Federal contracting compliance is a dynamic and evolving field, especially with the uncertainty surrounding potential changes under different administrations. This session aims to address the anxiety prevalent among contractors, particularly concerning inclusion and diversity (I&D) requirements. The session will explore the intersection of HR and federal contracting compliance. Attendees will gain insights into upcoming regulatory changes, understand their implications, and learn effective strategies to remain compliant.
Learning Outcomes:
Understand the evolving landscape of federal contracting compliance, with a focus on inclusion and diversity (I&D) requirements.
Identify the implications of upcoming changes in federal contracting regulations for HR professionals and legal practitioners.
Develop strategies to ensure compliance with federal contracting standards and effectively navigate the intersection of HR and federal contracting compliance.
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Alexander B. Hastings
Partner
Morgan Lewis LLP
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Alex Hastings advises companies of all sizes that interact with US federal, state, and local government agencies. He focuses his practice on counseling government contractors in the defense, technology, life sciences, and commercial sectors. Alex has a deep background advising clients in complex government contract M&A deals and routinely guides his clients in regulatory matters facing companies that provide goods or services to government agencies, accept government funding, or otherwise collaborate with government entities.
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Jayna Marie Rust
Partner
Thompson Coburn LLP
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Jayna advises companies, transportation authorities, educational institutions, and other entities regarding their rights and obligations when doing business with or receiving financial assistance from the Federal Government and in litigating against (or with) it on contract disputes.
She helps clients recover money owed under Federal contracts, challenge adverse agency actions, and protest problematic contract awards or defend against competitors' protests. In doing so, she represents them before agencies, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the U.S. Small Business Administration, Boards of Contract Appeals, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, as necessary. She also represents contractors in prime/sub disputes before state courts or Federal district courts and in arbitration hearings.
Additionally, Jayna counsels and advises clients on contract- and grant-administration matters. This work includes analyzing and negotiating subcontractor and subrecipient agreements, following small-business requirements, and complying with domestic-preference policies, such as the Buy American Act, the Trade Agreements Act, and the Cargo Preference Acts. It also includes helping companies and grant recipients understand labor-and-employment obligations specific to their Federal funding, including those related to the Service Contract Act, Davis-Bacon Act, and Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors. Jayna works with clients to prepare for and complete mergers, acquisitions, conversions, name changes, and other corporate transactions when government contracts are involved. Combining her work in both contract- and grant-administration matters, she also advises clients on developing and applying policies and procedures that meet 2 C.F.R. Part 200 (Uniform Grant Guidance) requirements and in preparing for and responding to investigations, audits, and Federal Transit Administration triennial reviews related to those obligations.
She serves clients in a variety of industries, including defense, pharmaceuticals, logistics, information technology (IT) services, hardware and software, healthcare, construction, financial services, private equity, insurance, utilities, higher education, and manufacturing.
A former middle school teacher and current professor of Government Contracts Advocacy at The George Washington University Law School, Jayna has been praised by clients and peers for her ability to take complex legal issues and make them interesting and understandable to others.
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Craig Leen
Partner
K&L Gates
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Craig Leen is a partner at K&L Gates in Washington, DC, in the firm's Labor, Employment, and Workplace Safety practice, and he co-leads the firm’s OFCCP and Affirmative Action Compliance area of focus. His depth of experience spans across federal, state, and local government, as well as the private sector.
Craig previously served as the Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), a federal civil rights enforcement agency at the U.S. Department of Labor. In this role, Craig reported directly to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Labor; overseeing approximately 450 employees and a budget of over $105 million, with a mission to ensure compliance by federal contractors with equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination obligations.
During his tenure, OFCCP experienced record years in both enforcement recoveries and compliance assistance, with Craig overseeing three rulemakings and issuance of several technical assistance guides to help employers comply with the law. Likewise, as an agency head at the U.S. DOL, Craig worked directly with numerous other federal agencies, including the Wage & Hour Division (WHD), the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the Civil Rights and Federal Programs Divisions of the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Craig is also a Professor of Government Lawyering and Professorial Lecturer in Law at The George Washington University Law School, and he serves on numerous boards and committees, including as Chair of the Civil & Human Rights Committee of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Co-Chair of the DC Family Support Council, and Vice Chair of the DC Advisory Committee to the US Commission on Civil Rights. He also serves on the Advisory Board and AI Ethics Council of Eightfold, the Board and Executive Committee of Disability Belongs, and the Advisory Committee of Disability:IN DC Metro.
Craig was previously City Attorney of the City of Coral Gables, and earlier in his career served as Chief of the Appeals Section and then Chief of the Federal Litigation Section at the Miami-Dade County Attorney’s Office. Craig also was a federal law clerk for the Honorable Robert E. Keeton, District Judge of the District of Massachusetts. Craig is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia, Florida, Massachusetts, and New York.
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Leslie Ferragut
Director of Corporate Partnerships, Enterprise Solutions Sales
SHRM
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Leslie Ferragut is a seasoned professional and Director of Enterprise Solutions for the Public Sector & Government Industry. With over 20 years of experience, Leslie has collaborated extensively with public sector organizations, including the Department of Defense (DoD), federal civilian agencies, as well as state, local, and municipal entities. Her expertise spans a wide range of enterprise-level solutions, including risk and compliance, government contracting and procurement, programmatic SaaS initiatives, and supply chain strategies within the defense industrial base. Driven by exceptional business acumen and a curious mind, Leslie has developed a strong passion for human capital management in a post-COVID world. Her focus areas include talent development and management, workforce analytics, and fostering inclusive workplace cultures. Through her work with SHRM Enterprise, Leslie empowers public sector organizations to advance their missions and deliver citizen-centric services by leveraging best practices to achieve optimal outcomes. Residing in the Washington, D.C., area, Leslie draws inspiration from her environment, fueling her dedication to enhancing human capital management across the public sector.