
Education
J.D., with honors, The George Washington University Law School
A.B., magna cum laude, Princeton University
Law Journals
Editor-in-Chief, Public Contract Law Journal
Clerkships
Law Clerk for the Honorable Mary Ellen Coster Williams, U.S. Court of Federal Claims (2010-2011)
Bar and Court Admissions
District of Columbia Bar
Virginia Bar
Supreme Court of the United States
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and District of Maryland
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Practice Areas
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 one of DC's "Rising Stars" for Government Contracts by Super Lawyers magazine (2015-2018)
- Named a Washington Power Player Finalist by SmartCEO (2014)
News & Insights
- November 28, 2018 | PRESS RELEASE
- October 30, 2018 | PRESS RELEASE
- September 18, 2018 | Washington, DC | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT“Back to School” Panel Discussing Notable Protest DecisionsABA Section of Public Contract Law Bid Protest CommitteeTara L. Ward, Panelist
- May 15, 2018 | PRESS RELEASE
- March 14-17, 2018 | Annapolis, MD | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT24th Annual ABA Federal Procurement InstituteTara L. Ward, Moderator
- November 16, 2017 | PRESS RELEASE
- November 7, 2017 | PRESS RELEASE
- September 11, 2017 | PRESS RELEASE
- Spring 2017 | ARTICLEPublic Contract Law JournalTara L. Ward, Gary S. Ward, Kendra P. Norwood, Moshe B. Broder, Cara L. Lasley
- May 9, 2017 | ARTICLEBloomberg BNA’s Federal Contracts ReportTracye Winfrey Howard, Tara L. Ward
- April 20, 2017 | ALERTKevin J. Maynard, Tracye Winfrey Howard, Tara L. Ward
- March 29, 2017 | Online Webinar | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTThompson GrantsKendra P. Norwood, Speaker, Brian Walsh, Speaker, Tara L. Ward, Speaker
- February 14, 2017 | ARTICLEBloomberg BNA’s Federal Contracts ReportTara L. Ward, Richard B. O'Keeffe, Jr.
- October 24, 2016 | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTFederal Circuit Government Contracts Decisions Year in ReviewFederal Circuit Bar Association Bench & BarTara L. Ward, Moderator
- Summer 2016 | ARTICLEPublic Contract Law Journal, Vol. 45, No. 4Brian Walsh, Tara L. Ward, Gary S. Ward, George E. Petel, Nina S. Samuels
- September 6, 2016 | PRESS RELEASE
- August 23, 2016 | Webinar | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTFederal Publications SeminarsKevin J. Maynard, Speaker, Tara L. Ward, Speaker
- June 23, 2016 | ALERTKevin J. Maynard, Tara L. Ward, George E. Petel
- June 2016 | NEWSLETTER
- June 8, 2016 | ALERTJohn R. Prairie, Tara L. Ward
- May 16, 2016 | ALERTKevin J. Maynard, Eric W. Leonard, Tara L. Ward, Craig Smith
- May 6, 2016 | PRESS RELEASE
- December 15, 2015 | ARTICLEBloomberg BNA's Federal Contracts ReportTara L. Ward
- November 20, 2015 | Webinar | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTFederal Contract Claims and Appeals Practice: An IntroductionABA Center for Professional Development and Section of Public Contract LawTara L. Ward, Speaker
- November 12-13, 2015 | Charleston, SC | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTABA Section of Public Contract Law Fall Educational ProgramTara L. Ward, Event Co-Chair
- November 4, 2015 | PRESS RELEASE
- October 21, 2015 | Washington, DC | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTABA Section of Public Contract Law Young Lawyers Committee and Contract Claims and Dispute Resolution Committee ProgramTara L. Ward, Panelist
- September 23, 2015 | Webinar | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTJohn R. Prairie, Speaker, Tara L. Ward, Speaker
- Summer 2015 | ARTICLEPublic Contract Law Journal, Vol. 44, No. 4Brian Walsh, Tara L. Ward, Gary S. Ward
- July 21, 2015 | PRESS RELEASE
- June 2015 | ARTICLEBCA Quarterly Case DigestBCA Bar Journal, Vol. 25, No. 1Tara L. Ward
- April 23, 2015 | PRESS RELEASE
- April 6, 2015 | ALERTKara M. Sacilotto, Tara L. Ward
