping the global procurement landscape. The discussion explores the international response to U.S. policy shifts, the impact of tariffs on government supply chains, and the resulting strain on trust between allied procurement systems. Yukins also considers how evolving FAR reforms, European regulatory developments, and market distortions may affect contractors and governments worldwide. For students and practitioners, the episode offers a timely analysis of procurement law’s growing role in international economic policy.

You can follow Christopher Yukins and read his latest pieces at https://publicprocurementinternational.com/

In this episode of Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman examines the role of oversight in combating fraud, waste, and abuse in federal procurement at a time of heightened scrutiny and institutional change. Joined by Robert Storch, former Senate-confirmed Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Defense, the discussion explores how inspectors general function as independent watchdogs, the legal distinctions between fraud, waste, and abuse, and the importance of whistleblower protections. The conversation also addresses recent challenges to the oversight infrastructure and the consequences of weakening independent accountability mechanisms for procurement integrity and public trust.

In this episode of Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman speaks with Sam Le, former SBA Director of Policy, Planning, and Liaison, to examine the state of U.S. federal small business contracting amid unprecedented regulatory change. Together, they unpack the FAR overhaul, the legality and implications of the Model Deviations, the shifting understanding of small business success metrics, and the expanding pressure created by consolidation under GSA. Lee offers historical context, policy insights, and a candid assessment of how these changes may affect competition, compliance, and the overall health of the small business industrial base.

Follow Sam Le on his substack: https://www.govconintelligence.com/

In this episode of Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman speaks with Bonnie Evangelista, Karen Thornton, and John Willison about the “talent valley of death” facing U.S. federal acquisition. As sweeping policy reform—including the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul—promises speed, innovation, and empowered contracting officers, the panel asks whether the acquisition workforce is prepared to carry it forward. They examine persistent challenges in cultivating critical thinking, experiential learning, cross-agency mobility, and mission-driven culture. A central question emerges: Can meaningful reform succeed without first investing in people? Their conversation underscores the need to redefine education, leadership, and talent development to ensure reform endures.

On September 9, 2025 GW Law School’s Government Procurement Law program hosted a free one-hour webinar on potential reforms to U.S. government bid protests. Our panelists discuss the en banc decision in Percipient.ai from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, a key report on bid protests by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, revealing data on bid protests gathered by the ABA Public Contract Law Section, and a wide range of reform proposals being debated before Congress.

Learn more at: https://publicprocurementinternational.com/gw-law-webinar-u-s-bid-protests-progress-and-reform/

In this inaugural episode of Beyond the FAR, Associate Dean Jessica Tillipman speaks with Professor Albert Sanchez-Graells of the University of Bristol Law School, a leading scholar in public procurement and digital transformation. Their conversation explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping procurement systems, the challenges of regulating AI use in government, and the risks of overreliance on generative models. Comparing U.S. and EU approaches, Sanchez-Graells highlights the tension between innovation, accountability, and public trust. This thoughtful exchange provides lawyers, law students, and practitioners with critical insight into the future of procurement law in the age of AI.

Open contracting transforms government spending by making procurement data accessible and machine-readable, enabling better analysis and improved outcomes for citizens. This foundational webinar explores how data transparency and digital innovation are revolutionizing the world's largest marketplace through goal-driven, citizen-centered reforms.

• Public procurement represents 12% of global GDP, shaping essential services from infrastructure and healthcare to education
• Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing procurement, requiring new frameworks for oversight, IP rights, and supply chain transparency
• Ukraine's reformed procurement system saves $1 billion annually with 80% of contracts going to small businesses
• Bogotá transformed its school meals program through data-driven purchasing, improving quality while busting price-fixing
• Open contracting principles support environmental sustainability, social inclusion, and better value across government spending
• Upcoming regional webinars will showcase innovations from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas
• Data accessibility enables businesses, civil society organizations and governments to collaborate more effectively

Join us for our next sessions exploring regional innovations in open contracting from around the world. Register for the complete webinar series here: https://law-gwu-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_C7gkrGdwRp2PMaAADKcyjA

On January 15, 2025, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FAR Council) published its long-awaited Proposed Organizational Conflict of Interest Rule, as required by a 2022 statute - the Preventing Organizational Conflicts of Interest in Federal Acquisition Act (P.L. 117-324). This webinar featured a panel of experts who discussed current OCI challenges, the proposed changes, and the impact it may have on future procurements.

More information about the rule, as well as a video recording of the event, can be found here: https://blogs.gwu.edu/law-govpro/organizational-conflicts-of-interest-assessing-the-new-proposed-rule/

A webinar about rising protectionism in public procurement in the United States and the European Union. The panel addressed potential new protectionism in the Trump administration and the Court of Justice for the European Union’s landmark Kolin decision on access to the EU public procurement market.

Representatives from the government, whistleblower bar, and defense bar discussed recent developments in procurement fraud enforcement and compliance. For additional Program information, visit: https://blogs.gwu.edu/law-govpro/combating-fraud-in-government-procurement/PANELISTSCleveland Lawrence III, Partner & Co-Chair of the Whistleblower Rights practice, Mehri & Skalet, PLLCSara McLean, Assistant Director, Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section), Civil Division, Department of JusticeDavid B. Robbins, Partner and Co-Chair of the Government Contracts practice, Jenner & BlockMODERATORJessica Tillipman, Assistant Dean for Government Procurement Law, The George Washington University Law School

On November 19, 2020, Jessica Tillipman was the featured speaker at the ABA International Anti-Corruption Committee's monthly meeting where she discussed her research into the causes and consequences of small business compliance challenges. Her presentation focused on the heightened risks of corruption and fraud for small companies, and the related impact on U.S. government and World Bank procurements. She also discussed her proposed solution to these issues, which is detailed in her recent, co-authored publication: "The Compliance Mentorship Program: Improving Ethics & Compliance in Small Government Contractors." Available on SSRN at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3559458.This video is an excerpt of her presentation.