Issac D. Schabes

Counsel

Overview

Issac D. Schabes assists government contractors, big and small businesses alike, in a wide range of government contracts litigation and counseling matters. Issac is particularly adept at helping contractors protect their interests in bid protest proceedings at the Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, federal procuring agencies, and state and local contracting agencies. Drawing on his prior law clerk experience at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, Issac understands the complex and strategic decision-making that fuels a successful protest or defense of a government contract.

Issac also advises clients on a broad range of regulatory compliance issues, helping government contractors navigate the complex world of federal and state procurement law and respond to government investigations.

Prior to joining the firm, Issac clerked for the Hon. Matthew H. Solomson of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the Hon. Robert N. McDonald of the Supreme Court of Maryland. While in law school, he served as an executive editor for the Maryland Law Review and received the Judge Simon E. Sobeloff Prize for Excellence in Constitutional Law. Issac also interned for the Hon. Beryl A. Howell, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and the Hon. Marvin J. Garbis of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

Issac maintains an active pro bono practice representing service-disabled veterans before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

Career & Education

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    • Maryland
      Law Clerk, Honorable Robert N. McDonald, Supreme Court of Maryland, 2019–2020
    • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
      Law Clerk, Honorable Matthew H. Solomson, 2020–2021
    • Maryland
      Law Clerk, Honorable Robert N. McDonald, Supreme Court of Maryland, 2019–2020
    • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
      Law Clerk, Honorable Matthew H. Solomson, 2020–2021
    • Ner Israel College, B.A., 2009
    • University of Maryland Carey School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, 2019
    • Ner Israel College, B.A., 2009
    • University of Maryland Carey School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, 2019
    • District of Columbia
    • Maryland
    • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
    • District of Columbia
    • Maryland
    • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
    • Vice Chair, ABA PCLS Bid Protest Committe
    • Member, U.S. Court of Federal Claims Advisory Council
    • Vice Chair, ABA PCLS Bid Protest Committe
    • Member, U.S. Court of Federal Claims Advisory Council

Issac's Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 02.03.25

COFC Holds That Federal PLA Mandate Is Unlawful; Reinterprets Blue and Gold Waiver Rule

In MVL USA, Inc. et al. v. United States, the United States Court of Federal Claims (“COFC”) held that the provisions of FAR 22.505, 52.222-33 and 52.222-34 (collectively, the “PLA mandate”), which required the use of project labor agreements (“PLAs”) on large-scale federal construction projects valued above or at a certain threshold, violated the Competition in Contracting Act (“CICA”). As we previously reported here, former-President Biden issued Executive Order 14063 in February 2022, instructing federal agencies to require construction contractors and subcontractors on projects valued at $35 million or more to “agree, for that project, to negotiate or become a party to” a PLA. A few months later, the FAR Council promulgated a final rule implementing the executive order in FAR 22.505, 52.222-33 and 52.222-34. ...

Representative Matters

  • Successfully protested Air Force’s award of $300 million contract for adversarial training services by obtaining agency corrective action and won recommendation for reimbursement of protest costs.
  • Successfully protested U.S. Secret Service award of $18 million contract for cellular communications services and equipment.
  • Successfully defended against protest challenging Administrative Office of the U.S. Court’s multiple award contract with total estimated value of $1.5 billion.
  • Successfully defended against protest challenging Department of Defense award of $240 million contract for the TRI-GSM program.
  • Successfully protested GSA’s award of a $678 million contract for systems engineering and integration services by obtaining agency corrective action.

Issac's Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 02.03.25

COFC Holds That Federal PLA Mandate Is Unlawful; Reinterprets Blue and Gold Waiver Rule

In MVL USA, Inc. et al. v. United States, the United States Court of Federal Claims (“COFC”) held that the provisions of FAR 22.505, 52.222-33 and 52.222-34 (collectively, the “PLA mandate”), which required the use of project labor agreements (“PLAs”) on large-scale federal construction projects valued above or at a certain threshold, violated the Competition in Contracting Act (“CICA”). As we previously reported here, former-President Biden issued Executive Order 14063 in February 2022, instructing federal agencies to require construction contractors and subcontractors on projects valued at $35 million or more to “agree, for that project, to negotiate or become a party to” a PLA. A few months later, the FAR Council promulgated a final rule implementing the executive order in FAR 22.505, 52.222-33 and 52.222-34. ...

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Issac's Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 02.03.25

COFC Holds That Federal PLA Mandate Is Unlawful; Reinterprets Blue and Gold Waiver Rule

In MVL USA, Inc. et al. v. United States, the United States Court of Federal Claims (“COFC”) held that the provisions of FAR 22.505, 52.222-33 and 52.222-34 (collectively, the “PLA mandate”), which required the use of project labor agreements (“PLAs”) on large-scale federal construction projects valued above or at a certain threshold, violated the Competition in Contracting Act (“CICA”). As we previously reported here, former-President Biden issued Executive Order 14063 in February 2022, instructing federal agencies to require construction contractors and subcontractors on projects valued at $35 million or more to “agree, for that project, to negotiate or become a party to” a PLA. A few months later, the FAR Council promulgated a final rule implementing the executive order in FAR 22.505, 52.222-33 and 52.222-34. ...