Federal Government Construction Contract Lawyers, Federal Construction Claims Law Firm

Call Toll Free 1-866-601-5518 for a free initial consultation.

 As a federal government construction contractor, you are under more scrutiny than most other industries in the federal procurement system. However, you do have rights. Oftentimes, the government may not agree with your claims for additional work, escalation claims, requests for equitable adjustment. Sometimes, you might do directed to perform additional construction work on a federal project without a modification to the contracts. In these situations, having a government construction lawyer on your team can save you thousands or millions of dollars.

The government construction attorneys at the law firm of Watson & Associates, LLC help large construction contractors and small businesses to navigate through the tough situations. Our focus is to get you paid for work done and to vigorously protect your rights under federal government contract law. We also ensure that you have the proper compliance and required ethics policies in place.

 

Government Construction Services

Given our hands-on experience in working for the federal government, our lawyers understand the problems that can arise.  As your federal construction law attorneys, we can help you in a variety of situations. These include:

Legal

• Requests for equitable adjustments
• Performance delays
• Scope of work disputes
• Bid protests to GAO or Court of Federal Claims (COFC)
• Breach of contract representation
• Show cause notices
• Termination for convenience or default
• Construction claims
• Miller Act disputes
• Novation agreements
• Subcontracting issues
• Suspension and debarment
• Litigation and appeals

 

Consulting

• Small business matters
• FAR interpretation and guidance
• Teaming and joint ventures
• Mentor Protégé relationships
• Prevailing wages
• Construction proposal writing

 

 

Other Federal Contracting Services

Watson & Associates not only offers construction law services. It is also recognized as one of the best law firms for broader government procurements services. They include:

• Inspector General (IG) Audits and government  investigations;
• Defective pricing;
• Ethics and contract compliance;
• False claims;
• International contracting
• Legislation and FAR guidance;
• Privatization;
• Small Business Program matters;
• 8a Certification
• Suspension and debarment;
• Contract management

 

Get help with Request for equitable adjustments. The equitable adjustment and claims processes often occur during the performance period of a federal government construction project. Although, the FAR allows for such claims, the reality is that contracting officers resist payment of claims for changes, scope growth, delays and other unforeseeable occurrences. Watson & Associates’ attorneys are experienced in guiding contractors through the equitable adjustment and claims processes, and can assist clients in analyzing contract performance as part of that process, including the performance metrics used to track areas of cost growth and schedule performance. We also routinely counsel and represent government construction contractors when the Government is pursuing compensation against the contractor.

• Provide sound claims for construction work.
• Defend against agency claims.
• Accurately account delays an differing site conditions.

 

 

Federal Construction Claims Litigation

Construction claims and litigation are foreseeable aspects of large government projects under the Changes clause. Watson & Associates is prepared to litigate construction disputes in the various federal forums. Our strength is identifying and resolving disputes before litigation commences, and then after they arise using alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques, such as mediation and arbitration. This method of dispute resolution fits our philosophy of resolving construction disputes in the most efficient, cost-effective, and well-organized manner possible, while working hard to preserve existing business relationships. Contact our lawyers for immediate help. Call 1-866-601-5518.

 

Protect your rights in a construction bid protest. Federal government construction is tough business.  When you bid on federal construction projects, the results can be shocking and you want to file a bid protest. The question of where is the best place to file a construction bid protest for optimum results. You can file a GAO construction protest or you can also file a Court of Federal Claims (COFC) protest. Statistics show that COFC tends to offer better results for contractors. However, the cost of litigation for a bid protest to the Court of Federal Claims can be more expensive than a GAO protest. In either event, our government construction lawyers are ready to provide rigorous representation. This can be construction bid protest defense situation or if you want to file a construction bid protest, our attorneys can help.

• Assess the right bid protest court to get better results.
• Get legal representation that focuses on overturning the agency’s decision.

 

Get help with federal construction terminations for convenience. With the focus on the push to get rid of unnecessary contracts, agencies often invoke their right to terminate a contract for convenience. In this situation, you want to ensure that your claims are properly submitted. You stand an 80% chance that the agency will resist your construction claim for damages. Federal statutes allow recovery when there is a termination for convenience. Watson’s government contract law attorneys help construction companies across the country to prepare, submit and fight against adverse agency decisions.

• Carefully prepare and submit construction termination for convenience claims.
• Get help with agency breach of contract actions disguised as a termination for convenience.
• Acquire experienced legal representation with litigation and appeals.

 

Get help in design build construction contracts. Often times, you may encounter a situation where your design build construction contract requires additional funding from the government. There may be differing site conditions, specs may not show the unexpected conditions, material requirement may prove to be different. The key to success is always to communicate with the contracting officer and not end-users. Understanding that the contracting officer is the only person that can obligate the federal government in a construction project is critical. Our federal construction law firm can help you to navigate through the complex regulations. If you are contemplating filing a claim on a design build construction contract, contact Watson & Associates for immediate help. Call toll free at 1-866-601-5518.

