Amy Laderberg O'Sullivan
Overview
In quickfire bid protest litigation where a company’s must-win contracts are on the line, Amy O’Sullivan has earned a reputation for her responsiveness, quick absorption of information, and nimbleness in working with companies of all sizes and levels of experience as government contractors. She blends her well-rounded procurement knowledge with her niche experience of the full range of small-business issues with successful outcomes, earning the trust of clients even when litigating subject to the informational sharing limitations of protective orders. Amy also extends her practice to include investigations, mergers and acquisitions, and counseling, particularly on matters involving the complex U.S. Small Business Administration requirements and compliance.
Career & Education
- Williams College, B.A., honors, art history and political science, 1996
- College of William & Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law, J.D., 1999
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Amy is extremely responsive, organized, and detail-oriented. She is a very sharp lawyer who is great at advising our business teams as they make challenging protest decisions. We value her insight, intelligence, and strategic thinking. She is excellent at bid protests.
— Chambers USA, 2022
Amy's Insights
Client Alert | 2 min read | 11.07.24
Bid Protest: Unreasonable and Ambiguous Solicitation Terms Sink Procurements
The term “bid protest” typically calls to mind challenges to an agency’s award of a contract. But two recent GAO sustain decisions—Wilson 5 Service Company, Inc., B-422670, Sept. 25, 2024, 2024 CPD ¶ 230 and MAXIMUS Federal Services, Inc., B-422676, Sept. 16, 2024, 2024 CPD ¶ 222—highlight another impactful tool for protecting a contractor’s ability to compete fairly: pre-award challenges to ambiguous or unreasonably restrictive solicitation terms.
Webinar | 09.11.24
Bid Protests: Common Contractor Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Speaking Engagement | 09.11.24
"Bid Protests: Common Contractor Mistakes and How to Avoid Them," Crowell & Moring Webinar, 2024.
Client Alert | 3 min read | 09.11.24
Representative Matters
RECENT REPRESENTATIVE BID PROTESTS
Recent representative protests include:
- Successfully challenged U.S. Department of Labor award of an approximately $100 million contract for operation of the Los Angeles Job Corps Center based on unequal discussions associated with revisions to proposed key personnel. YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, B-414596 et al., July 24, 2017, 2017 CPD ¶ 245.
- Obtained a recommendation that the agency reimburse a protester for costs of filing and pursuing a protest challenging the agency’s implementation of corrective action where the agency unduly delayed taking corrective action in response to a meritorious challenge that the Department of the Army failed to evaluate proposals using a common baseline. TRAX International Corporation—Costs, B-410441.8, Aug. 17, 2016, 2016 CPD ¶ 226.
- Successfully challenged offeror’s exclusion from the competitive range for the Department of Justice’s investigative support services for the asset forfeiture program. Arctic Slope Mission Services, LLC, B-410992.5, B-410992.6, Jan. 8, 2016, 2016 CPD ¶ 39.
- In corrective action protest in connection with a $700 million U.S. Army Corps of Engineers procurement for the permanent canal closures and pumps for New Orleans, successfully obtained a finding from the Court of Federal Claims that the GAO decision was, in part, irrational. CBY Design Builders v. United States, 102 Fed. Cl. 303 (2012).
Recent representations on behalf of contract awardees and offerors retained in the competitive range include:
- Successfully defended an award by the Social Security Administration for support services for the agency’s folder storage operation at the National Records Center against two challenges before GAO. Eagle Eye Electric, LLC, B-415562, B-415562.3, Jan. 18, 2018, 2018 CPD ¶ 33; Dextera Corporation, B-415562.2, B-415562.4, Feb 5, 2018, 2018 CPD ¶ 66. Successfully defended the same award before the Court of Federal Claims. Eagle Eye Electric, LLC v. United States, No. 18-173C (Fed. Cl. May 31, 2018).
- Successfully defended a $300 million award by Customs and Border Protection for data center support services from multiple organizational conflict of interest challenges. IBM Corporation, B-415575, Jan. 19, 2018, 2018 CPD ¶ 61.
