Howard is a key member of Smith Currie Oles’ newly combined government contracts practice, along with Jake Scott. Howard has nearly 40 years of experience advising on government contract law matters. He is a knowledgeable advisor on terminations, procurement disputes, Requests for Equitable Adjustment (REAs), claims, protests, Buy America/Buy American, rights in technical data and computer software, and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITARS) and export controls . Howard advises and assists clients in managing compliant cybersecurity and information technology safeguards. He is experienced in high-visibility cases, including complex litigation and more than 100 adversarial proceedings at Government Accountability Office (GAO), Court of Federal Claims, Armed Services Board of Contract Appeal (ASBCA), Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA), and alternate dispute resolution (ADR) forums. In 2021 and 2022 Howard made new law in successfully establishing that the Court of Federal Claims had bid protest jurisdiction over Other Transaction Authority (OTA) projects in two protests at the Court of Federal Claims.
Howard also has vast experience in the maritime industry, handling matters on ship construction and repair projects for the U.S. Maritime Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, NOAA, and U.S. Army.
Howard has a list of accolades and accomplishments that few in his industry can rival – recipient of the Army Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster for expertise and achievement in GAO protests and contract appeals, legal advisor on defense of a $41 million construction contract appeal to the CBCA, legal counsel for a nationwide Government Enterprise IT network, advisor on contracts for the $1.5 billion MARAD NSMV ship procurement program, and advisor to construction contractors on the termination for convenience of their southern border wall contract/subcontract by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Committed to sharing his knowledge of the industry, Howard is a frequent speaker and author on issues relating to contract formation/protests and litigation of contract disputes/claims. He is a Lieutenant Colonel, Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps USA Retired). His JAG experience includes Trial Team Chief at the Army Contract Appeals Division litigating GAO bid protests and contract appeals at the ASBCA, Commissioner at the ASBCA, and Deputy General Counsel at the Army’s Support Command in Silicon Valley California.
Er spricht auch Deutsch, wenn auch etwas malerisch. También habla español.
Representative Matters
- Successfully represented ship yards on the West and East coasts in appeals at the ASBCA and in federal district court.
- Successfully represented ship managers and port operators on the East and West coasts in winning contracts and recovering additional contract claim costs.
- Ongoing representation of ship construction manager for construction of a series of 5 ocean going vessels.
- Successfully represented ship yards on the West and East coasts in appeals at the ASBCA and in federal district court.
- Defended a protest involving multi-million-dollar service contract resulting in successful outcome.
- Successful in defeating Agency override of the GAO bid protest automatic stay of contract performance.
- Successfully protested U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command’s award of a $32 million O/M contract for the SBX-1 – the floating, self-propelled, mobile radar system used by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency to detect and track incoming ICBMs fired at the United States. GAO sustained our protest, finding that agency had made numerous errors in the evaluation of the awardee’s past performance, and awarded our client its attorneys’ fees. TOTE Services, Inc., B-414295, B-414295.2, 2017 WL 2417191 (Comp. Gen. April 25, 2017).
- Successful post-award GAO bid protest challenging the award of a $375 million contract awarded by NASA for engineering, research, and scientific support services. GAO sustained our client’s protest, finding numerous errors in the past performance and cost realism evaluations, and also recommended NASA reimburse our client’s attorneys’ fees. Trident Vantage Sys., LLC; SKER-SGT Eng’g & Sci., LLC, B-415944 et al., 2018 CPD ¶ 166, 2018 WL 2355998 (Comp. Gen. 2018).
- Provided full range of legal counsel to the Army program manager responsible for construction of over 50 buildings in seven states.
- Resolved government contract law issues for an Army acquisition team developing a nationwide IT data center with 45,000 users at 900 sites.
- Conducted over 150 contract appeals as a Commissioner at the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals.
- Counsel to shipyards and construction companies on preparing Requests for Equitable Adjustments.
- Counsel to clients seeking to do business in the federal marketplace.
- Successful representation of an Ability One contractor in a protest at GAO.
- Successful representation of construction contractor with an appeal to the ASBCA.
- Legal advisor on defense of a $41 million appeal to the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA).
- Regularly handle matters before the ASBCA, the CBCA, the Small Business Administration Office of Hearings and Appeals, the GAO, U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and federal district courts.
Honors and Awards
- Army Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster for expertise and achievement in contract appeals and GAO protests
Articles & Publications
- Author, “New and Unique Aspects of Federal Contracting,” Chapter 36, Wolters Kluwer Construction Law Handbook, 2018-Present, 2022 Update.
- Author, “WHIP INFLATION NOW: DoD ANNOUNCES GUIDANCE WITH KEY POINTS FOR CONTRACTORS,” The Procurement Playbook.
- Editor, Assist James Nagle on editing the new Sixth Edition of “Administration of Government Contracts,” Chapter 11 Terminations for Convenience, to be published in late 2023.
- Author, “OLES MORRISON OPENS THE DOOR FOR OTA PROTESTS AT THE COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS,” The Procurement Playbook.
- Author, “Government Contract’s for Construction Lawyers,” Aspen Construction Law Handbook, 2019.
- Co-Author, “Trump’s Buy American Hire American Executive Order Impacts Contractors,” The Alaska Contractor, Winter 2018.
- Author, “Government Contracts: Maritime Disputes and Claims,” Tulane Maritime Law Journal, Tulane University School of Law, Vol. 42, Winter 2017.
- Author, “Trump’s Buy American Order Already Packs A Punch,” Law360, December 1, 2017.
- Author, “Buy America and Buy American: What’s the difference and why it matters,” Procurement Playbook, October 20, 2017.
