Core Services

Our Role in Your Operations

Our attorneys provide strategic counsel on federal contracts and grants. Our proactive approach to designing and conducting understandable and business-friendly in-house training programs is one of our strengths. We regularly assist clients in the development and implementation of their business ethics and compliance programs and help them understand seemingly ever-changing federal regulations and requirements.

When clients face challenges in the areas of Employment, Cybersecurity, Compliance & Internal Investigations and Mergers & Acquisitions, our team includes experienced colleagues in associated practice areas who can provide sophisticated solutions.

Our team also regularly assists companies of all sizes, from large multinational to small and mid-sized businesses, with understanding and mastering the following:

Bid Protests

  • Government Accountability Office, U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and Agency
  • State and Local

Claim Preparation, Prosecution and Defense

  • Acceleration Claims
  • Changes
  • Compliance with FAR Table 15-2 & TINA Certification
  • Differing Site Conditions
  • Delay Claims
  • Scope Changes
  • Suspension of Work
  • Lost Labor Productivity/Cumulative Impact Claims
  • Termination for Convenience Settlement Proposals
  • Wrongful Termination Challenges

Compliance Issues

  • Buy American Act, including FAR clauses 52.225-1 through 24
    • Commercially Off the Shelf (COTS) Exceptions
  • Change Order Accounting (FAR clause 52.243-1)
  • Contractor Code of Business Ethics (FAR clause 52.203-13)
    • Developing ethics and compliance programs to protect against alleged violations of government contract laws such as the Service Contract Act, Walsh Healey Public Contracts Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and Davis-Bacon Act.
  • Cybersecurity Security Model Certification (CMMC)
  • FAR Cost Accounting Principles, including CAS and Modified CAS coverage
  • Federal Small Business Subcontracting Plans (FAR clause 52.219-9)
    • Developing compliant small business subcontracting plans.
    • Electronic Subcontractor Reporting system (eSRS)
  • Office of Inspector General Investigations
  • Preparation and Implementation of company level Federal Ethics and Compliance Programs.

Contract Disputes Act of 1978 (CDA)

Cost Accounting Matters

  • Cost Allowability and Allocability Issues
  • Defective Pricing Issues
  • Navigating DCAA and DCMA Audits
  • DCAA’s Contract Audit Manual

Defense of Proposed Suspensions and Debarments

  • Department of Defense
  • Department of Veterans Affairs
  • General Services Administration
  • Environmental Protection Agency

Export Control – International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)

  • Assistance with the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC)
  • Commodity Jurisdiction Requests
  • Internal Compliance Programs
  • Internal Investigations and Defense of Alleged Violations of ITAR, OFAC and BIS Laws and Regulations
  • ITAR Compliance
  • Technical Assistance Agreements

False Claims Act Defense (Civil and Criminal)

  • Agency Office of Inspector General Investigations
  • Assistant U.S. Attorney Investigations
  • Civil Frauds, Department of Justice Investigations
  • Internal Investigations
  • Qui Tam Litigation

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and other Agency FAR Supplements

  • Compliance Training
  • Advice

Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009 (FERA)

GSA Schedule Contracts, including Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs)

  • Contractor Team Arrangements

Internal Investigations

Performance Evaluation Challenges

  • ACASS
  • CCASS
  • FAPIIS

Protection of Intellectual Property

  • Rights in Data (FAR clauses 52.227-1 through 23)

Qui Tam Litigation under the Civil False Claims Act

Resolution of Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI)(FAR Subpart 9.5)

  • “Biased Ground Rules” cases
  • “Impaired Objectivity” cases
  • “Unequal Access to Information” cases

Small Business Administration (SBA) Regulations

  • Navigating the SBA application process for 8(a), SDVOSB, HUBZone, EDWOSB, and other socio-economic programs.
  • Performance Requirements including Limitations on Subcontracting
  • Guidance on the SBA’s Rules of Affiliation
  • Size Protests & Defense of Size Protest Appeals before the SBA’s Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA)
  • SBA 8(a) Mentor-Protégé Agreements
  • Teaming Arrangements, including joint venture agreements

Termination for Convenience Settlement Proposals

  • Preparation
  • Negotiation
  • Prosecution as a claim if denied by the Contracting Officer.

Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA)