John R. Prairie

John is an experienced, practical and solutions-oriented attorney who helps government contractors navigate complex federal procurement issues. John represents a wide array of clients that do business with the federal government. He represents some of the largest aerospace and defense, logistics, professional services, and information technology contractors in the world in high-stakes bid protest and claims litigation. He also regularly assists small and emerging firms, as well as commercial and international companies with a limited footprint in the U.S. government market, with understanding and meeting the unique regulatory requirements of federal contracts.

John’s practice includes a broad range of litigation, counseling, and transactional matters for clients that work with federal, state, and local governments. John represents government contractors in bid protests; contract claims, disputes and terminations; teaming, subcontracting and joint ventures; mergers and acquisitions; government investigations and False Claims Act matters; and suspension and debarment proceedings. John also counsels contractors on regulatory requirements under government contracts, including ethics and compliance matters, labor and employment requirements, supply chain integrity, intellectual property rights, and cost and pricing issues. 

John is regularly recognized as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” in Government Contracts by Chambers USA. Chambers has noted that John’s clients acknowledge him as “a great government contracts litigator and a true expert in the complicated area of small business contracting issues.” In 2020, John was selected by Law360 as a "Government Contracts MVP."

Representative Matters

• Represents government contractors in bid protests before the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC). Recent representative cases include: Innovate Now, LLC, B-419546, Apr. 26, 2021, 2021 WL 1610896; M.C. Dean, Inc., B-418553, June 15, 2020, 2020 CPD ¶ 206; Johnson Controls Security Solutions, B-418489.3, Sept. 15, 2020, 2020 CPD ¶ 316; Soft Tech Consulting, Inc., B-416934, Jan. 15, 2019, 2019 CPD ¶ 60; Western Pilot Service, et al., B-415732, Mar. 6, 2018, 2018 CPD ¶ 104; Ian, Evan & Alexander Corp. v. United States, 136 Fed. Cl. 390 (2018).
• Represents government contractors in a wide variety of disputes with the government, including claims, terminations, cost disallowances, and contracting officer final decisions before the Boards of Contract Appeals and the COFC, as well as disputes between contractors over teaming and subcontracting arrangements. Recent representative cases include: Supreme Foodservice GmbH, ASBCA No. 57884, 20-1 BCA ¶ 37,618; General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, ASBCA No. 61458, 2019 WL 5089235; The Boeing Company, ASBCA No. 60374, 2017 WL 2926541.
• Represents government contractors in size protests and size and NAICS appeals before the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA). Recent representative cases include: Invisio Communications, Inc., SBA No. SIZ-6084 (2020); Atlantic Diving Supply, Inc., SBA No. SIZ-6005 (2019); Bukkehave, Inc., SBA No. SIZ-5981 (2019); Aerial Timber Applicators, Inc. and Western Pilot Service Inc., SBA No. NAICS-5965 (2018); Innovate International Intelligence & Integration, LLC, SBA No. SIZ-5882 (2018).
• Represents clients in connection with government investigations involving federal contracts and grants, including investigations by federal agencies, agency offices of inspector general and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), typically involving alleged violations of the False Claims Act. Represents clients in associated suspension and debarment proceedings.
• Advises clients in transactions involving the acquisition of a government contractor, including assisting large government contractors and venture capital and private equity firms with the acquisition of companies performing small business set-aside contracts.
• Significant expertise with issues relating to SBA set-aside programs (i.e., 8(a) Business Development, HUBZone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, and Women-Owned Small Business programs), including teaming with large businesses, participation in the SBA’s Mentor-Protégé Program, and Mentor-Protégé joint ventures.
• Particular experience with the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, as well as other non-traditional federal funding and grant programs, such as Other Transaction Agreements (OTA) and Technology Investment Agreements (TIA).

Professional Experience

• Adjunct Professor in Government Contracts, Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University (2016-2019)

Affiliations

• Professional Services Council (PSC), General Counsel (2019-Present)
• American Bar Association (ABA), Section of Public Contract Law (2006-Present)
  • Vice-Chair, Contract Claims and Disputes Resolution Committee
  • Vice-Chair, Small Business and Other Socioeconomic Programs Committee
  • Vice-Chair, Mergers and Acquisitions Committee

Recognitions

• Named by Law360 as a “Government Contracts MVP” (2020)
• Recognized by Law360 as a “Rising Star” in Government Contracts (2017)
• Named one of DC’s “Super Lawyers” (2020) and “Rising Stars” (2016) for Government Contracts by Super Lawyers magazine
• Listed by Chambers USA as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” in Government Contracts (2018-2024) and “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business – Up and Coming” (2015-2017) in Government Contracts  
• Named by The Legal 500 US as a “Next Generation Partner” (2017-2024) in Government Contracts
• Named one of “Washington’s Top Lawyers” by Washingtonian magazine (2024)