Watson & Associates LLC Government Contracts Blog https://blog.theodorewatson.com Federal Government Contracts & Business Law Firm Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:39:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Federal Healthcare Fraud Defense: What Physicians and Healthcare Companies Need to Know About DOJ’s 2026 Enforcement Priorities https://blog.theodorewatson.com/federal-healthcare-fraud-defense-attorney-doj-2026-enforcement/ Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:35:34 +0000 https://blog.theodorewatson.com/?p=24800 The government is not scaling back its healthcare fraud enforcement in 2026. It is accelerating — with better technology, more funding, and a new organizational structure built specifically to pursue you. In June 2025, DOJ announced the largest National Health Care Fraud Takedown in its history: 324 defendants charged, including... Read more »

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]]> SBA 8(a) Program and HUBZone Program Fraud: What Happens When the Government Accuses You of Misrepresenting Your Status? https://blog.theodorewatson.com/sba-8a-program-and-hubzone-program-fraud-what-happens-when-the-government-accuses-you-of-misrepresenting-your-status/ Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:08:19 +0000 https://blog.theodorewatson.com/?p=24792 Theodore Watson, Esq. You believe that you built your business the right way. You got certified. You competed for contracts following the rules. You performed and even received excellent past performance. Then, one day, an alarming letter arrives from the Department of Justice. Or the SBA Office of Inspector General... Read more »

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]]> Government Contract Fraud? | What You Need to Know nonadult Civil Investigative Demand (CID) – What CEOs Must Know Right Away https://blog.theodorewatson.com/civil-investigative-demand-cid-what-ceos-must-know-right-away/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:14:35 +0000 https://blog.theodorewatson.com/?p=24786 A federal Civil Investigative Demand (CID) is not “just paperwork.” It is the government telling you, as CEO, that your company is now a source of evidence in a potential fraud or CID False Claims Act case—often before you even know what problem they think you have. The real work... Read more »

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]]> How to Respond to Civil Investigative Demand CID Lawyers & False Claims Act CID Defense Attorneys nonadult HealthCare Fraud Defense After California Hospice Takedown: What the DOJ Arrests Really Mean https://blog.theodorewatson.com/healthcare-fraud-defense-after-california-hospice-takedown-what-the-doj-arrests-really-mean/ Mon, 06 Apr 2026 23:41:20 +0000 https://blog.theodorewatson.com/?p=24781 More Than $50 Million in Intended HealthCare Fraud Losses at Risk Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have framed “Operation Never Say Die” as a sweeping healthcare fraud takedown. The underlying DOJ release, however, remains an accusatory document—not proof of guilt—and it leaves substantial room for the defense in each case.... Read more »

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]]> SBA SIZE Protest: Size Appeal of Stripes Global, Inc., Non Manufacturer Rule https://blog.theodorewatson.com/sba-size-protest-size-appeal-of-stripes-global-inc-non-manufacturer-rule/ Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:51:08 +0000 https://blog.theodorewatson.com/?p=24778 This appeal involved a protestor’s challenge to the awardee’s small business status under a procurement for manufactured items, where the issues centered on the nonmanufacturer rule, the ostensible subcontractor rule, and the Limitations on Subcontracting. The protestor argued that the awardee did not qualify as a small business nonmanufacturer and was improperly reliant on... Read more »

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]]> How the DOJ Decides Whether to Intervene in a Qui Tam Case Against Your Company https://blog.theodorewatson.com/how-the-doj-decides-whether-to-intervene-in-a-qui-tam-case-against-your-company/ Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:56:42 +0000 https://blog.theodorewatson.com/?p=24774 When a whistleblower files a sealed case against your company, the most important early question is often not whether the allegations are fair. It is whether the Department of Justice will decide to intervene and take the case over under the False Claims Act. For CEOs, founders, boards, and private... Read more »

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]]> SBA OHA Clarifies HUBZone “Employee” Rules in CS Government Solutions Appeal https://blog.theodorewatson.com/sba-oha-clarifies-hubzone-employee-rules-in-cs-government-solutions-appeal/ Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:35:17 +0000 https://blog.theodorewatson.com/?p=24769 In a recent HUBZone appeal, the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) affirmed SBA’s decision that CS Government Solutions, LLC was not an eligible HUBZone small business for DHS’s FirstSource III procurement. For HUBZone contractors, the decision is a reminder that HUBZone eligibility can be tested aggressively in both... Read more »

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]]> Government Contract Fraud Lawyer: Civil False Claims Act and Criminal Penalties – What CEOs Must Know https://blog.theodorewatson.com/government-contract-fraud-lawyer-false-claims-procurement-fraud/ Sat, 14 Mar 2026 19:56:24 +0000 https://blog.theodorewatson.com/?p=24760 When federal prosecutors start using the phrase government contract fraud in connection with your company, they are not questioning a single invoice. They are questioning your entire system for bidding, performing, and certifying work in the federal marketplace—and, by extension, your judgment as a leader. A serious CEO does not... Read more »

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]]> Businesses Facing Federal Indictment for Government Contract Fraud What You Need to Know in 2026 https://blog.theodorewatson.com/businesses-facing-federal-indictment-for-government-contract-fraud/ Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:26:34 +0000 https://blog.theodorewatson.com/?p=24752 You have built years of past performance evaluations. Relationships with contracting officers. Payroll for dozens — maybe hundreds — of employees who depend on your company. Subcontractors who trust you. A reputation earned one contract at a time. And now a federal indictment for government contract fraud threatens all of... Read more »

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]]> What Happens After a Federal Indictment? A Step-by-Step Guide for Business Owners https://blog.theodorewatson.com/what-happens-after-a-federal-indictment-a-step-by-step-guide-for-business-owners/ Wed, 04 Mar 2026 20:51:12 +0000 https://blog.theodorewatson.com/?p=24746 A federal indictment is a formal accusation that you have committed a federal crime. It is a serious matter that can have a devastating impact on your business and your personal life. If you have been indicted, you need to understand what happens next and what you can do to... Read more »

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