Collusion prevention, cybersecurity on agenda at virtual ABA Public Procurement Symposium

Legal experts will examine recent developments in the law and best practices for procuring or securing contracts from the government during the American Bar Association 2021 Public Procurement Symposium, held in virtual format Wednesday through Friday, October 13-15. 

This year’s symposium features keynote speaker Daniel W. Glad, director of the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) within the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, on Oct. 13 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. He will lead a panel discussion about the work of the PCSF to educate and train procurement officials, deter potential bad actors and create a network of agents and prosecutors dedicated to preventing procurement collusion at all levels, as well as review emerging trends and practical insights on upcoming compliance and enforcement efforts.

Program highlights will include:

• “Hot Topics in Cybersecurity: Current Trends in Ransomware and Its Impact to Your Organization” — Every entity and person touching the internet has exposure to potential ransomware events invading your devices and your data and affecting your operations. This panel will discuss the latest developments in ransomware attack activity and trends, best practices for preparing for ransomware attacks and other cybersecurity breaches, and how the insurance market for cyber insurance is changing as a result.—Oct. 13, 1 to 2:30 p.m.

• “Buying American: Key Challenges and Compliance Issues as Domestic Preferences Get Tougher” — Domestic sourcing requirements have been a hallmark of public infrastructure projects for decades, but the momentum behind imposing increased or stricter “Buy American” requirements has gathered steam in recent years. Panelists will discuss the key domestic sourcing requirements applicable to infrastructure projects and how recent or proposed changes to those requirements will impact contractor compliance with, and government enforcement of, tougher “Buy American” rules.—Oct. 15, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

To register for the online 2021 Public Procurement Symposium, sponsored by the ABA Section of Public Contract Law, visit www.americanbar.org/groups/public_contract_law.