Sherman & Howard’s Government Contracts group advises and represents clients regarding:
CONTRACT AWARD
- Solicitation advice and guidance
- Requirements for and drafting of teaming and joint venture agreements
- Negotiation and drafting of subcontract agreements
- Bid, size, and eligibility protests and appeals to agencies, GAO, and Court of Federal Claims
SMALL BUSINESS
- Qualification and eligibility for 8(a), VOSB, SDVOSB, WOSB, EDWOSB and HUBZone small businesses
- Qualification and eligibility for mentor-protégé programs
- Negotiation and drafting of mentor-protégé agreements and mentor-protégé joint venture agreements
- Advise on the ability to subcontract with large businesses as well as small-business subcontract plans for large businesses
- Compliance with mandatory FAR flow-down requirements
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE & INTERNAL/GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATIONS
- Novel employment and labor issues under the Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act, nondiscrimination requirements imposed by the OFCCP, and other employment and labor statutes and regulations
- Compliance with the Buy American Act
- Establishing, implementing, and enforcing codes of conduct and corporate compliance programs
- Conducting employee compliance and ethics training
- Ensuring compliance with U.S. export laws, including the Arms Export Control Act and ITAR regulations
- Handling ITAR registration process
- Assisting in obtaining export licenses and providing guidance on export requirements and FCPA requirements
- Audits by DCAA and other federal government agencies
- Assisting with and conducting internal investigations
- Advising on mandatory and voluntary disclosures
- Representing clients before the criminal and civil divisions of the Department of Justice
CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION
- Investigating and negotiating changes, suspensions of work, and differing site conditions
- Advising on the FAR Cost Principles and Cost Accounting Standards
- Protecting contractors’ technical data rights
- Drafting Requests for Equitable Adjustment
- Preparing and negotiating Certified Claims
LITIGATION & APPEALS
- Litigating complex claims against the federal government in the COFC, federal district courts, ASBCA, and CBCA
- Litigating claims against state and local government entities in numerous state courts
- Drafting and resolving pass-through agreement disputes
- Prosecuting claims between prime contractors and subcontractors in federal and state courts and arbitrations
- Defending against allegations of criminal conduct
- Defending criminal and civil False Claims Act lawsuits
- Prosecuting and defending qui tam lawsuits
- Negotiating plea agreements and civil settlements with the Department of Justice and U.S. attorneys
- Representing clients when federal search warrants are executed and advising on document retention requirements and compliance requirements during ongoing criminal investigations
- Defending contractors and individuals in suspension and debarment proceedings
- Negotiating administrative agreements in lieu of suspensions or debarments
- Security clearance disputes
TRANSACTIONAL
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Asset purchases and sales involving government contractors
- Advising on and representing clients in business transactions resulting in foreign ownership and control of U.S. defense contractors