Understanding Government Contract Law

Cover......Page 1 Half Title......Page 2 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Dedication......Page 6 Contents......Page 8 Suggestions on How to Use This Book......Page 14 Overview......Page 15 Part I. The Parties to a Government Contract......Page 18 1. The Contracting Officer as Judge......Page 20 A “Fair and Reasonable” Judge......Page 21 Three Simple Rules for Always Being Fair and Reasonable......Page 23 Being Fair and Reasonable in Awarding a Government Contract......Page 25 Being Fair and Reasonable in Administering a Government Contract......Page 39 An “Independent” Judge......Page 45 2. The Contracting Officer as Sheriff......Page 50 The Contract Solicitation Process......Page 51 The Contract Administration Process......Page 65 3. The Contracting Officer as Defendant......Page 76 Contracting Officer’s Financial Liability to the Government......Page 77 The Agency’s Financial Liability to the Public......Page 79 A Contracting Officer’s Liability......Page 87 The Contracting Officer as Bounty Hunter......Page 89 A Conflict of Interest Issue?......Page 90 5. The Contractor’s Responsibilities......Page 93 Verifying the Authority of the Contracting Officer or Government Decision Maker......Page 94 Bait and Switch......Page 101 Fraud “Land Mines”......Page 103 Part II. The Contract......Page 108 6. Types of Procurement Vehicles......Page 110 Different Kinds of Agreements......Page 111 Express Contracts......Page 116 Implied Contracts......Page 128 7. Contract Interpretation......Page 135 The Goal of Contract Interpretation: Finding the Intent of the Parties......Page 138 The Two Steps for Interpreting Ambiguous Words......Page 144 The Rules for Interpreting Ambiguous Contracts......Page 152 Properly Incorporating Documents into a Contract by Reference......Page 156 8. Contract Administration Quirks......Page 160 The Government Intentionally and Unilaterally Changes the Contract by Using the Changes Clause......Page 161 The Government Inadvertently Changes the Deal: Constructive Changes......Page 166 Contractor Bound by Apparent Authority......Page 173 Deadlines That Are Not Really Deadlines, Just Suggestions: Notice Requirements......Page 175 Clauses Left Out That Are in a Government Contract Anyway: The Christian Doctrine......Page 179 The Government Prematurely Ends the Agreement: Terminations for Con ve nience......Page 181 Part III. Lawsuits over Government Contracts......Page 186 9. Federal Litigation: Suing the Federal Government......Page 188 Any Lawsuit......Page 191 Any Lawsuit against the Federal Government......Page 193 The Two Typical Lawsuits Involving Government Contracts......Page 196 10. Protests......Page 233 What Can Be Protested?......Page 235 When Can Something Be Protested?......Page 242 How Is Something Protested?......Page 247 11. Claims......Page 254 What Is a “Claim”?......Page 256 How Is a Claim Raised and Resolved?......Page 259 When Must a Claim Be Filed?......Page 267 12. Costs of Litigation......Page 274 The Equal Access to Justice Act......Page 275 The Competition in Contracting Act......Page 281 Notes......Page 288 List of Abbreviations......Page 300 A......Page 304 B......Page 305 C......Page 306 D......Page 310 F......Page 311 G......Page 313 I......Page 314 J......Page 315 M......Page 316 O......Page 317 P......Page 318 R......Page 319 S......Page 320 U......Page 321 Z......Page 322 About the Author......Page 324 This updated classic offers clear and concise explanations of the basic legal concepts of government contract law for professionals at any stage of their career. Written in straightforward language for contracting officers, contract administrators, contractors, subcontractors, and others in the procurement field, this new edition has been updated with new cases and regulations. The book breaks down the complex arena of government contract law into its three most basic parts: the contracting parties, the contract itself, and legal challenges. It begins by examining key aspects of the contracting officer's job and provides guidance for navigating its different and often conflicting demands. The government contractor's responsibilities and challenges are also outlined. Government contracts come in a lot more varieties than the typical commercial contract, and they also tend to be long and confusing. The second part of the book introduces the different types of legal agreements the government uses to buy the goods and services it needs—and addresses the challenges of writing a perfectly clear contract and guidelines for interpreting an ambiguous one. The book concludes with an overview of the government contract litigation process. This is an essential text for students preparing to do the work of government contracts, an indispensable guide for those new to the work, and a valuable reference for contracting personnel who seek solutions to specific issues they face in their day-to-day work.