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Federal Government Contract Law Attorneys

Government Contract Disputes, Litigation and Appeals

Call toll free at 1-866-601-5518 for a free initial consultation.

Government Contracts Law: To be successful in today’s highly competitive and challenging government contracting marketplace, small businesses and large corporations alike must employ strategies that will reduce risk, result in contractgovernment contracting law solutions dc awards and realize timely and profitable performance. This is the reason that many of the most respected domestic and international companies have turned to Watson & Associates. As government contracts attorneys, we bring decades of hands-on experience of working for federal contracting agencies to your specific situation. Our lawyers understand that the government does make serious mistakes. Therefore, our law firm is in a much better strategic position to help you overcome hurdles.

 

Industries

Our government contract attorneys have a long-standing and well recognized expertise in federal and state government contracting. We have provided counsel to a wide variety of industries engaged in government contracting, and have represented them in connection with an even broader array of contracting issues and disputes. We have advised Fortune 500 companies, as well as small medium sized companies, engaged in the entire range of government contracts, including defense, aerospace, construction, engineering, information technology, systems integration, transportation and logistics, ship building and repair, maritime and industrial coatings, and project development and finance.

 

Comprehensive Services

The firm offers its clients a comprehensive catalog of government contracting services, including the identification and development of business opportunities, project development and financing, bid and proposal preparation, contract negotiation and administration, bid protests, claim preparation, litigation of claims and disputes, small business matters and advice on contract and regulatory compliance.

  • Bid protests
  • Civil litigation
  • Inspector General (IG) audits and investigations
  • Claims
  • Defective pricing
  • Ethics and contract compliance
  • False claims
  • International contracting
  • Investigations
  • Joint venture and teaming agreement documents
  • Legislation and FAR guidance
  • Privatization
  • Requests for Equitable Adjustment
  • Small Business Program matters
  • GSA Schedules
  • 8(a) Certification
  • Suspension and debarment
  • Contract management

 

Call one of our attorneys for a free initial consultation at 1-866-601-5518.

 

Avoid Costly Adverse Actions from the Government’s Increased Scrutiny As federal regulators and agencies increase their scrutiny of publicly traded companies and government contractors, our corporate integrity and compliance practice has evolved into one of the faster growing segments of our firm. In this minefield of potential liability, we search for any problem areas that could flag government contracting agencies, and expertly guide our clients to ensure full compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley, the False Claims Act, the False Statements Act, the Anti-Kickback Act, the Truth in Negotiations Act and other federal procurement laws. Our lawyers assist you in developing compliance programs and in reviewing such programs after they are in place to help you avoid claims of defective pricing that can arise from the complex cost accounting rules that apply to government contracts. See out FAQs.

The government is cracking down on contractor accountability. The key to survival is to adopt internal contracts and policies that address the critical liabilities in each government contract. Having a government contracts attorney does not always have to involve litigation. Regardless of the size of your project, your personnel must be trained and you must have internal procedures and practices in place. Failure to accomplish these basic tasks can leave you exposed to investigations, claims from the government against you, and possible suspension and debarment. We have proposed government contracting training classes for 2012 to help you overcome any shortfalls that you may have.

Congress has introduced legislation in an effort to keep the government from footing the bill for negligent contractor actions. This introduction of legislation will crack down on indemnification clauses that give financial immunity to contractors and will place increased scrutiny on government contractors operating in war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Legislative attorneys for contractors to repay the government can be crippling to any contractor. Given the current crackdown on federal contractors, businesses can find themselves in a tough situation. What appeared to be once a lucrative contract can now turn into a situation where you are defending your company against the government’s sudden attack. The importance of having a government contracts attorney on your team cannot be overemphasized. Click here to read a recent Supreme Court decision article concerning the possibility of repaying the government $3 billion.

 

Small Business Programs: Small businesses face a serious challenge in government contracting. They do not always have the ready legal resources and information that a large business might have. Watson & Associates’ government contract law attorneys help clients take advantage of small business programs administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Our attorneys possess extensive experience in counseling clients on the risks and opportunities that the SBA’s regulations and programs present for both small businesses and large firms, including those related to:

  • Affiliation rules
  • Small business subcontracting plans
  • The North American Industry Classification System codes and size standards
  • The Small Business Innovation Research and Mentor-Protege joint venture
  • The small business set-aside
  • HUBZone
  • SBA 8(a) certification
  • Service-disabled veteran-owned small business contracting

Our attorneys have extensive experience handling small business appeals before the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals (SBAOHA).

 

Adopt Preemptive Awareness of Critical Problems

Claims preparation and litigation: Getting paid for work done on a federal government contract is always of importance to your company. Whether or not you are a small business or a large corporation, you can gain insight and immediate access to lawyers on all aspects of government contracts litigation, including preparation and pursuit of large, complex claims against the U.S. government and defense against government claims. We represent clients in claims resulting from contract termination, breach of contract claims, scope of contract changes, defective pricing, cost disallowances, deficient performance, noncompliance with cost accounting standards, disputes and claims related to Multiple Award Schedule contracts, and many other disputes under the Contract Disputes Act of 1978. Our representation reaches several industries, including defense and aerospace, construction, electronics, financial services, professional services, information technology, health care, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices and equipment. As you see the need to file a claim, or have received a denial of a claim from the contracting officer, contact us for immediate help.

