Terrence M. O'Connor

This practical volume offers clear and helpful guidance on the laws governing federal contracts. From information on the types of contracts used in government to ways to interpret those contracts, the book covers the basics that every government manager needs to know. Information on complying with ethics requirements in general, and in the solicitation process and contract administration in particular, is especially pertinent. The author also explains the government manager’s liability both to the government and to the public. This book covers all the aspects of contract law that every government manager should know to be both effective and in compliance.

A Comprehensive and Easy-to-Use Guide to the Federal Procurement Ethics Requirements! Revised to include recent changes in procurement ethics rules, such as the significant additions to the False Claims Act made by Congress in 2009, this book is a complete, all-in-one resource. This plain-English guide focuses on exactly what procurement professionals—both federal officials and contractor employees—need to know to be in compliance with the law and to conduct better business practices. Federal Procurement Ethics: The Complete Legal Guide, Revised Edition, provides comprehensive, easy-to-understand descriptions of all the ethics rules that procurement professionals in both government and the private sector need to follow. Summaries of recent and relevant court cases that illustrate the need for full compliance with procurement regulations are also included.

Thousands of contracting professionals have relied on the Federal Contracting Answer Book as their trusted guide to the highly regulated world of government procurement. In each edition the book has offered timely and accurate answers to the questions that arise daily in this complex field. Now in its third edition, this answer book is even more comprehensive. Written by experts who have extensive experience working in and teaching government contracting, the book includes all the latest changes and requirements. The question-and-answer format enables quick look-up and a concise presentation of the information. In this edition, new questions and answers have been added on avoiding proposal errors, debriefings, procurement vocabulary, regulatory changes, and best practices. In addition to these updates and revisions, the third edition includes new chapters on earned value management, GSA schedules, and contractor qualifications.

A “back-to-basics” guide to government contract law Finally! A plain-English presentation of the basic legal concepts of government contract law for professionals at any stage in their careers. Until now, anyone in the procurement field has had to trudge through dense and complex texts written in hard-to-follow “legalese” in their quest to understand procurement law. With Understanding Government Contract Law, they finally have a source of clear and concise explanations of the legal principles involved in government contract law, written by an authority on the subject. Part I of the book focuses on the unique problems facing each of the parties to a government contract – the contract officer and the contractor – and offers insight to the many roles played by the contract officer in the procurement process. Part II describes why and how the government contract is different from commercial contracts. Part III explores the ins and outs of a government contract lawsuit. The author presents key legal principles of government contract law by: • Stating a legal principle • Specifying where in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) that principle is found • Offering the rationale, context, and any public policy behind the principle • Describing, with case law examples, situations where the government applied the law correctly and situations where the government came to that conclusion incorrectly