Amanda Sherwood's practice covers a wide range of government contracts matters. She assists clients in complying with the various regulatory challenges specific to the contracting and national security industries, ranging from contract administration matters including questions of cost allowability, to cyber security and data rights matters, to compliance with domestic preference and other regulatory regimes. She has experience bringing, defending, and appealing contract claims; responding to government investigations and Freedom of Information Act requests; and pursuing and defending bid protests. She has assisted numerous clients, including nontraditional contractors, negotiate contracts and other agreements with the federal government, navigating the regulatory landscape to reach mutually agreeable solutions.
Ms. Sherwood has represented government contractors before the Government Accountability Office, Boards of Contract Appeals, Court of Federal Claims, Federal Circuit, District Courts, and various federal agencies.
Experience
- Triple Canopy, Inc., in the successful recovery of amounts withheld on security contracts arising, in part, from the consequences of an after-imposed Iraqi law implicating the ability to perform security contracts in the country through an Alternative Dispute Resolution procedure. Triple Canopy, Inc. v. Dep’t of State, CBCA No. 6538 (May 5, 2022).
- ACADEMI, LLC in securing a favorable settlement through an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) proceeding involving penalties for allegedly expressly unallowable costs, imposition of unilateral rate determinations, and allowability of certain direct costs. The issues spanned three fiscal years. ACADEMI LLC, ASBCA Nos. 60886 et al., (March 1, 2022).
- ACADEMI Training Center LLC, in securing a successful resolution, by alternative dispute resolution, on a contractor claim of approximately $12M and a government claim of approximately $3.6M involving the interpretation of purported caps on G&A, ODC, and fringe rates. ACADEMI Training Center LLC, ASBCA Nos. 61977, 62296 (April 2, 2021)
- Multiple civilian and defense contractors in appealing claims and reaching successful Contracts Disputes Act settlements at the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals and Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals.
- Department of State contractor in a successful outcome via alternative dispute resolution of a claim arising from a termination of convenience at the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals.
- Defense contractor in successful defense of a TINA claim before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals.
- Federal government subcontractor in an arbitration with the prime contractor, which resulted in a monetary award for the subcontractor (Open SAN Consulting, Fairfax County Case No. 2019-13781, confirmation of award after formal arbitration).
- Services contractor in the prosecution of a Contracts Disputes Act claim in federal district court resulting from a maritime contract.
- Pharmaceutical company in a reverse Freedom of Information Act lawsuit resulting in the protection of confidential information from public disclosure post-Argus.
- Defense contractor in reverse Freedom of Information Act lawsuit resulting in the protection of confidential information from public disclosure.
- General Services Administration real estate contractor and Department of Defense contractor in the successful defense of bid protests at the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
- Federal Supply Schedule holder in the successful protest of a corrective action. Centerra Group, LLC v. United States, 138 Fed. Cl. 407 (2018).
- IT services contractor in the successful defense of the award of a billion-dollar Department of Homeland Security against multiple protests. Northrop Grumman Sys. Corp., B-412278.7 et al., Oct. 4, 2017, 2017 CPD 312.
- Multiple government contractors in the successful protest of the award of multiple large indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts, including civilian and defense agencies. See, e.g., L3 Unidyne, Inc., B-414902 et al., Oct. 16, 2017, 2017 CPD 317; Veterans Evaluation Services, Inc., B-412940 et al., July 13, 2016, 2016 CPD 185.
- Health Insurance Company in the successful bid protest of a District of Columbia contract award before the DC Contract Appeals Board.
Perspectives
March 29, 2023
Amanda Sherwood Joins Law360’s 2023 Government Contracts Editorial Advisory Board
Law360.com
March 2023
Contractors Take Care: Civilian Board of Contract Appeals Clarifies What (Independent) Evidence Suffices to Demonstrate Cost Reasonableness (pdf)
Government Contracting Law Report, Vol. 9, No. 3
March 9, 2023
A Year of Lessons Learned: Case Law Developments in Contract Disputes Act Claims Litigation at the Boards and Courts
ABA 29th Annual Federal Procurement Institute
March 6, 2023
Step Right Up to the Dazzling Display of 2022 Developments in CDA Case Law
Briefing Papers
February 27, 2023
Ep 2.01: COVID-19 Claims Litigation - What You Should Know
Podcast: Bona Fide Needs
More
Recognition
Best Lawyers
"Ones to Watch"—Government Relations Practice (2023)
Washington DC Super Lawyers
"Rising Star"–Government Contracts (2020-2022)
Credentials
Education
- J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2015, summa cum laude, Order of the Coif
- B.A., University of Pennsylvania, 2012, summa cum laude
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Activities
- Member, Law360's 2023 Government Contracts Editorial Advisory Board