 

Bid protests: Filing a bid protest or defending your award can become a nightmare simply because of the legal issues and short timelines involved. Sometimes, you might have to make a judgment call as to whether or not challenge the award. As government contract law attorneys, we frequently represent small and large businesses in bid protests at the agency, Court of Federal Claims and GAO levels. If you are challenging contract awards or seeking intervention to retain awarded contracts, our government procurement lawyers can help with:

  • Sole source contracts
  • Task orders and IDIQ contracts
  • Federal Supply Schedule contracts
  • Competitive range determinations
  • Meaningful discussions
  • Organizational Conflicts of Interest
  • Past performance evaluations
  • Disparate treatment and consistent evaluations
  • Best value determinations and cost-technical trade-offs

 

GAO 2011 statistics show reduced decisions on bid protests. While the number of protests has steadily increased over the past five years, the success rate for protesters in fiscal year 2011 was at its lowest during that time. GAO reported to Congress its bid protest statistics for fiscal year 2011 on November 15, 2011, and it reflects a bit of a tougher year for protesters, but no real significant changes from last year. However, while fewer protesters were successful, all federal agencies reported that they fully implemented the GAO recommendations in those sustained protests. At least 54% of cases filed were done with a government contracts lawyer. Although this does not account for the declining GAO percentages, it shows the importance of getting legal advice. Federal procurement law is not a simple as it may sound.

 

 Internal Controls & Restructuring

If changes to your corporate procedures or internal controls are necessary, our government contracts attorneys assist in the development or revision of internal processes to focus on integrity and commitment to compliance. When potential ethics violations surface, we conduct independent investigations and advise our clients about paths forward. Our federal procurement law representation includes assisting you in suspension and debarment proceedings.

Cost-effective but Aggressive

Watson’s federal contracts law firm is dedicated to the cost-effective and timely resolution of disputes and have an exceptional record of successfully negotiating and mediating government claims and disputes millions of dollars. However, if litigation becomes necessary, our procurement and government contracts attorneys focus on achieving favorable before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, Small Business Administration Office of Hearings and Appeals (SBAOHA) Boards of Contract Appeals of the various agencies (including the Defense Department, the individual military services, Homeland Security, General Services Administration, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, Education, Agriculture, Corps of Engineers, Postal Service and Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Energy).

 

Resolve Procurement Problems from Initial to End of Contract Phases

Private companies that wish to bid for government contracts with federal agencies meet a host of regulations, such as compliance with special U.S. labor laws, before they are eligible to enter into such contracts. As government contract law attorneys specializing in federal procurement, we guide our clients in submitting a proposal to do the work or supply the goods sought by the government, whether those goods are planes, ships, trucks, or computers, and then help you in the contract negotiation process with the government. If a company is unsuccessful in its bid for the government work, our lawyers can assist with bid protests before the GAO or small business size standard protests before the Small Business Administration. Our Government contract attorneys provide advice at every stage of litigation, which may be heard as an administrative hearing in the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO), in federal district court, or in the Court of Federal Claims.

 

International Government Contracting

As attorneys specializing in government contract law work, we also become involved in international issues. We can represent international defense contractors on matters related to foreign military sales and technology transfer, or they may represent defense contractors that sell to foreign governments and foreign companies. Numerous questions relating to export control laws may arise in such circumstances. Our government contracts attorneys also handle issues that arise out of the ownership or control of U.S. companies by foreign governments or foreign corporations.

 

Reduce Adverse Impact

Federal government contracting is more complex and demanding than the traditional commercial marketplace. Companies are subject to many regulations, statutes and legal decisions. Although a very lucrative business venture, the risk of performing government contracts without legal advice can sometimes result in adverse decisions that can seriously impact your company. Watson & Associates Government Contracts attorneys, servicing clients in Washington, DC and nationwide, offer a full-service practice with the breadth and experience required to effectively overcome costly mistakes and resolve your problems effectively. Business can resolve disputes or get sound legal advice for success and to proactively avoid problems with performance.

Understanding your specific business operations is key. Then we are in a better position to navigate through adverse actions, make cost-effective decisions and to stay abreast of legislation that can impact the company. The reality is that agencies take you more seriously when you are represented by attorneys who can speak their language. A critical approach to building trusting relationships with our clients is providing them with concise answers, clear direction, and sound advice when faced with tough situations. We are used to successfully challenging adverse decisions by federal agencies. When the agency does not want to amicably resolve disputes, our attorneys are prepared to vigorously protect your rights in court. See examples of recent representative procurement cases.

 

Get Solutions to Common Problems

Because government contracting issues can arise without notice, you should become proactive in your approach and gain the experience you need to adequately handle common legal issues. We can help you with simple or complex matters related to:

 

Effective legal counsel for businesses and government contractors. Contractors seek counsel for immediate access and prompt turnaround. Understanding the depth of a legal problem can help you make better decisions. Large corporations have inside counsel that is familiar with the operations of the company. Traditional business law and state experience does not fully complement the problems associated with federal procurement law. Our contract attorneys fill the gap by distinguishing commercial practices and applying federal procurement law and legal authority. This is the only viable method to accomplish results with a government contracting issue. Our dedicated lawyers will become familiar with your operation in order to provide you with efficient legal representation and advice.

 

Nationwide and Overseas Representation

Federal law allows our government contract lawyers to represent clients regardless of their resident state. Watson & Associates 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 U.S. firm also helps DOD contractors in Afghanistan and Iraq construction efforts.

Cities in which we practice 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.

Recent News

 

Contact us

If you seek a prompt and cost-effective resolution to a federal procurement matter, contact our government contracts attorneys today for a free confidential consultation. Call toll free (866) 601-5518.

 

Helpful Contractor Information

BEST PRACTICES for COLLECTING AND USING CURRENT AND PAST PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

BEST PRACTICES FOR PEFORMANCE-BASED CONTRACTING

OFFICE OF FEDERAL PROCUREMENT POLICY GUIDES