What the Experts Say

From the Essential Guide to the FAR Overhaul Crisis

Federal Acquisition Experts Speak Out on the FAR Overhaul
All quotes from: Wifcon Podcast: Update on the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul, May 27, 2025. Listen Here

Experts discussing FAR overhaul on the Wifcon Podcast

Featured Experts

In the complex and ever-evolving landscape of federal contracting, few names command as much respect and authority as Vern Edwards, Jim Nagle, Ralph Nash, and Don Mansfield. Their collective contributions have shaped the legal and practical frameworks of government procurement for decades, establishing them as preeminent leaders whose expertise continues to guide both government and industry.

View the expert's biographies

Vern Edwards: Renowned federal procurement expert and author, former senior acquisition official.
Jim Nagle: Attorney and author specializing in federal procurement law.
Ralph Nash: Professor Emeritus of Law at George Washington University, leading authority on government contracts.
Don Mansfield: Procurement policy expert and author, extensively involved in federal acquisition education.

Misuse of Class Deviations

"Class deviations were never intended to overhaul the entire FAR. They were intended to be specific and limited in scope."
– Vern Edwards

"They're using class deviations like regular rulemaking, but that's not what class deviations are for. They're extraordinary measures, not routine regulatory changes."
– Jim Nagle

Lack of Transparency and Public Oversight

"This process bypasses the APA completely—no Federal Register publication, no transparent public docket, no formal accountability. It's all done behind closed doors."
– Ralph Nash

"The informal comment process they're using doesn't meet the standards of public oversight required by law. There's no real visibility into how decisions are made."
– Don Mansfield

Undermining Market Research and Small Business Set-Asides

"They're stripping away critical market research provisions from FAR Part 10—these procedures were fundamental triggers for small business set-asides."
– Jim Nagle

"If you remove clear market research requirements, you're directly undermining the foundational process that ensures small business gets considered."
– Vern Edwards

Ambiguous and Unclear Guidance

"These new buying guides they're proposing aren't regulations. They don't have the force of law and will vary agency to agency, causing real confusion."
– Don Mansfield

"Agencies are going to interpret these buying guides differently, creating inconsistency and ambiguity across federal procurement."
– Ralph Nash

Questionable Legal Foundation

"I don't see any legal justification presented for using deviations in this wholesale manner. Deviations need clear, specific justification—and we're not seeing it."
– Vern Edwards

"They're ignoring APA standards and requirements for legal justification altogether. This deviation approach raises serious questions of legality."
– Jim Nagle

Risks and Uncertainty for Small Businesses

"Removing transparency, accountability, and clear market research standards directly threatens small business participation in federal procurement."
– Ralph Nash

"Small businesses depend on predictable rules. Weakening mandatory market research procedures significantly increases their risk and uncertainty."
– Jim Nagle

Practicality of Using Buying Guides

"Relying on buying guides that aren't enforceable or authoritative might sound efficient, but practically speaking, it's probably unworkable."
– Vern Edwards

"This reliance on buying guides could either make or break the entire overhaul—they're essentially betting everything on informal guidance rather than enforceable rules."
– Don Mansfield

Expert Biographies

Vern Edwards

A towering figure in federal procurement, Vern Edwards is a renowned expert and prolific author whose career has been dedicated to the mastery and advancement of government contracting. His long-term leadership is rooted in a deep and practical understanding of the field, honed through his early career as a contracting officer and negotiator for the U.S. Air Force and the Department of Energy. Transitioning to academia, Mr. Edwards served on the faculty of The George Washington University Law School's Government Contracts Program, where he mentored a generation of procurement professionals. He is perhaps most widely recognized in the contemporary federal contracting community as the founder and principal author of Wifcon.com, an indispensable online resource for news, analysis, and discussion on federal acquisition. His extensive writings, including numerous books and articles, and his active engagement in online forums have solidified his reputation as a thought leader who consistently champions clarity, efficiency, and integrity in the procurement process. Mr. Edwards' enduring influence stems from his unwavering commitment to educating and empowering the acquisition workforce.

Jim Nagle

James F. Nagle is a distinguished attorney and author whose name is synonymous with the legal intricacies of federal procurement. His profound and lasting impact on the field is built upon a distinguished career that includes serving as the Chief of the Logistics and Contract Law Branch for the Department of the Army and a long tenure as a partner at a leading law firm specializing in government contracts. A prolific writer, Mr. Nagle has co-authored several of the most definitive treatises on the subject, including the seminal "Administration of Government Contracts" and "Federal Procurement Law." His comprehensive historical work, "A History of Government Contracting," is a testament to his deep understanding of the evolution of procurement policy and practice. Mr. Nagle’s leadership extends to his active participation and leadership roles in numerous professional organizations, such as the Board of Contract Appeals Bar Association and the National Contract Management Association (NCMA). His extensive litigation, teaching, and writing have established him as a paramount authority whose work is foundational to the legal education and practice of federal contracting professionals.

Ralph Nash

Ralph C. Nash, Professor Emeritus of Law at The George Washington University, is widely regarded as one of the principal architects of modern government contract law as an academic discipline. His monumental and enduring legacy is intrinsically linked to the world-renowned Government Contracts Program at The George Washington University Law School, which he founded in 1960. For over three decades as a professor and director, he shaped the education of countless lawyers, contracting officers, and executives who have gone on to lead in both government and the private sector. Professor Nash is the co-author of a library of foundational textbooks, including "Formation of Government Contracts" and "Administration of Government Contracts," which remain the definitive reference works in the field. His leadership was pivotal in translating complex legal and regulatory concepts into a coherent body of knowledge. Furthermore, his participation on influential bodies such as the "Section 800 Panel" on acquisition reform demonstrates his direct impact on shaping federal procurement policy. His work has provided the intellectual scaffolding for the entire federal contracting community for more than half a century.

Don Mansfield

Don Mansfield is a highly respected procurement policy expert and educator who has dedicated his career to the practical application and teaching of federal acquisition regulations. His long-term leadership is distinguished by his 26-year tenure as a federal acquisition professional, where he served in various key roles within the Department of the Navy and later as a Professor of Contract Management for the Defense Acquisition University (DAU). At DAU, Mr. Mansfield was instrumental in developing and teaching core curriculum, including the widely acclaimed Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Fundamentals course, and created the indispensable DAU Provision and Clause Matrix, a go-to resource for contracting professionals across the government. In 2019, he transitioned to the private sector, where he continues to be a leading voice in federal acquisition education as a consultant and the proprietor of "Don Acquisition LLC." Through his popular "FAR Bootcamp" and other training programs, as well as his insightful blog and contributions to the "Nash & Cibinic Report," Mr. Mansfield continues to demonstrate a deep commitment to demystifying the complexities of the FAR and enhancing the expertise of the federal contracting workforce.