Succeeding in Government Small Business Contracting: Guidance for Primes and Subs Webinar Series 2020

Ira Hoffman

Ira E. Hoffman is a Shareholder with Butzel Long. Mr. Hoffman is also Director of the Public Contracting Institute, and frequent lecturer on the Export Administration Regulations, the International Traffic in Arms Regulation, and Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions. In addition, he was the editor of The Annotated Export Administration Regulations Desk Reference” (West, 2010-13); author of “U.S. Law and International Cooperation in Combating Cyberthreats,” 31 Computer & Internet Law. No. 4 at 15 (Apr. 2014); and co-author of “International Compliance: Mitigating Risk in FCPA and Other Cross-Border Transactions,” 43 MD Bar J. No.4 at 33 (July 2010); and of “Export Controls and Economic Sanctions,” 42 Int’l Law. 301 (2008). He has also taught International Trade Law and European Union Law at the George Mason University School of Law. Mr. Hoffman received his Juris Doctor degree (cum laude) from the University of Miami School of Law, where he was an editor on the Law Review; earned an M.Sc (Econ) from the London School of Economics, where he also taught; and a B.A. from the University of Michigan.

David Drabkin

Mr. Drabkin previously served as Director of Acquisition Policy with Northrop Grumman Corporation.  There he worked with Congress, Executive Agencies and Industry Associations to evaluate and promulgate acquisition policy for Federal programs ensuring the interests of the Northrop Grumman were represented in the process.  He translated acquisition laws and regulations into operational requirements within Northrop Grumman.  He served as a resource to all corporate sectors in acquisition matters relating to existing programs and future business capture opportunities.  Previously, as Deputy Associate Administrator for Acquisition Policy and Deputy Chief Acquisition Officer and Senior Procurement Executive for the Office of the Chief Acquisition Officer, Mr. Drabkin lead a number of different, but inter-related, activities pertaining to Acquisition.  Those activities are the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI), the Federal Procurement Data Center, the Catalog for Domestic Federal Assistance, and the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council.  He served as the Head of Contracting Activity for GSA, GSA spends over $10 billion per year for goods, services, construction and real estate, the GSA representative to the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council, the GSA Debarment and Suspension Authority, the GSA Agency Protest Official and the Ombudsman for Multiple Award Task and Delivery Order contracts.

Cy Alba

Cy Alba is a partner at PilieroMazza where he counsels’ clients in a broad range of government contracting matters before government agencies and Federal courts that includes overall regulatory compliance with all of SBA’s Small Business programs. Mr. Alba represents small and mid-sized companies looking to structure compliant teaming, joint venture, and mentor-protégé agreements. He handles the prosecution and defense of small business size and status protests and appeals before SBA and OHA, as well as bid protests before GAO, COFC, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Mr. Alba’s work for the firm’s federal contractor clients also includes preparation, negotiation, and prosecution of Contract Dispute Act claims, Requests for Equitable Adjustments, termination for convenience settlements, defense of suspensions and debarments, the preparation of Organizational Conflict of Interest (“OCI”) mitigation plans and counseling related to OCI issues, as well as FAR/DFARS Data Rights issues, IP licensing, copyright, and trademark issues. Mr. Alba also counsels clients with complex corporate restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and equity and employee incentive plans, where small business and other federal regulations play a critical role in the transactions, especially in situations where the avoidance of affiliation or ongoing compliance with federal procurement rules are paramount.

Jayna Rust

Jayna Rust is an associate attorney at Thompson Coburn LLP and Professorial Lecturer in Law at the George Washington University Law School. Jayna advises companies, transportation authorities and other entities throughout the various stages of the contracting process and litigation. In doing so, she works with her fellow attorneys and clients to help the clients recover money owed under Federal contracts, protest problematic contract awards and challenge adverse agency actions.

She also counsels’ clients on contract- and grant-administration matters, including analyzing and negotiating subcontractor and subrecipient agreements, following small-business requirements and complying with domestic preference policies, such as the Buy American Act, the Trade Agreements Act, the Military Cargo Preference Act and the Civilian Cargo Preference Act. Combining her work in both contract- and grant-administration matters, she also advises clients on developing procurement standards and policies and procedures that meet 2 C.F.R. 200 (Uniform Grant Guidance) requirements.

Tim Sullivan

Tim Sullivan is a Partner in the law firm of Thompson Coburn LLP, where he serves as the Chairman of the firm’s Government Contracts department. A graduate of the University of Michigan and the Georgetown University Law Center, where he served as a member of the Georgetown Law Journal, Tim’s career began as a contract negotiator with the Central Intelligence Agency. Since 1975, he has focused his law practice on Government contract matters. Tim is member of the bars of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia, and he has been a member of the National Contract Management Association since 1975. He is a frequent lecturer on Government contract matters and has authored several articles

Matthew Keller

Matt Keller is a partner at Praemia Law, PLLC. He has spent his entire professional career in the federal government contracting industry.  Upon graduating from Virginia Military Institute, Matt entered the United States Air Force and spent seven years working as a Contract Negotiator and Contracting Officer.  Since graduating from law school, he has worked as an attorney in private practice helping government contractors grow their businesses, protect their opportunities, and achieve their goals.