- Successfully argued for the dismissal of the entirety of a protest before GAO of an award for base operation and support for certain Marine Corps facilities on the basis of lack of interested party status.
- Successfully defended a $185 million award by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for the provision of various information technology services for the John F. Kennedy Space Center. AbacusSecure, LLC, B-415175, B-415175.2, B-415175.3, B-415175.4, Dec. 6, 2017, 2017 CPD ¶ 375.
- Successfully defended an 8(a) sole source award by the Defense Intelligence Agency for approximately $20 million for facility support services from a challenge that the Small Business Administration improperly accepted the requirement into the 8(a) program. SKC, LLC, B-415151, Nov. 20, 2017, 2017 CPD ¶ 366.
- Successfully defended an award by the National Nuclear Security Administration for services in support of the Office of Personnel and Facility Clearances at Kirtland Air Force Base from challenges to the agency’s evaluation under the cost and non-cost factors as well as to the conduct of discussions. Synergy Solutions, Inc., B-413974.3, June 15, 2017, 2017 CPD ¶ 332.
- Successfully defended protest of award by the Department of the Air Force following corrective action upholding award of a 10-year, $200 million contract for aerospace systems technical research and operations services (ASTROS) at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Jacobs Technology, Inc., B-413389.3, B-413389.4, Jul. 21, 2017, 2017 CPD 244.
- Successfully defended protest at GAO challenging the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration’s award of services for the implementation of DOE’s Personnel Security Program. Synergy Solutions, Inc., B-413974.3, June 15, 2017, 2017
CPD ¶ __. - Successfully defended protests challenging more than $58 billion worth of U.S. Department of Defense projects for Tricare “managed care support” contracts. UnitedHealth Military & Veterans Services, LLC; WellPoint Military Care Corporation; Health Net Federal Services, LLC, B-411837.2 et al., Nov. 9, 2016, 2016 CPD ¶ 329.
- Successfully defended the award of a $285 million task order issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs for help desk services. Systems Made Simple, Inc., B-412948.2, Jul. 20, 2016, 2016 CPD ¶ 207.
- Successfully defended National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s $200 million award for software engineering services. Systems Engineering Partners, LLC, B-412329, et al., Jan. 20, 2016, 2016 CPD ¶ 31.
- Successfully defended award of contract for test support services for the U.S. Army Operational Test Command at Fort Hood, Texas. Research Analysis & Maintenance, Inc., B-410570.6, et al., Jul. 22, 2015, 2015 CPD ¶ 239.
- Successfully defended GAO and COFC protests and Federal Circuit Appeal of protest of an Army award of a contract to manage two Family Health Centers in Virginia, defeating allegations of improper organizational conflicts of interest, improper discussions, and numerous evaluation challenges. CRAssociates, Inc. v. U.S., 102 Fed. Cl. 698 (2011), appeal denied per curiam at 475 Fed. Appx. 341 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 14, 2012).
- Successfully defend an award valued up to $229 million for information technology services against wide-ranging challenges to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s evaluation proposals of price, technical, and past performance proposals as well as the agency’s conduct during discussions. DB Consulting Group, Inc., B-401543.2, B-401543.3, Apr. 28, 2010, 2010 CPD ¶ 109.
Amy's Insights
Client Alert | 2 min read | 11.07.24
Bid Protest: Unreasonable and Ambiguous Solicitation Terms Sink Procurements
The term “bid protest” typically calls to mind challenges to an agency’s award of a contract. But two recent GAO sustain decisions—Wilson 5 Service Company, Inc., B-422670, Sept. 25, 2024, 2024 CPD ¶ 230 and MAXIMUS Federal Services, Inc., B-422676, Sept. 16, 2024, 2024 CPD ¶ 222—highlight another impactful tool for protecting a contractor’s ability to compete fairly: pre-award challenges to ambiguous or unreasonably restrictive solicitation terms.
