Overview

Ronald S. Perlman is an attorney in the Washington, D.C., office of Holland & Knight, where he is a member of the firm's Government Contracts Group.

Mr. Perlman has represented both large and small companies in contract negotiations, counseling, claims, disputes and protests. He has experience at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and various boards and courts. His practice of government contract counseling and litigation work includes experience with many federal agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Defense (DOD), Commerce, Energy, Transportation (DOT), Labor, Justice (DOJ), Health and Human Services (HHS), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Veterans Affairs (VA), Federal Aviation Association (FAA), Social Security Administration (SSA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Postal Service.

Mr. Perlman's recent representations include:

  • counseling a Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) contractor on avoiding termination for default on a contract for Army tank components
  • successful defense of the award of a major ship management contract by the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC)
  • the successful 2009 presidential inauguration sound system contractor protest, based on an organizational conflict of interest
  • a significant meteorological contractor's successful protest of a major contract by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
  • a large construction company in bid protests in the GAO and at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, challenging the award of a construction contract by the architect of the Capitol
  • counseling a major Navy systems contractor on its prime/subcontractor relations and on its Navy intellectual property data rights
  • representing a ship operating contractor defending against an allegation of being other-than-small at the SBA in connection with a more than $100 million Navy contract
  • the manufacturer of explosive containment vessels in a bid protest at the GAO, challenging the award of a contract for explosive containment vessels by the Air Force
  • counseling an industrial manufacturer on required terms and conditions for the sale of metal bellows to the Air Force
  • litigation of major termination for default claims against a major architectural fabric manufacturing company by the Air Force and Navy
  • counseling a nonprofit applied research and development professional services organization with the drafting and negotiation of a software license agreement with the Office of Naval Research (ONR)
  • defending the small business certification of a client that was awarded a contract to provide engineering services to the Department of Energy against claims of affiliation with a large business
  • representing a large aircraft manufacturer in a multimillion-dollar contract claim against the Army in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims with respect to constructive changes and cost increases on an aircraft remanufacturing contract
  • counseling minority-owned, 8(a) small businesses in marketing goods and services to the United States government

Before entering private practice in 1980, Mr. Perlman represented the U.S. Air Force and the GSA as a government attorney. He was assistant staff judge advocate at the Armament Development and Test Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and the staff judge advocate of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research in Washington, D.C. In addition, he served as a senior trial attorney for the GSA, litigating major cases.

In addition, Mr. Perlman was previously on the board of directors for the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) and now serves as a senior director as well as on the executive committees of its Logistics, Small Business and Manufacturing divisions. He is also a director for NDIA's prestigious Procurement Roundtable. Mr. Perlman is also a Fellow of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA); he serves on the executive committee of its D.C. Chapter and was its past president.

Mr. Perlman has taught programs on government contract issues for the Air Force, NASA and the Central Intelligence Agency, among others. In addition, he has written several articles on federal contract law with articles published in federal publications and National Contract Management Magazine, including the briefing paper "Sole Source Contracts," the only work of its kind on this critical topic.

Representative Experience

  • Represented a Navy contractor in obtaining the release of a significant payment that was being held improperly (after some litigation but without disproportionate expense for collection)
  • Guided a contractor regarding $14 million FAR 52.232-32 Performance-Based Contract "claw back" threat; claw back avoided
  • Counseled a provider of medical and dental services for the Army National Guard regarding small business and procurement issues
  • Counseled a manufacturing company in connection with a teaming agreement and acquisition issues by a major defense prime contractor
  • Counseled a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) contractor in connection with teaming agreements with a major contractor
  • Counseled an Air Force contractor to remove inappropriate and unfair Contractor Performance Assessment Reports (CPARs) given by a prejudiced Quality Assurance Representative (QAR) working for the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA); resolved satisfactorily, efficiently and effectively (bad QAR replaced; bad CPAR removed from file)
  • Represented a contractor with DCMA, Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) and Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) investigations regarding various issues; all resolved satisfactorily, efficiently and effectively
  • Guided a client in the resolution of multiple terminations for default and conversion to terminations for convenience
  • Guided a client in the resolution of relationship issues with a major Air Force customer on personnel issues for the performance of contracts
  • Guided a client in the resolution of suspension and proposed debarment action with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
  • Regarding intellectual property issues in connection with Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) matters
  • Overseas contractor performing helicopter maintenance work wrongly excluded from various bases
  • Aircraft simulator manufacturer regarding major Request for Equitable Adjustment (REA)
  • Counseled information technology services provider regarding termination of contract by means of non-exercise of option by Army Contracting Command (ACC) through Mission Installation and Contracting Command (MICC)

  • Represented a successful Navy contract offeror for NAVAIR logistics support work against a protest at the Government Accountability Office (GAO)
  • Successfully represented a disappointed offeror at the GAO in connection with a $500 million support services contract that was later awarded by the Department of Commerce National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
  • Represented a successful Army contract offeror against protests at the GAO and Court of Federal Claims challenging the award
  • Represented a client in a GAO bid protest against continued sole source procurement of critical equipment from another source for the Army's Blackhawk helicopter; protest was sustained because the sole source was unwarranted, having been caused by undue administrative delay
  • Represented an Air Force simulation equipment contractor in connection with claims because of performance changes
  • Represented a prospective Navy contractor for telecom services work in successful protests at the GAO
  • Litigated at the GAO and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims involving the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)
  • Represented an architectural and engineering (A&E) contract in connection with a successful protest against the improper awarding of a Navy contract for base construction and building modification work
  • Represented a fabric manufacturer in connection with two major terminations for default: both converted to terminations for convenience
  • Represented a major services contractor in connection with Military Sealift Command (MSC) and Maritime Administration (MARAD) contracts involving performance, small business issues and improper source selection evaluations; all were resolved satisfactorily, efficiently and effectively
  • Represented an aircraft manufacturer in connection with superior knowledge, mistake, impossibility and changes claims
  • Represented a client in the resolution of major Air Force and Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) claims, working with various government counsel

Credentials

Education
  • Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, B.A.
  • Boston College Law School, J.D.
  • The George Washington University, LL.M., Government Procurement Law
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • District of Columbia
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Memberships
  • Procurement Round Table, Director
  • National Contract Management Association, Fellow
  • National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), Senior Director; Executive Committees of Small Business, Manufacturing and Logistics Divisions
  • George Washington University Law School, Government Contracts Advisory Board
  • American University, Government Contract Law, Former Instructor
  • Webster University, Government Contract Law, Former Instructor
  • The George Washington University, Sole-Source Contracts, Former Instructor
  • University of Houston-Clear Lake, Government Contract Law, Former Instructor
Honors & Awards
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated

Publications

Speaking Engagements

News