Government Contract Dispute Attorney, Contractor Claims Dispute Lawyers

Our Team has worked for the federal government – some in contracting – is there a government contract dispute that is impacting your bottom line? If you have a contractor claim that is $750k or more, contact our federal contract dispute lawyers immediately.

We have former contracting officers and former procurement executives who are now national government procurement lawyers in our law firm. Call us at 1.866.601.5518 today.

Top Federal Government Contract Claims Attorneys for Federal Contract Disputes Act Litigation: Are you a federal government contractor struggling to get paid for your work? Are you dealing with a contracting officer denying changes to the scope of work that the government directed you to perform? Our federal government contractor claims and contract dispute lawyers can help.

If you’re dealing with delay claims, differing site conditions, breach of contract claims, or other contract dispute issues with the government, our legal representation can help. As federal contract dispute attorneys, we specialize in government contract arbitration representation, preparing government contract claims under the Contract Disputes Act to increase your chances of getting paid.

Firm’s Government Contract Dispute Lead Attorneys

Cheryl Adams 

Cheryl E. Adams (Former Contracting Officer) is an Associate Attorney with Watson and Associates, LLC.  She is a former federal Contracting Officer with years of hands-on experience with all phases of federal procurement.  She brings to clients an intimate understanding of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and T for C contract FAR termination for convenience government contract clauses, as an insider perspective on the procurement processes of a federal government headquarters. 

When the government contacts disputes, legal representation, she understands the government’s relationships with small businesses and subcontractors, as well as relationships with Fortune 500 corporations.  She has worked side by side with government auditors and personally conducted government property audits.  She has handled all sizes of contract awards from micropurchases through major systems. Read more..

Theodore P Watson ( Member & Founder)

Theodore Watson (Former Contracting Official and U.S. Supreme Court -Admitted Attorney)  leads the firm to help contractors nationwide to develop and or litigate FAR contract disputes decisions. He understands the various nuances and adeptly handles legal issues in the U.S. government space. He has litigated contract disputes  and small business issues at the US Court of Federal Claims, Various Boards of Contract Appeals, and the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

For legal support in government contract termination for convenience cases, contact Watson & Associates LLC at 1.866.601.5518. We are committed to serving your legal needs nationwide.

Note to Contractors: Do Not Sign a Release of Claims Unless You Speak to a government contract claims attorney 

     Note to Contractors: A termination for convenience settlement proposal is not a Contract Disputes Act claim until the parties reach an impasse.

 Contact our government contract dispute lawyers online today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward getting the compensation you deserve OR call 1.866.601.5518

How Can You Bring Your Disputes or Claims Before the Government?

Under FAR Part 33 Protests, Disputes, and Appeals all disputes with respect to contracting officer decisions on matters “arising under” or “relating to” a contract can be brought before the contracting agency. Agency Boards of Contract Appeals (BCAs) authorized under the Disputes statute continue to have all of the authority they possessed before the Disputes statute with respect to disputes arising under a government contract, as well as authority to decide disputes relating to a contract.

FAR Clause 52.233-1, Disputes, Disputes, recognizes the “all disputes” authority established by the Disputes statute and states certain requirements and limitations of the Disputes statute for the guidance of contractors and contracting agencies. 

Watson & Associates’ Government Contract Disputes Lawyers work with small businesses and large DOD contractors by helping them to avoid some of the most costly legal mistakes when preparing and submitting contract claims against the federal government.  

Despite trying your best to please the contracting officer and interested parties, there comes a time when you cannot perform work on a government contract for free.

Tip: Do not sign FAR release of claims government contract document unless you first hire legal counsel. You can end up losing thousands of millions. When it comes to resolving disputes under FAR 33, contract dispute settlement options for government contractors should only include the release of claims when both parties have agreed.

