Government Contracts
Bringing Value to Our Clients
Doing business with the government can be profitable and rewarding. With increasing oversight, however, it can also pose a significant risk to the continuing viability of any commercial enterprise. Whether setting up a government contracts or public procurement compliance program, negotiating the terms and conditions of a government contract, subcontract, or other related agreement, or representing a company in bid protests, government audits, investigations, suspension/debarment proceedings, or litigation, the lawyers of Alston & Bird’s Government Contracts Group can help your company navigate the numerous obligations shouldered by government contractors. We also recognize that very few important matters fall entirely within one industry or specialty. Our lawyers routinely team with our colleagues in other practices, like construction, white collar, health care, finance, international trade, corporate, mergers & acquisitions, labor & employment, and litigation & trial practice, to ensure that every client receives relevant, practical, and meaningful legal advice from our top-flight lawyers.
Accolades
Our government contracts lawyers are some of the most respected practitioners in the field. We have been ranked in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in Government Contracts, Ethisphere Institute’s “Attorneys Who Matter” in Government Contract Compliance, and various Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers rankings, and are honored as contributing authors, editorial board members, and speakers for a wide range of government contracts publications and conferences, including the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics and the Association of Corporate Counsel. Among our team are former assistant U.S. attorneys and DOJ trial counsel. In addition, attorneys in our practice experienced first-hand the fast-paced and dynamic world of in-house legal counsel and understand the need to provide meaningful, timely, and practical real-world legal advice designed to support and grow your business.
Industries Supported
- Aerospace & Defense
- Automotive Technology & Parts
- Banks
- Charities & Not for Profits
- Commercial & Professional Services
- Construction & Materials
- Education
- Energy
- Financial Services
- Government
- Health Care
- Information Technology & Cybersecurity
- Insurance
- Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences
- Real Estate
- Retail
- Software & Computer Services
- Information Technology, Hardware & Electronics
- Telecommunications
- Transportation
- Utilities
The lawyers in Alston & Bird’s Government Contracts Group are frequently called upon to assist clients in all types of matters involving the negotiation, performance, and where necessary, litigation of government contracts, whether based on the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) or other federal, state, or local regulations. Importantly, we are at the forefront of providing critical advice and counsel on a variety of complex, high-profile contracts for major government contractors. We excel at all areas where government contracting occurs, including bid protests and the formation of government contracts; the administration of those contracts; processing claims and litigating disputes between our clients and government agencies, or between prime and subcontractors; conducting internal investigations; preparing voluntary or mandatory disclosures to government agencies; or defending our clients in investigations, fraud claims, suspension or debarment proceedings, or other white-collar matters. We are a full-service government contracts practice, well-versed in what it takes for a commercial company to embark on government contracting. We also have a robust practice at the international, state, and local levels, representing national and global companies, as well as regional authorities and municipal governments, in doing business with various governments.
- Developed and/or enhanced government-contracts-focused ethics and compliance programs for multinational companies, including the development of government contracts policies, procedures, trainings, awareness campaigns, and audit programs tailored to complying with U.S. federal, state, and local government and foreign government laws.
- Counseled government contractors on compliance with applicable statutory, regulatory, and contractual requirements, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and agency-specific supplements such as the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplements (DFARS), as well as state and local government requirements.
- Negotiated contracts and subcontracts on major technology procurements, including for key suppliers on the New York City MTA subway procurement, CMS Federally Facilitated Marketplace, and various other technology and health care procurements by federal, state, and local governments.
- Represented and provided due diligence support to both buyers and sellers of government contractors in mergers and acquisitions, including advising on the risks of such transactions and the novation process.
- Represented and provided due diligence support as specialty government contracts counsel to the buyer, a UK private equity firm, in the acquisition of a leading provider of OEM-licensed parts for legacy military and aerospace platforms for $1.365 billion.
- Represented defendants in qui tam (False Claims Act) lawsuits and in responding to civil investigative demands, including suits alleging illegal sales to the federal government of products that do not comply with certain domestic source restrictions applicable to such sales, violations of the Anti-Kickback Act, and fraudulent pricing and billing schemes.
- Represented companies in U.S. Department of Labor wage-and-hour compliance reviews and investigations such as those covering potential violations of the Davis–Bacon Act and the Service Contract Act.
- Represented government contractors in pre-award and post-award protests at the federal, state, and local levels, including at the Government Accountability Office, U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and tribunals in Georgia, Virginia, and California.
- Served as counsel to claimants in disputes with U.S. federal, state, and local government entities, including in front of the Civilian and Armed Services Boards of Contract Appeals.
- Served as a testifying expert on government contracting issues in a criminal case alleging fraud and misrepresentations to government investigators in a number of government contracts in New York.
- Represented government contractors in federal and state district courts in suits filed under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
- Conducted internal investigations on behalf of government contractors and represented government contractors in investigations by the U.S. government and advised clients on making mandatory and voluntary disclosures to U.S. government customers.
- Counseled and represented clients (both companies and individuals) in suspension and debarment proceedings.