Government Contracts

Navigating Government Agencies With Ease and Confidence

The federal government spent over a trillion dollars on contracts and grants in 2020. This market is massive, complex, and deserves an intimate understanding of the pertinent statutes and regulations, roles and operations, of the contracting agencies, and compliance pitfalls and best practices. Praemia’s government contracts attorneys bring this expertise to our clients, based on our tenure working with contractors of every size, in virtually all industries at any phase of government procurement. As your strategic counselor, we provide cost-effective representation in virtually any kind of government procurement matter.

Our government contracts attorneys offer deep knowledge and expertise navigating government agencies with ease and confidence. We partner with clients to simplify the government contract and procurement process— from assisting small clients applying for and managing small business programs, providing guidance regarding ethics compliance, defending False Claims allegations, or assisting with internal investigations, to representing clients in disputes between government contractors, including breach-of-contract actions and teaming-agreement disputes.

Praemia’s team is also experienced in representing clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions of companies that contract with the government, and the unique challenges they face. Because of the highly regulated market, we apply our extensive knowledge of government contract law to support a broad spectrum of business transactions— assisting both buyers and sellers to navigate the nuances and applicable statutes and regulations that govern the industry.

Attorneys

Key Areas of Our Government Contracts Experience:

Small Business Program Support. Our attorneys regularly represent government contractors through the SBA Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program (SDVOSB), VA Certification (VOSB and SDVOSB), Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) Program, Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program, the 8(a) Business Development Program, Size and Status Protests and Appeals to the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA), and Mentor-Protégé Relationships. We advise clients on teaming arrangements and joint ventures, as well.

Prime-Sub. Disputes. We represent clients who encounter issues with prime and subcontractors, including breach of contract, teaming arrangement disputes, and FAR clause flow-down issues.

Bid Protests. Our attorneys regularly represent contractors before the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Court of Federal Claims, and in Task Order Ombudsman Complaints. Our attorneys also advise clients in state and local procurement award protests.

Miller Act Bond Claims. Our attorneys represent contractors pursuing payment from higher-tier companies where work was performed on federal government property.

Claims and Disputes. Our attorneys advise clients on preparing and analyzing claims and represent clients in Requests for Equitable Adjustment (REAs) and before the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA), Armed Service Boards of Contract Appeals (ASBCA), and Court of Federal Claims.

Ethics Training and Compliance. We work with new and experienced contractors to develop, implement, and evaluate ethics programs, such as equal opportunity compliance programs and small business subcontracting plans.

Internal Investigations and Mandatory Disclosures. We represent clients on internal investigations, such as those initiated by hotline reports, findings of adverse audits, and whistleblowers. We have experience representing contractors in investigations involving allegations of fraud, the Procurement Integrity Act, the False Claims Act, and in responding to Department of Justice, congressional, Government Accountability Office (GAO), and Inspector General (IG) subpoenas and investigations.

Facility Clearance Issues. We advise organizations on how security clearances are impacted by changes in ownership structure.

Labor and Employment Issues. Our attorneys represent contractors on special issues affecting their workforce, including collective bargaining and project labor agreements. We also provide counsel to clients in wage matters under the Service Contract Act (SCA) and the Davis Bacon Act (DBRA).