Tracye Howard Discusses New DoD Class Deviation with Federal News Network

July 10, 2026

Tracye Winfrey Howard, partner in the Government Contracts Practice, was quoted by Federal News Network in their article, "DoD class deviation leaves contractors with more questions than answers," where she discussed the ambiguity surrounding the U.S. Department of Defense's recently released class deviation stemming from several Congressional China-related contracting restrictions.

Among other topics, Howard discussed the uncertainty around the rule's expansion of the definition of a Chinese military company, noting, "It does not appear to encompass the broader definition of Chinese military company, but again, that’s a little bit of a gray area, and it’s not entirely clear what the rulemakers were intending here."

Howard also spoke about the deviation's other unresolved issues, including what constitutes a reasonable inquiry and the importance of contractors remaining compliant in light of these new requirements.