GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING

AHFI attorneys have extensive backgrounds in federal, state and county procurement. Our depth of experience enables us to work with a wide variety of clients involved in government contracting including contracting agencies, contractors, subcontractors, and realtors. We also provide compliance assistance and advice to clients with federal grants.

We regularly assist client contractors to document and assert claims for increased costs arising from change orders, constructive changes, interference, disruption, and delays. When a negotiated settlement is not possible, we have extensive experience in appealing the contracting officer’s final decision to the appropriate Board of Contract Appeals or the Court of Federal Claims, or in the case of state and local contract disputes, filing a claims action in the appropriate Hawaii Circuit Court. If our client desires informal resolution of disputes, AHFI attorneys are also experienced representatives in alternate dispute resolution procedures available under both federal and state procurement systems.

AHFI attorneys also have the litigation experience and skills to handle all aspects of government investigations and suits under the federal and state False Claims Acts. To protect client contractors from these dangerous suits, we also assist clients to develop compliance systems, accounting checks, reporting mechanisms and other internal safeguards to ensure all billings and payment applications to the government are fully justified.

Some of the services we provide to clients in this industry include:

Government Affairs

• General consulting in government relations
• Advice regarding compliance with state ethics and campaign spending laws
• Obtaining information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA)

Government Procurement & Federal Grant Compliance

• Contract Competition and Formation including solicitation, bidding, subcontracting plans, mentor-protégé agreements, and costing issues
• Contract administration including interpretation, compliance, changes, acceptance and inspection issues, and terminations for convenience and default
• Special topics such as small business preferences, HUBZone contractors, Native Hawaiian Organizations, SBA 8(a) Program Participants, privatization, and qui tam actions
• Dispute litigation and resolution

Labor & Employment

• Solicitation analysis, bid or proposal preparation (costing of employee benefits, worker classifications, preferences)
• Labor standards compliance (Davis-Bacon, Service Contract Act, Affirmative Action issues, Drug-Free Workplace and Workforce programs)
• Dispute resolution including protests against solicitation or award
• Union organizing, collective bargaining, grievances, arbitrations an proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board
• Contract modifications (pricing, negotiation of price adjustment)
• Compliance issues (proceedings vefore USDOL, OFCCP, Hawai`i DLIR, DOD, and other contracting agencies)
• Whistleblower protection and procedures

Business & Personal Injury Litigation

• Construction law disputes
• Insurance coverage disputes
• Non-compete and intellectual property disputes

Property & Business Transactions

• Intellectual property issues including protection of confidential and proprietary information, trade secrets, privileges, and obtaining remedies for confidentiality breaches
• Entity formation, operations and termination
• Partnership disputes