Political Law Compliance in Government Contracting: Pay-to-Play, Lobbying, and Procurement Rules

Numerous compliance challenges arise when attempting to obtain business from, or enter into certain other kinds of agreements with, a federal, state, or local government entity. These can include pay-to-play laws which prohibit contracting if the contractor, or in some cases an executive or employee of the company, makes a political contribution to an elected official of the contracting governmental entity. Seeking government business may also incur an obligation to register under applicable lobby law, and may raise assorted other issues addressed under laws intended to prohibit unethical behavior or conflicts of interest in the procurement process.

This program, presented by Shayla Parker and Charles Ricciardelli of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP  will provide a high-level overview of these considerations, including strict liability pay-to-play laws, lobby registration requirements, and other procurement ethics issues. The material will provide generally applicable guidance and best practices on developing robust compliance programs to address these issues and facilitate the contracting process, including the making of required compliance certifications. This course will benefit compliance and contracts attorneys, and those involved in government relations operations.  

 
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify political law considerations that may impact a company's ability to enter into government contracts

2. Discuss the application of pay-to-play, lobbying, and procurement laws to attempts to obtain government business

3. Provide high-level guidance on robust compliance processes to address these issues