Webinar | 09.11.24
Bid Protests: Common Contractor Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Speaking Engagement | 09.11.24
"Bid Protests: Common Contractor Mistakes and How to Avoid Them," Crowell & Moring Webinar, 2024.
Client Alert | 3 min read | 09.11.24
Insights
GAO Breathes New Life Into The Commonly Denied 'Failure To Award A Strength' Protest Ground
|11.09.22
Westlaw Today
FAR Conformed To The ‘New’ Limitations On Subcontracting Methodology At 13 C.F.R. § 125.6
|12.15.21
Government Contracting Law Report
Government Contracts Bid Protests: A Practical and Procedural Guide, 2017 ed.
|05.17.17
Thomson Reuters
Government Contracts Bid Protests: A Practical and Procedural Guide, 2015 ed.
|12.31.15
Thomson Reuters.
Litigation Forecast 2013: What Corporate Counsel Need to Know for the Coming Year
|01.31.13
Crowell & Moring LLP publication
PPP Loans: Why Some Government Contractors Are Returning The Money
|08.09.20
The Wall Street Journal
Thomson Reuters Names 16 Crowell Lawyers as “Stand-out Lawyers”
|03.07.23
Assessing Good Faith Efforts to Comply with a Small Business Subcontracting Plan
|09.15.21
Crowell & Moring’s Government Contracts Legal Forum
FAR Conformed to the “New” Limitations on Subcontracting Methodology at 13 C.F.R. § 125.6
|09.15.21
Crowell & Moring’s Government Contracts Legal Forum
Changes To The Evaluation Of Small Business Joint Ventures
|01.22.21
Crowell & Moring’s Government Contracts Legal Forum
Modifications to Several 13 C.F.R. § 121.103 Affiliation Tests
|01.22.21
Crowell & Moring’s Government Contracts Legal Forum
Return of the MAC: SBA Final Rule Changes Certification Requirements for Multiple-Award Contracts
|01.22.21
Crowell & Moring’s Government Contracts Legal Forum
SBA’s Recent Rulemaking Changes to the 8(a) Business Development Program
|01.22.21
Crowell & Moring’s Government Contracts Legal Forum
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01.14.21
Crowell & Moring’s Government Contracts Legal Forum
Changes to the SBA’s Mentor-Protégé Programs
|12.18.20
Crowell & Moring’s Government Contracts Legal Forum
- |
12.18.20
Crowell & Moring’s Government Contracts Legal Forum
Changes to the Size and Socioeconomic Status Recertification Regime Lead to Questions and Confusion
|05.29.18
Crowell & Moring's Government Contracts Legal Forum
Practices
- Government Contracts
- Bid Protests
- Government Contracts Investigations
- Litigation and Trial
- Investigations
- Government Contracts Compliance
- False Claims Act Defense
- Government Contracts Transactions, M&A and Diligence
- Claims and Disputes Litigation
- Emerging Companies and Venture Capital
- Government Contracts Transactions
- GSA Schedule and Commercial Contracting
- Corporate and Transactional
- Joint Ventures and Strategic Alliances
- State and Local Practice
Amy's Insights
Client Alert | 2 min read | 11.07.24
Bid Protest: Unreasonable and Ambiguous Solicitation Terms Sink Procurements
The term “bid protest” typically calls to mind challenges to an agency’s award of a contract. But two recent GAO sustain decisions—Wilson 5 Service Company, Inc., B-422670, Sept. 25, 2024, 2024 CPD ¶ 230 and MAXIMUS Federal Services, Inc., B-422676, Sept. 16, 2024, 2024 CPD ¶ 222—highlight another impactful tool for protecting a contractor’s ability to compete fairly: pre-award challenges to ambiguous or unreasonably restrictive solicitation terms.
Webinar | 09.11.24
Bid Protests: Common Contractor Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Speaking Engagement | 09.11.24
"Bid Protests: Common Contractor Mistakes and How to Avoid Them," Crowell & Moring Webinar, 2024.
Client Alert | 3 min read | 09.11.24