DC GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING ATTORNEY

What Can a DC Government Contracting Attorney
Do For You?

 Securing a government contract can mean lucrative profits for small businesses.  However, government contract work is tightly regulated and restricted, bound by a myriad of rules and regulations. Additionally, small businesses are often competing against larger companies, many of which have long-established contracts already in place with the federal government.  So, where do you start in the world of government contract services?  Hiring a government contracts lawyer will save you time and costly mistakes while providing an edge to securing both profitable and potentially long-term government contract work. Thienel Law can help.

The Roles of a Government Contracts Attorney

Government contracts lawyers are best equipped to negotiate and secure work with the federal government.  As an attorney specializing in the complex body of law surrounding government contracts, Steve Thienel stays regularly informed of changing rules and regulations.  From start to finish, Steve will advise you not only on the prerequisites of preparing your proposal, but will also guide you through the entire process of bid preparation, negotiation, and award.  The Thienel Law legal team will stand by you to mediate and, if warranted, litigate on your behalf. 

What Does A Government Contracting Attorney Do?

Whether in the beginning stages of procuring government work or seeking to preserve and grow government awards, clients of Thienel Law can rest assured that we are committed to their success.  Our experienced government contracts team provides comprehensive services that deliver the best results for our clients in a time efficient and cost-effective manner:

Analyze And Evaluate

The complexities involved in working with the federal government can be tricky to maneuver.  An experienced government contracts attorney, Steve Thienel works diligently to prepare clients in advance regarding the regulatory practices and safeguards essential for procurement and defense of contract awards.  Steve and his staff evaluate your position and provide advisement regarding bid proposal prerequisites and federal regulation compliance. 

Navigating The FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation)

The Federal Acquisition Regulation is the authority governing business with federal agencies.  The FAR establishes protocols that agencies must use to procure services and supplies.  It is vital to understand and comply with the rules and regulations set forth by the FAR; failure to do so may cause fines, and other civil and criminal penalties. Thienel Law will guide you regarding mandatory disclosures and FAR compliance.

Drafting And Negotiating Your Government Contract

The stage of drafting a contract bid proposal is perhaps most critical in regards to utilizing legal counsel to promote and protect your best interests. When drafting a bid proposal, a seasoned government contracts attorney will not only ensure that the bid meets the prerequisite rules for filing and regulatory compliance, but will also work to develop and implement policies and controls that safeguard against potential legal pitfalls. Steve Thienel and the Thienel Law team specialize in preparing comprehensive bid proposals designed to secure the contract award and minimize exposure to potential future adverse actions. After the bid is complete and submitted, negotiation with federal agencies is maintained by your contracts attorney through to final award.  Allocating time and resources early during bid development reflects sound business practice.

Contractual Breaches:  Should you face a contractual breach by the federal government, it is imperative that a seasoned legal team advocate for you. In cases ranging from failure to pay a contract claim to termination of contracts for default or convenience, a sound legal argument by a skilled legal team is essential. Timely and detailed responses are essential to avoid default. The legal team at Thienel Law will advocate on your behalf, often negotiating settlement proposals, and sometimes seeing reversed decisions, to the advantage of their clients, or at least a more favorable outcome than expected.

False Claims Act Violations:  The False Claims Act provides severe penalties for individuals who knowingly submit false claims to the government.  The importance of a properly drafted bid proposal by a government contracts lawyer cannot be overvalued.  Legal expertise during the contracting period is important to avoid mistakes that may unwittingly lead to a False Claims violation.  However, if you find yourself accused of a violation, Steve Thienel stands ready to support and defend you against such claims. 

Mergers and Acquisitions:  Government contracts attorneys will help you understand and navigate the laws and applicable statutes surrounding the merger and acquisition of companies contracting with the federal government. The laws, statutes and regulations are vast and include the Federal Acquisition Regulations and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and many that may include national security, foreign policy, antitrust, or political aspects of consideration.

Novation: The implications of substituting a new contract in place of an old one in the Novation process should be explored and analyzed by your government contracts lawyer at Thienel Law. Failure to properly address specifics such as exclusivity provisions, control provisions, most favored pricing terms can cause added complications requiring future legal services.

Representation in the Appeals Process:  Responses to government contracting actions have strict time limits, carrying through to final appeal. Among the important details of a well-organized response and argument for appeal, is attention to timing as regulated by the appeals court.  The staff at Thienel Law understands the timing of the appeals process, and protects their clients against time-barred responses wherein the federal court refuses to review the appeal due to expired timing. Knowing and correctly meeting the timing requirements is essential to preserving your right of appeals, and is best managed by your attorney.

So, Do You Need a Government Contracts Attorney?

Misunderstanding the federal rules and regulations as a government contractor can cause costly mistakes and potential civil and criminal penalties.  Have a skilled legal professional as an advisor on your team.  It can mean the difference between operating from a proactive position of confidence, or a reactive position of defense. 

The complexities of contracts and our legal system alone implicate the need for expert advisement. Working with the federal government only adds additional rules and regulations that require vast amounts of knowledge and continuing education to ensure compliance within the ever-changing federal marketplace. A government contracts attorney is an invaluable resource to advise you regarding the regulations and best practices of your work with the government agencies.  They can also advise you on gaining a competitive advantage against large companies with established contract relationships, and how to approach services that may involve bundling or multiple agency cross-over. 

As the skilled legal professional on your team, your government contracts attorney is the key difference between moving forward with the confidence of a sound proposal and inherent contingency plan, or scrambling later, only to waste valuable resources of time and money in reaction to missteps or adverse actions that might have been avoided with guidance and planning.  And, in the unique bridge between private business and the procurement of government work, only a government contracts attorney can best evaluate, analyze, anticipate and prepare you to procure and protect government contracts.

Thienel Law is Committed to Your Government Contracting Success

 At Thienel Law, we pride ourselves on our commitment to the success of our clients.  Through a holistic approach to our clients’ needs, we can proactively assist in the growth of their businesses, while anticipating and implementing defensive strategies to minimize future risk.  This could not be more important than in the ever-changing and complex arena of procuring government contract work.

Thienel Law stands ready to guide you in developing marketing strategies, navigate the proposal writing process, and meet regulatory compliance while seeking government contracts.  Steve Thienel proactively implements contractual provisions to provide exit strategies and prepare against potential adverse actions, minimizing your exposure to future legal battles and possible federal penalties.  Our comprehensive services of analysis and advisement, contract preparation and negotiation, and mediation and litigation are your source of security and confidence as your move forward in partnering with the federal government.

Fractional General Counsel Program – Making Legal Fees Affordable & Predictable

At Thienel Law, we understand that some business ventures require long-term, sustainable legal representation, such those involving government contracts.  Ever mindful of the expense associated with ongoing legal counsel, Steve Thienel offers flat-rate, predictable legal fees through his Fractional General Counsel Program. This model is only available for transactional services. Mediation, arbitration, and other litigated matters are offered on a standard, hourly basis.

Often, it is impossible to estimate the number of hours needed to address, negotiate, or mediate a legal concern. The Fractional General Counsel model is designed to assess your legal needs upfront and presents either a monthly subscription or fixed rate pricing plan customized specifically for you.  Taking advantage of Fractional General Counsel means you will never feel disadvantaged in the marketplace by being priced-out of needed legal representation. With Thienel Law and Fractional General Counsel, you will know the pricing beforehand, with no surprises. Contact Steve Thienel today.

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