Tara L. Ward

Tara counsels and represents government contractors and subcontractors on a broad range of government contracting issues, including bid protests, contract claims and disputes, multiple award schedule contracting, subcontracting issues, and compliance with government investigations, audits, and ethics and procurement integrity laws.

Representative Experience

• Prosecutes and defends bid protests before the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Court of Federal Claims (COFC), federal government agencies, and state and local administrative entities.
• Represents government contractors in disputes with the federal government, including claims under the Contract Disputes Act (CDA) and appeals of contracting officer final decisions to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) and the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA).
• Counsels clients on issues related to the government's acquisition of commercial products and services under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12, as well as issues related to General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule contracts, including commercial sales practices (CSP) disclosures, price reductions, audits, and other Schedule contracting issues.
• Advises clients on a variety of government contracts issues, including domestic preference requirements and country of origin issues under the Buy American Act (BAA) and Trade Agreements Act (TAA); small business subcontracting and socioeconomic obligations; and other compliance issues.
• Conducts internal investigations relating to various government contracting issues and defends clients in U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and inspector general investigations.
• Advises clients regarding cost allowability issues and compliance issues, including FAR Part 31 cost principles, the Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) audits, and business system audits.
• Advises government contractors in negotiation of teaming and subcontracting agreements and prime-subcontractor disputes.

Professional Experience

• Associate Professor Lecturer in Law, The George Washington Law School (2009-2017)
• Research Assistant, Professor Peter Raven-Hansen, The George Washington Law School (2007-2008)
• Judicial Intern for the Honorable Richard J. Leon, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (2007)
• Legislative Assistant to Chairman Gordon H. Smith, Senate Special Committee on Aging (2004-2006)
• Legislative Correspondent, Office of U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald (2003-2004)

Affiliations

• American Bar Association (ABA), Section of Public Contract Law
• Editor-in-Chief (2017-Present), Managing Editor (2015-2017), and Associate Editor (2011-2015), Public Contract Law Journal
• Vice-Chair (2011-Present), Bid Protests Committee
• Commercial Products and Services Committee
• Contract Claims and Disputes Resolution Committee
• National Contract Management Association (NCMA) (2010-Present)

Recognitions

• Named by The Legal 500 US a "recommended lawyer" in Government Contracts (2019)
• Named one of DC's "Rising Stars" for Government Contracts by Super Lawyers magazine (2015-2018)
• Named a Washington Power Player Finalist by SmartCEO (2014)