Alston & Bird LLP hosted this seminar in our Los Angeles office on April 16. Since the November elections, the foremost challenge undertaken by the new administration is developing a plan to pull the nation’s economy out of recession. One of the cornerstones of the new administration’s plan is the massive infusion of money into public works and infrastructure improvements projects on a scale not seen since the interstate highway projects of the 1950’s. The State of California, facing its own substantial budget difficulties, is going to receive a particularly large slice of the stimulus spending. Alston & Bird placed together an impressive panel of government experts, including current and former high-ranking officials in the Schwarzenegger administration and the Los Angeles Unified School District, as well as A+B’s own California and federal contracting experts, to help identify the opportunities in federal, California and Los Angeles, and how to manage the increased oversight and procurement integrity rules in order to fully reap the rewards of public contracting. Breakfast and lunch were provided and CLE credit was given for this program. Presentations included the following speakers and subjects.
AGENDA
8:00am - 8:45am Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:45am – 9:00am Opening Remarks
Chris Roux, Alston & Bird LLP, Co-Leader, Construction & Government Contracts Practice Group
9:00am - 9:30am 2009 Economic Stimulus Package and Increased Opportunities for
Federal and California State Contracting
Jeff Belkin, Alston & Bird LLP, Practice Area Leader, Government Contracts, and former U.S.
Department of Justice Trial Attorney
*Mr. Belkin will discuss new the opportunities in the Obama Administration’s American
Recovery & Reinvestment Act, and what new strings are attached to the Federal spending.
9:30am – 10:15am Stimulus Case Study – How the Schwarzenegger Administration is Likely to
Administer ARRA Funds
Maureen Gorsen, Alston & Bird LLP, former Director, California Department of
Toxic Substances Control
*Ms. Gorsen will discuss the ins and outs of California’s spending process, from a former
insider’s perspective.
10:15am – 10:30am Break
10:30am - 11:15am LAUSD’s Capital Program, and Noteworthy Developments in California State
Contracting
Mark Fall, Associate General Counsel, Los Angeles Unified School District
Chris Roux, Alston & Bird LLP
* Mr. Fall will give an overview of the LAUSD's construction programs and future plans for
existing and new facilities. Mr. Roux will provide an update on recent developments in
contracting with the State of California.
11:15am - 12:00pm Green Initiatives in California
Scott Harvey, Chief Deputy Director, California Department of General Services
Kevin Collins, Alston & Bird LLP
*Mr. Harvey will discuss the Governor’s initiatives in the areas of Green Building and LEED
certification throughout the State of California. Mr. Collins will discuss California’s recent
push into energy-efficient construction.
12:00pm – 12:15pm Break
12:15pm – 1:00pm Lunch Speaker: California’s Courthouse Construction Program
Clifford Ham, Principal Architect, Office of Court Construction and Management, Judicial Council of
California - Administrative Office of the Courts
*Mr. Ham will discuss the building program of California’s Administrative Office of the Courts,
including funding status, SB 1407, project delivery innovations and other contracting
opportunities.
1:00pm – 1:30pm A Primer on Federal Government Contracting: How New Procurements Will Be
Administered by Federal Agencies
Andy Howard, Alston & Bird LLP
*Mr. Howard will provide a brief introduction to the public procurement process from
solicitation through contract award, disputes, claims, and the unique rules and
limitations that apply in those processes.
1:30pm - 2:30pm Labor & Employment: E-Verify, Equal Employment Opportunity, Davis-Bacon
& Other Labor-Related Contracting Issues
Eileen Scofield, Alston & Bird LLP
*Ms. Scofield will discuss the recent E-Verify restrictions and other labor-
related programs required in Federal and California government contracting, including new
requirements contained in ARRA-funded projects.
2:30pm – 2:45pm Break
2:45pm - 3:45pm Procurement Integrity, The New Contractors Code of Ethics & Mandatory
Disclosure Requirements
Lisanne Cottington, Insight Enterprises, Inc., Director, Global Public Sector and Contract
Compliance
Andy Howard, Alston & Bird LLP
*Ms. Cottington and Mr. Howard will engage in a timely discussion of the new contractor’s Code
of Ethics requirements in Federal contracting, and other critical obligations on government
contractors in a time of heightened scrutiny.
3:45pm - 4:35pm Government Audits, Investigations & The False Claims Act
Jeff Belkin, Alston & Bird LLP
*Mr. Belkin will discuss what to do when Uncle Sam starts digging, including how to handle
audits by agencies, offices of inspector general or DOJ; how to recognize and respond to a False
Claims Act problem; and recent FCA developments.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Alston & Bird LLP / 333 South Hope Street / 16th Floor / Los Angeles, CA