- Winter 2015 | NEWSLETTER
- December 16, 2014 | Washington, DC | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTCorrective ActionABA Section of Public Contract Law Bid Protest Committee ProgramTara L. Ward, Panelist
- November 25, 2014 | Herndon, VA | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTSelection of Sources: Socio-Economic Programs and Multiple Award SchedulesNational Contract Management Association's Contract Lifecycle SeriesKevin J. Maynard, Tara L. Ward
- November 14, 2014 | PRESS RELEASE
- November 12, 2014 | Arlington, VA | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTDue Diligence in Government Contracts Mergers and AcquisitionsFederal Publications SeminarsKay Tatum, Craig Smith, Tara L. Ward
- November 12 - November 13, 2014 | Arlington, VA | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTCommercial Item AcquisitionFederal Publications SeminarsKevin J. Maynard, Tara L. Ward
- October 15, 2014 | Washington, DC | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTBCA Decisions: The Year in ReviewBoard of Contract Appeals Bar Association Annual MeetingTara L. Ward, Panelist
- October 2, 2014 | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTCost Accounting StandardsNational Contract Management Association WebinarTara L. Ward
- Summer 2014 | ARTICLEPractical Insights, What You Need to Know: Cost Charging in Government Contracts Can Result in Common, But Avoidable, PitfallsSurety Bond Quarterly, Vol. 1, No. 1Tara L. Ward
- May 14, 2014 | Washington, DC | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTDue Diligence in Government Contractor Mergers and AcquisitionsFederal Publications SeminarsPhilip J. Davis, Kay Tatum, Nova J. Daly, Craig Smith, Tara L. Ward, Laura El-Sabaawi, Usha Neelakantan
- February 2014 | NEWSLETTER
- February 4, 2014 | ALERTRichard B. O'Keeffe, Jr., Tara L. Ward
- January 28, 2014 | ALERTKevin J. Maynard, Megan L. Brown, Tara L. Ward
- Summer 2013 | ARTICLEPublic Contract Law Journal, Vol. 42, No. 4Brian Walsh, Tracye Winfrey Howard, Tara L. Ward
- June 2013 | ARTICLEBCA Quarterly Case DigestThe Clause, Vol. 23, No. 3Tara L. Ward
- June 2013 | ARTICLEBCA Quarterly Case DigestThe Clause, Vol. 23, No. 3Tara L. Ward
- June 26, 2013 | MEDIA MENTIONLaw360
- March 5, 2013 | ARTICLEGovernment Contractors’ Guide to Surviving SequestrationBloomberg BNA's Federal Contracts ReportKara M. Sacilotto, Kevin J. Maynard, Tara L. Ward
- September 26, 2012 | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTJohn R. Prairie, Speaker, Tara L. Ward, Speaker
- September 26, 2012 | Online Webinar | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTJohn R. Prairie, Speaker, Tara L. Ward, Speaker
- Spring 2012 | ARTICLEIn- or Out-: The Jurisdictional Confusion over Challenges to Agency Decisions to In-Source Contracted WorkPublic Contract Law Journal, Vol. 41, No. 3Tara L. Ward
- June 2012 | ARTICLEBCA Quarterly Case DigestThe Clause, Vol. 22, No. 3Tara L. Ward
- June 2012 | ARTICLEBCA Quarterly Case DigestThe Clause, Vol. 22, No. 3Tara L. Ward
- May 15, 2012 | PRESS RELEASE
- March 13, 2012 | ALERTKevin J. Maynard, Tara L. Ward
- March 2012 | ARTICLEBCA Quarterly Case DigestThe Clause, Vol. 22, No. 2Tara L. Ward
- Winter 2012 | NEWSLETTER
- December 2011 | ARTICLEThe Clause Vol. 22, No. 1Tara L. Ward
- November 22, 2011 | ALERTKara M. Sacilotto, Tara L. Ward
- November 9, 2011 | Washington, DC | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTGovernment Contracts Law Meet and GreetGeorge Washington University School of Law Career Development Office EventTara L. Ward, Speaker
- September 2011 | ARTICLEBCA Quarterly Case DigestThe Clause Vol. 21, No. 4Tara L. Ward
- March 15, 2011 | Washington, DC | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTGovernment Contracts Law Meet and GreetGeorge Washington University School of Law Career Development Office EventTara L. Ward, Speaker