Beyond the FAR

This week on Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman welcomes Professor Sope Williams, one of the world’s leading scholars of comparative public procurement law and the newest member of GW Law’s Government Procurement Law Program. Their conversation explores the intersection of procurement, anti-corruption, and governance, drawing on Professor Williams’ research across Africa and Europe. Together, they discuss how corruption undermines procurement systems, the challenges of balancing efficiency with accountability, the lessons of South Africa’s state capture experience, and the growing importance of gender-responsive procurement. The episode offers valuable global perspectives for students, practitioners, and policymakers alike.

This week on Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman welcomes Polly Hall, GSA’s Chief Advisor for Acquisition Innovation and Policy and Executive Lead of the practitioner workstream for the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO). Marking one year since the executive order that launched the RFO, the conversation explores the policy changes, workforce strategy, and cultural transformation driving one of the most consequential procurement reform efforts in decades. Hall discusses acquisition innovation, practitioner engagement, leadership accountability, and the shift from a "check the box" acquisition culture toward one centered on mission outcomes, strategic judgment, and thoughtful risk-taking in federal procurement.

In this episode of Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman is joined by David P.J. Timm, a government contracts litigator, to examine the growing risks associated with generative AI misuse in Government procurement litigation. The discussion focuses on the rise of “hallucinated” legal citations, the increasing presence of AI-driven errors in bid protests, and the implications for tribunals and practitioners. Timm explores how both pro se litigants and law firms are contributing to the problem, as well as the broader risks to the integrity of the procurement system. The episode also considers potential safeguards and the importance of verification in an AI-enabled legal landscape.

In this episode of Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman speaks with Scott Simpson, an acquisition professional known for advancing procurement innovation across the federal government. Simpson discusses his work with the Department of Homeland Security’s Procurement Innovation Lab, his role supporting acquisition reform initiatives, and his current work exploring artificial intelligence applications within government procurement. The conversation highlights the importance of experimentation, learning from failure, and empowering contracting professionals to innovate within the framework of procurement law. For law students and practitioners alike, the episode offers practical insights into how policy, technology, and creative problem-solving can transform the acquisition process.

In this episode of Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman is joined by Professor Christopher Yukins to examine how recent U.S. trade policies, tariff measures, and procurement reforms are reshaping the global procurement landscape. The discussion explores the international response to U.S. policy shifts, the impact of tariffs on government supply chains, and the resulting strain on trust between allied procurement systems. Yukins also considers how evolving FAR reforms, European regulatory developments, and market distortions may affect contractors and governments worldwide. For students and practitioners, the episode offers a timely analysis of procurement law’s growing role in international economic policy.  
You can follow Christopher Yukins and read his latest pieces at https://publicprocurementinternational.com/