Practice Areas & Industries: Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP

Practice/Industry Group Overview

Our Government Contracts attorneys have represented domestic and international clients in all areas of Federal supply, service and construction contracts. As one of Washington's most experienced Government Contracts groups, we are involved in all phases of government contracting, including bid protests, compliance with Federal laws and regulations, Defense Contract Audit Agency audits, compliance audits, Federal Supply Schedule procurements, contract administration, change order negotiations, and claims and disputes.

Services Available

Contract Awards:

• Identifying government contract opportunities and assisting with the bidding process
• Compliance with certifications and representations
• Federal, state and local contracting procedures and requirements
• Formally advertised procurements
• Negotiated procurements including ID/IQ and design-build contracts
• Grant and R&D forms of contracting
• Multiple award schedule contracts
• Construction contracts, both formally advertised and design-build
• Small Business contracting including Women Owned, Minority Owned and Disabled Veterans small business set aside programs
• Bid protests before and after award
• Bid mistakes
• Debarment and suspension proceedings

Contract Performance:

• DCAA Audits
• Change order negotiations
• Teaming agreements
• Construction and scheduling concerns
• Novation agreements
• Laws which apply to contractors (affirmative action, Small Business Subcontracting; Rehabilitation Act; environmental compliance; Davis-Bacon wage laws, etc.)
• Contract clauses "incorporated by reference" into contracts
• International contracting, including compliance with international trade and embargo laws and regulations, compliance with the Buy American Act, and issues related to Defense Base Act obligations
• Negotiating and representing clients in OSHA, OFCCP, EPA and other regulatory matters
• Intellectual property rights and ownership, including the application of patent and data rights concerns in Federal contracting
• Scheduling and CPM analysis

Contract Disputes:

• Preparation, assertion, negotiation and defense of Requests for Equitable Adjustment and claims and disputes
• Preparation and negotiation of "claims participation" (liquidating) agreements
• Appearance before the GAO, Boards of Contract Appeals, Federal trial and appellate courts, arbitrators, mediators and administrative tribunals

Service Industry Clients Include:

• Body shops: FAA, TSA, NASA, DoD
• Husbanding Services (USN)
• Food suppliers: Provides all food-stuffs for U.S. troops in Afghanistan
• Installation operators: $300 million subcontract negotiation to operate large government installation
• Military technology: Radar, weapon and securities systems and related research and development
• Construction: contractors building hospitals, prisons, high-rise buildings, dams, HVAC facilities, post offices, dredging, NASA launch facility, schools and roads

We offer clients a unique understanding of the government contracts practice area. Walter Wilson, the practice leader and a partner in our Washington, D.C. office, is the General Editor of “The Government Contractor,” a 13 volume loose-leaf service, which provides the procurement community with up-to-date information on the Federal Acquisition Regulations and all aspects of the federal procurement process. Prior to entering law school, Dennis Donahue, a partner in our St. Louis office, worked in McDonnell Douglas' Patent Law Group where he provided support to Government Contract attorneys on intellectual property provisions.