- Author, “Smooth sailing, maritime government contract claims in U.S. District Court,” The Alaska Contractor, Fall 2017.
- Author, “Anchors Aweigh! U.S. District Court Jurisdiction over Maritime Contract Disputes Act Claims,” The Procurement Lawyer, American Bar Association, Volume 52, Number 4, Summer 2017.
- Author, “Which Courts have Jurisdiction to Consider Appeals of Maritime CDA Claims?” Procurement Playbook, June 6, 2017.
- Author, “Key Ingredients for a Successful Request for Equitable Adjustment,” Procurement Playbook, June 1, 2017.
- Author, “Executive Order Advocates For Strengthening Buy American Requirements,” Procurement Playbook, April 27, 2017.
- Author, “Possible Constitutional Issues with Proposed State/Local Sanctions Against Contractors Working on President Trump’s Border Wall,” Procurement Playbook, April 25, 2017.
- Author, “President Trump Puts Buy America and Buy American Acts in the Spotlight – What Contractors Need to Know,” The Procurement Playbook, March 13, 2017.
- Co-Author, “Major Changes to GAO’s Bid Protest Jurisdiction Over Task Order Awards,” Procurement Playbook, January 6, 2017.
- Author, “Implementation of the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Final Rule Temporarily Halted by a Federal Court,” Procurement Playbook, October 26, 2016.
- Author, “Department of Defense Rescinds 2015 Commercial Items Guidance,” The Procurement Playbook, September 12, 2016.
- Author, “ASBCA Appeals Proceed Despite Parallel False Claims Act Case,” The Procurement Playbook, August 22, 2016.
- Author, “Protecting IP Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software- An Overview for Defense Contractors,” Procurement Playbook, March 4, 2016.
- Author, “Federal Contracts: Tips for Successful Sponsorship of Subcontractor Claims,” The Alaska Contractor, Winter 2016.
- Author, Maritime Contract Claims Against the United States,” Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, No. 158891, June 2015.
- Author, “Contract Appeals: How to get an experienced construction law arbitrator or hearing officer,” The Alaska Contractor, Spring 2015.
- Author, “A Refresher on Filing a Federal Bid Protest at GAO,” The Alaska Contractor, Spring 2014.
Presentations
- Webinar - Navigating Federal Government Contracts Northwest - November 14-15, 2023
- AGC of Washington Federal Facilities Three-Year Outlook - October 18, 2023 - Seattle, WA
- Webinar - Winning Your Bid Protest - September 6, 2023
Classes & Seminars Taught
- Presenter, Association of General Contractors Federal Contractors Conference, Federal Law and Regulation Workshop, “Buy American/Build America and Bid Protests 101,” with Jake Scott, Washington D.C., June 12, 2023
- Presenter, “Other Transaction Agreements are Booming: Contracts that are NOT Procurement Contracts,” Pacific Northwest Defense Council, AGC, PTAC Navigating Government Contracts Pacific Northwest seminar, October 12-13, 2022
- Presenter, “Winning Your Bid Protest 2022,” August 23, 2022
- Presenter, “CARES ACT and PPP Loan Update,” Moving Alaska Forward in the Age of COVID, AGC of Alaska/Alaska PTAC, June 17, 2020
- Presenter, “Federal Cybersecurity Requirements & Risk Mitigation,” Navigating Federal Government Contracts Northwest 2019, Seattle, WA, October 30, 2019
- Presenter, “The Latest in Cyber Security Requirements,” NCMA Puget Sound Chapter, Seattle, WA, May 29, 2019
- Panelist, “Subcontracting Concerns on a Federal Construction Project,” ABA Section of Public Contract Law Federal Procurement Institute, Annapolis, MD, March 14, 2019
- Panelist, “Roadblocks to Commercial Items Contracting,” Navigating Federal Government Contracts Northwest 2018, Seattle, WA, October 25, 2018
- Presenter, “President Trump’s Buy American Executive Order’s Impact on Buy American Laws; Commercial Item Update; Cybersecurity Update; and DOE Acquisition Guide Update,” Federal Contracts Year in Review, Southeast Idaho NCMA, Idaho Falls, ID, April 24, 2018
- Presenter, “Teaming & Joint Venturing for Government Contracting Success,” Washington PTAC, Kennewick, WA, June 1, 2017
- Presenter, “Small Business Contracting & Legal Issues,” Washington PTAC, Kennewick, WA, November 16, 2016
- Presenter, “Rights in Technical Data/ Intellectual Property,” Puget Sound NCMA February 2016
- Presenter, “Federal Contracts: A Year in Review for Primes, Subs, and Government Agencies!” NCMA, Portland, OR, May 2015
- Presenter, “Compliance Hot Topics: Small Business Subcontracting Plans and Representations and Certifications,” NCMA, Columbia Basin Chapter, April 2015
- Presenter, “Maritime Contract Claims Against the United States,” Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, Point Clear, AL, June 2015
- Presenter, “Small Business Subcontracting Plans: New Requirements and Penalties,” NCMA Puget Sound, Seattle, WA, March 2014
- Presenter, “Collateral Consequences of False Claims Act Settlements,” CLE International, San Francisco, CA, April 18, 2013
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association (ABA), Section of Public Contract Law
- Associate Editor, ABA, Public Contract Section’s Procurement Lawyer
- Co-Chair, Federal Procurement Institute, ABA Public Contract Law Section
- Co-Chair, Government Construction Committee, ABA Public Contract Law Section, 2019-2020
- Member, Shipbuilders Council of America
- Past Chapter President, National Contract Management Association
- Past Chair, Water Transportation Committee of the Virginia Bar Association’s Transportation Law Section