Welcome

Welcome to the Contract Law Division, a section of the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Transactions and Technology within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of the General Counsel. CLD provides advice to and advocates on behalf of the Department’s acquisition programs; including those of all of its bureaus except the Patent and Trademark Office.

Office Description

CLD provides comprehensive legal guidance to the Department’s contracting and program officials regarding procurements, which collectively account for approximately half of the Department’s annual budget. CLD’s services include:

• Assisting in developing an appropriate acquisition strategy
• Participating in the Milestone Review Board process for major acquisitions
• Reviewing acquisition plans, statements of work, and requests for proposals
• Examining limitations on competition
• Advising source selection boards
• Participating in discussions with and debriefings of government contract offerors
• Reviewing contract modifications
• Advising on contract interpretation
• Advancing the Department’s position when disagreement arises and participating in negotiated dispute resolution
• Defending the protests of the Department’s procurement decisions before the Government Accountability Office
• Defending the Department’s position in contract disputes before the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals
• Assisting the Department of Justice’s defense of procurement actions filed in the United States Court of Federal Claims
• Advising the Office of Acquisition Management in devising acquisition policy
• Counseling the Department’s Suspension and Debarment Official regarding potential suspension and debarment actions
• Reviewing interagency agreements for assisted acquisitions

CLD attorneys also provide guidance in interpreting and applying the following statutes and regulations:

• The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949
• The Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994
• The Small Business Act
• The Competition in Contracting Act
• The Contract Disputes Act
• The Service Contract Act
• The Brooks Act
• The Buy American Act
• The Miller Act
• Federal Acquisition Regulation
• Commerce Acquisition Regulation

Department Acquisition Divisions

• Census Acquisition Division
• NIST Acquisition Management Division
• NOAA Acquisition and Grants Office
• Commerce Office of Acquisition Management

Contract Law Attorneys 

• Jonathan Baker - 301-975-8801
• Wilmary Bernal - 202-295-7635
• Florence Bridges - 202-482-1072
• Aaron Chang - 202-482-3280
• Rebecca Jacobsen - 202-322-2569
• Jeremiah Kline - 202-322-2739
• Ryan Lambrecht - 202-251-6458
• Jillian Stern - 202-482-8071