 

Approach construction teaming agreements, joint venture relationships and mentor protégé contracts with caution. As government construction contractor, the law allows you to enter unique relationships with prime or subcontractors.  However, you must be aware of affiliation rules and unlawful relationships that can cost you a lucrative construction contract.  The government contract law attorneys at Watson & Associates frequently help construction companies to properly draft and execute teaming agreements, joint venture contracts and mentor protégé agreements. You will get sound advice and guidance on how to protect your rights and learn about your obligations.

• Draft legally sound teaming agreements.
• Learn your obligations and legal requirements in joint venture and mentor protégé relationships.

 

Challenge unwarranted contract reviews: If you believe that the agency is issuing you unwarranted performance reviews, let our federal construction attorneys help you before it is too late. Agencies believe that contract administration simply can keep a challenge from review at the GAO level. Although GAO cannot review issues pertaining to construction contract administration, a federal court has jurisdiction under the Contract Disputes Act does in fact allows for judicial review of procedural propriety of performance evaluations.

• Protect your right to challenge performance evaluations
• CPARS and CCASS ratings can impact your ability to get federal construction contracts

 

Resolve and appeal contracting officer final decisions and denial of claims. Many contractors simply rely on the government to do the right thing. This does not always happen. The when the federal government becomes a party to a construction contract, agencies sometimes still believe that being a sovereign entity always carries the day. If a contracting officer denies you claim, seek legal help immediately. Call Watson & Associates for help in the appeal process.

 

Acceleration Claims

Acceleration results when a contractor revises the contract schedule to complete the remaining activities in less time than planned. The contractor usually reduces the time span by adding manpower and shifts, increasing overtime and revising work sequences. Acceleration costs include:

Premium portion of overtime and the inefficiencies associated with extended overtime

• Higher wage rates of added shifts
• Vendors’ premiums for expedited delivery of materials
• Equipment increases required to support added crews
• Extra hours associated with revised work

 

Your acceleration claim must prove that the owner or owner-representative decided to accelerate. Depending upon the applicable contractual relationships, the owner’s representatives for this purpose may include the contracting officer, architect, engineer, or contractor (assuming a subcontractor accelerates).  You must obtain the applicable correspondence, meeting notes, witness statements, or other notes and records that prove why the project was accelerated. Having one of our construction law attorneys can save you headache and unnecessary costs.

 

Ensure Timely Notice of a Constructive Change

To be able to respond to a contractor’s claim for an equitable adjustment, the government must know the amount of the claim (quantum), the fact that a claim is being submitted, and the basis for the claim (entitlement).

The Construction Contract Changes Clause at FAR 52.243-4 applies only to construction contracts and states that only costs incurred within 20 days from the time that the contractor gives notice are recoverable. The Notification of Changes Clause at FAR 52.243-7 requires that the contracting officer be notified of a constructive change promptly, usually within 30 days.

 

Federal construction matters in all states: From the west coast all the way to Washington, D.C., and litigation issues within the Denver or Colorado areas, Watson & Associates is an experienced federal government and Colorado construction law firm serving general contractors, sub-contractors, developers, and lenders throughout the country. In addition, our Denver firm represents companies with state and local disputes that include claims, non-payment, Miller Act, payment bond and construction liens. Our construction law attorneys have deep experience and in-depth skill when handling common legal issues in federal procurement such as construction claims, terminations and performance disputes.

 

Solution-Driven Construction Law Attorneys

We recognize that construction related disputes significantly increase the cost of building projects. They also jeopardize important business relationships with the federal government. Watson & Associates, LLC is committed to providing proactive legal advice and representation geared toward establishing and protecting the business relationships involved in large projects. if you are a Colorado construction company, then our experienced legal experts will aggressively help you to resolve private matters.

• Possible novation
• Resolution in delay disputes
• Review of subcontractor and prime disputes
• Drafting contracts with appropriate clauses

 

From contract bidding, negotiation and preparation to surety issues, and construction claims to land subsidence, quality of workmanship, and materials issues, we have the skill and knowledge necessary to protect our clients’ interests.

 

The federal construction lawyers at Watson & Associates focus on results. Large companies and small businesses alike come to us because of our in-depth knowledge of the federal procurement regulations and the relevant court decisions that impact the federal construction contracting industry. You will get a better understanding our how the government thinks and the how to avoid or challenge unlawful government actions.

 

Nationwide Representation

Federal law allows our government construction lawyers to represent clients regardless of their resident state. Watson & Associates, LLC, can represent businesses in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington, DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Our US firm also helps DOD contractors in Afghanistan and Iraq construction efforts.

 

Cities in which we practice federal construction law include Anchorage, AK; Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Chicago, IL; Colorado Springs, CO; Dallas, TX; Denver, Colorado; Indianapolis, IN; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; Philadelphia, PA; San Antonio, TX; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; San Jose, CA; Santa Clara, CA; and Tampa, FL.

 

Contact our Government Procurement Attorneys

Please contact the  construction law attorneys at Watson & Associates, LLC regarding any legal matter related to a Colorado private or federal project. Our lawyers can be reached toll free at 866-601-5518 or by e-mail, our by filling out the contact form on our Contact page.