Beware the Government Contract: protecting your company’s assets from the government and other...

Beware the Government Contract:

protecting your company’s assets from the government and other

contractors

Presented by:Presented by:

Thomas O. MasonThomas O. Mason

Walter I. SkinnerWalter I. Skinner

Stephen G. TestStephen G. Test

June 17, 2009June 17, 2009

2

Introduction

Tom Mason – Tysons Corner, VA Walter Skinner – Wilmington, NC Steve Test – Virginia Beach, VA

3

Introduction

Two forms of Contracts– Services Contracts – Construction Contracts

Focus– Pre-Award– Post-Award/Administration

4

Introduction

Areas Covered– Company Name/Future Capability– Company IP Rights– Company Contracts/Backlog– Employees

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Protecting the Company NameFuture Capability

Pre-Award Activity– Get It Right – Mark your Products– Pre-award Due Diligence

– Corporate compliance– Create “shall” matrix

– Accounting System – to avoid False Claims– Pick good Teammates

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Protecting the Company NameFuture Capability

Post-Award Activity – Maintain Good CPARS/Past Performance

– Positive Change Order Management– Direct Change Orders– Constructive Changes

– RTFC– Disputes Clauses– Termination Clauses

– Avoid Statutory Violations

7

Company IP Rights

Pre-Award – Mastering Data Rights Clauses– Mastering Patent Clauses– Disclosure Requirements– Use Teaming Agreements– Use Flow Down Clauses for all Subs

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Company IP Rights

Post-Award – Identify inventions– Protect all Proprietary Information– Beware of the email– Follow Data Rights and Patent Clause– Manage the flow downs

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Company Contracts/Backlog

Pre-Award – Avoid and Mitigate OCI– Use multiple portals to obtain

Government Contracts– Market directly to Government Contracts– Use existing contract relationships to

learn of new opportunities– Understand Option Pricing

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Company Contracts/Backlog

Post-Award – Perform all option years (Pigs eat; hogs

get slaughtered)– Adhere to LOC/LOF– Manage Cost, Schedule Performance– Adopt a simple but effective EVMS– Manage Change Orders

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Employees

Pre-Award– Bid the right resumes– Decide IC or employee– Negotiate NC and ND Clauses– No Poaching

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Employees

Post-Award– Manage Replacement– Build Fire walls– Manage OCIs

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Conclusion

Promote a Culture of Compliance Count the costs – Bid to maximize Quality Hire/maintain best employees and

teammates RTFC

North Carolina Virginia Washington, D.C. London, England

www.williamsmullen.com

Thomas O. MasonThomas O. MasonPartner, Chair of Government Contracts Practice Group

703.760.5227

Tysons Corner, VA

tmason@williamsmullen.com

Walter I. SkinnerWalter I. SkinnerPartner, Government Contracts Practice Group

910.442.2759

Wilmington, NC

wskinner@williamsmullen.com

Stephen G. TestStephen G. TestPartner, Co-Chair Construction Practice Group

757.473.5324

Virginia Beach, VA

stest@williamsmullen.com

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