The United States Federal Government is the largest consumer of goods and services in the world, with average purchases of more than $500 billion per year. The Department of Defense (DoD), the General Services Administration (GSA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) lead the way in generating procurement contracts, although the other agencies have substantial needs for goods and services.
Furthermore, the outsourcing of services through government contracts will likely continue to grow at a strong pace for some time to come. Increasingly, contractors engaged in the traditional industries of aerospace and defense, telecommunications, information technology, engineering services, and systems integration and new contractors working in food and hospitality services, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and healthcare are competing for and winning significant government contracts. Many commercial companies, large and small, have decided to pursue government contracts for the first time.
Our Integrated Approach
Against this backdrop of a large and growing federal marketplace, Venable has adopted a new and innovative approach to the delivery of legal services to government contractors. At the core of Venable's government contractors practice is our integrated approach to providing these services. The team comprises attorneys who understand the broad range of issues confronting government contractors. We understand that one solution does not fit all, and the needs of government contractors go beyond merely understanding procurement regulations and statutes. While our firm is known for representing some of the largest government contractors in high-profile, high-stakes government contracts matters, our experience covers many diverse and highly technical issues. These include restriction on export of technology and other trade restrictions, and intellectual property and specific labor statutes, such as the Service Contract Act.
As a full-service law firm, Venable has the requisite depth of experience and breadth of resources that enable us to address legal matters not specifically related to government contracting, but which are highly relevant to the general operations of government contractors. This includes virtually every legal issue that could be faced by a business, especially a business operating partially or completely in the regulated area of government contracts. Our attorneys are aware of the special rules that apply to government contractors and how these rules and requirements affect other aspects of a company's business. Now, companies that had previously worked in an exclusively commercial environment, but are becoming involved in pursuing and performing government contracts, can benefit from Venable's knowledge and experience.
Our integrated approach allows us to form a support team for a particular contractor that addresses the issues of greatest relevance to that contractor. Regardless of their particular areas of knowledge, the attorneys in the practice routinely work together to assess a situation and advise our clients based on their particular needs in an integrated, seamless fashion. Additionally, our attorneys have had many years of government service, which, combined with extensive private sector experience, provides a unique and highly beneficial perspective for our clients.
Our Attorneys
Our attorneys are accustomed to and adept at working in a multidiscipline environment that requires skill in identifying issues and the ability to tap into the extensive experience of other Venable attorneys, in a cost-effective manner. This is of particular importance for government contractors, who frequently confront situations with wide-reaching implications. Further, many of our attorneys have had extensive experience in government service and bring that knowledge to bear on behalf of our clients.
Practice Focus
- Affirmative action compliance
- Bid protests
- Buy American/Trade American Act
- Claims preparations and contract disputes
- Commercial lending and lines of credit
- Compliance programs
- Contract administrative issues
- Contract drafting and negotiations
- Cooperative agreements
- Environmental compliance
- ERISA matters
- Internal investigations
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Protection of intellectual property
- Security clearances
- Service Contract Act