Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI) Rules for Federal Contractors (2026 Update)
Format: Live webinar (on-demand recording available on April 9, 2026)
Date: March 31, 2026
Time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
Duration: Approx. 90 minutes
Presented by: Steven Koprince (Govology)
Learning Credits: 1.5 CPEs, 1.5 ATCs
*Your registration includes access to the on-demand recording.
Could foreign ownership—even indirectly—put your contracts at risk?
If your company performs classified work, partners with foreign investors, has overseas affiliates, or is considering outside funding, Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) rules may apply to you.
And the stakes are rising.
In 2026, the Department of War (DoW) is expected to release its “Section 847” rules, expanding FOCI principles to certain unclassified prime contracts and subcontracts valued at $5 million or more. As a result, companies that have never had to consider FOCI may soon need to do so.
Why This Matters for Contractors
FOCI issues can:
- Delay or block contract awards
- Prevent access to classified work
- Trigger additional reporting and compliance requirements
- Impact eligibility for certain programs
Under Section 847, FOCI considerations may also extend further into the supply chain than many contractors expect.
Understanding these rules before they affect your eligibility is far better than discovering them in the middle of an award process.
What You’ll Learn
In this webinar, Govology Legal Analyst Steven Koprince breaks down FOCI in clear, practical terms, including:
- Which federal contracts are subject to FOCI rules?
- How will Section 847 apply FOCI principles to unclassified DoW contracts and subcontracts?
- How does the government evaluate whether a contractor is operating under foreign ownership, influence, or control?
- What responsibilities does a contractor or potential contractor have to identify and report FOCI concerns?
- How can a contractor mitigate an actual or potential FOCI problem?
- What are some common misconceptions about the FOCI rules?
- How do FOCI concepts apply to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs?
Who Should Attend?
- Contractors performing or pursuing classified work
- Companies with foreign investors, parent companies, or affiliates
- Small businesses seeking DoW prime or subcontract awards
- SBIR/STTR participants
- Growth and compliance leaders monitoring regulatory risk
If your business touches defense, classified information, or international ownership in any way, this is an issue you can’t afford to misunderstand.
This session will help you identify potential exposure early and position your company to stay eligible and competitive.
Speaker
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Steven KoprinceFaculty Instructor and Legal Analyst, GovologySteven J. Koprince is a Faculty Instructor and Legal Analyst at Govology. Before joining Govology, Steven founded and served as the Managing Partner of Koprince McCall Pottroff LLC, a law firm devoted exclusively to providing comprehensive legal services to federal government contractors.
Steven is the author of The Small-Business Guide to Government Contracts (AMACOM Books, 2012) and co-author three GovCon Handbooks providing in-depth information on discrete government contracting topics. Steven also founded the blog SmallGovCon (smallgovcon.com), where he has written more than 1,100 posts on government contracting legal issues. Steven has been quoted in several national news outlets and has appeared on numerous radio programs and podcasts. A frequent featured speaker at the national conferences of the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, Steven was honored as a “Friend of APTAC” at the Spring 2016 APTAC National Conference.
In addition to his work for Govology, Steven volunteers for and serves as a Director of a nonprofit organization providing wrap-around services to disadvantaged families. He is also a co-founder and Director of a nonprofit organization promoting the great sport of pickleball in Lawrence and the surrounding area.
Steven is a graduate of Duke University and the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary. Steven lives in Lawrence, Kansas with his wife, two children and two cuddly cats.
Steven welcomes APEX Accelerator counselors to contact him by email at skoprince@govology.com and connect with him on LinkedIn.
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