Prepare Adequate Government Contractor Claims & Avoid Costly Mistakes on Appeal

Contract Disputes Act claim process is not as simple as it looks: Preparing and submitting government contractor claims can be a difficult process. Large businesses and small businesses alike quickly find out that there is more to developing a Contract Disputes Act claim than creating spreadsheets and a cover letter. 

Agency contracting officers deny claims from contractors simply for technical reasons such as not complying with the Contract Disputes Act requirements. When you have hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions of dollars at risk, it makes a difference in how you prepare your documents and support. 

Tips:

• You must make all allegations related to contractor dispute claims at the contracting officer level.
• You cannot raise new issues on appeal that you have not brought before the contracting officer.
• ONLY contractor-authorized personnel should certify the claim – not attorneys. See  T.J.D. Servs., Inc. v. United States, a case in which the court found that the claim letter at issue was “signed only by the plaintiff’s attorney and, as such, cannot constitute a certified claim.” 6 Cl. Ct. 257, 261-62 (1984). In both W.H. Moseley and T.J.D. Services, the court dismissed the claims for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. See W.H. Moseley, 677 F.2d at 852 (“Since plaintiff failed to certify its claim as required by section 6(c)(1) of the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, we are without jurisdiction to consider its direct appeal to this court.”)

Avoid Contract Dsiputes Act Claims Mistakes That Prevent You From Bring Your Dispute to an Appeals Court

• no jurisdiction over the appeal of government contract claims for economic damages because claim originally presented to Contracting Officer did not have sufficient information for the amount being claimed to be determined; dismisses elements of claims for damages for which lessor does not provide evidence of causation; lessor has adequately pled claim based on superior knowledge) – CanPro Investments, Ltd. v. United States, No. 16-268 C (May 4, 2023)
•  No jurisdiction over portions of count in Complaint that assert monetary claims (e.g. for nonpayment of invoice and for T for C costs) related to a default termination but not previously presented to the Contracting Officer for a decision. Groundbreaker Development Corp. v. United States, No. 22-578 (Jan. 12, 2023)

  At Watson & Associates, our government contractor dispute lawyers frequently help large and small businesses assess the merits, and prepare and litigate government contract claims against the federal government.

When the contracting officer denies the contractor’s claim without merit to the decision, the law firm provides immediate Contract Disputes Attorney representation services and aggressively litigates appellate cases before the respective agency Board of Contract Appeals or to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

Attorneys for government contractor disputes involving federal government contracts nationwide and overseas. 

Agency contracting officers frequently deny contractor claims for failure to comply with Contract Disputes Act certification laws, failure to provide a demand or written assertion for money in a sum certain, or failure to notify the agency in a timely manner. In other situations, the agency will deny the contract claim because the contractor previously signed a waiver of the claim that generally precludes you from bringing others against the federal government. 

US and overseas government contract claims services: Our government breach of contract dispute lawyers have national and international reach. We have former government procurement personnel on our team. We, therefore, are in a better position to advocate on your behalf.

At Watson & Associates, LLC, we help clients resolve government contract claims over $ 750K in both construction and service industries.

GOVERNMENT CONTRACT DISPUTE CASES – WHAT WE DO

When it comes to the basics of how to file a claim on a government contract, you cannot make many mistakes. At Watson & Associates, LLC, our government contract dispute law lawyers provide legal assistance with construction litigation support and government contract claims litigation services.  We work with the company’s key players and provide guidance on how to increase your chances of getting paid.

Hire Contractor Dispute lawyer with Law offices in Washington DC and Colorado: We have national reach and can help any federal contractor in the United States.  As government contracting attorneys for federal contractor disputes, we have successfully used our contract claims services to help clients to develop requests for equitable adjustments, cure notices, negotiate change orders, and address out-of-scope work.

Attorney for Contract Disputes With the Federal Government – Help from beginning to end:  As government contract claims lawyers, we get involved at the performance stage all the way to claims and dispute litigation at the various courts such as the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA), Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA), Court of Federal Claims (COFC) and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.