Jon Williams

Jon is an experienced legal advisor to government contractors on a wide range of federal, state, and local procurement matters. His practice focuses on helping firms with a diverse array of Federal Acquisition Regulation compliance issues, including extensive counseling on federal procurement programs for small businesses. As some examples, Jon assists contractors in applying for and maintaining compliance in SBA’s 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, and SDVOSB programs; understanding and navigating SBA’s nonmanufacturer rule; small business subcontracting plans; Buy American Act and Trade Agreements Act compliance; Inspector General and other agency investigations; and suspension and debarment proceedings.

Jon’s practice also frequently involves handling procurement-related disputes.  He represents contractors in size and status protests and appeals before SBA and SBA’s Office of Hearings and Appeals, as well as filing and defending bid protests before the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition, and state/local procurement agencies. Jon also counsels contractors on cure notice responses, contract terminations, adverse CPARS ratings, requests for equitable adjustment, and claims. Additionally, he regularly helps contractors to establish and defend teaming, subcontracting, joint venture, and mentor-protégé relationships.

As a member of PilieroMazza’s Cybersecurity & Data Privacy team, Jon works with federal contractors—particularly those who contract with the Department of Defense—on managing cybersecurity and establishing compliant and effective safeguards. In this area, he provides guidance on cybersecurity requirements applicable to federal contractors and assists clients in implementing appropriate internal standards and in responding to cyber incidents.

A frequent writer and speaker, Jon is an active member of the HUBZone Contractors National Council and serves on its Board of Directors. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Small and Emerging Contractors Advisory Forum (SECAF) and is Co-Chair of SECAF’s Programs Committee. Additionally, Jon is on the Steering Committee for the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce’s GovConNet Pathway to Growth Procurement Conference, one of the premiere conferences for the government contracting community.

Related Practice Areas

• Government Contracts
• Cybersecurity & Data Privacy
• Audits & Investigations
• False Claims Act
• Bid Protests

Representative Experience

Protest experience:

• Numerous victories in size, SDVOSB, NAICS code, and 8(a) eligibility appeals before the SBA’s Office of Hearings and Appeals, including cases involving ostensible subcontractor affiliation, identity of interest affiliation, SDVOSB joint ventures, denial of 8(a) Program applications, and NAICS code designations
• Successful bid protests before the GAO, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and the FAA’s Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition
• Filing and defense of protests regarding size, SDVOSB, and HUBZone eligibility

8(a), SDVOSB, HUBZone, and WOSB experience:

• Affiliation avoidance strategies for small and large businesses
• 8(a) mentor-protégé and joint venture arrangements
• Eligibility reviews and application assistance (including requests for reconsideration) for firms seeking to get into or stay compliance with the VA’s SDVOSB program and SBA’s 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, and WOSB programs

General government contracting experience:

• Subcontracting plan compliance
• Planning for growing contractors to maintain small business status and develop exit strategies
• Developing cybersecurity policies and mitigation strategies
• Service Contract Act compliance
• Resolution of payment and other contract disputes and preparation of claims and requests for equitable adjustment

Representative Cases

• Successfully defended contract award in Federal Working Group, B-416464 (Sep.19, 2018)
• Successfully defended contract award in Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, LLC, B-416240 (Jul. 16, 2018)
• Successfully defended contract award in Eagle Support Services Corporation, B-412577.2 (Jul. 19, 2017)
• Successfully defended size appeal, preserving a contract award, in Size Appeal ofChenega Support Services, LLC, SBA No. SIZ-5874 (2017)
• Successfully defended size appeal, preserving a contract award, in Conrad Shipyard, LLC, SBA No. SIZ-5873 (2017)
• Won bid protest before FAA’s Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition in Protests of Spatial Front, Inc., 17-ODRA-00803 (2017).
• Successfully appealed adverse size determination that had erroneously found affiliation under the totality of the circumstance, see Size Appeal of First Nation Group d/b/a Jordan Reses Supply Company, LLC, SBA No. 5807 (2017)
• Won appeal defending SBA size determination that found no affiliation under the ostensible subcontractor rule, see Size Appeal of A-P-T Research, Inc., SBA No. 5798 (2016)
• Successfully defended a contract awardee in a protest filed at the GAO alleging that our client’s proposal did not satisfy certain solicitation requirements and that our client did not have the ability to perform the contract. Protest of Laurels Medical Services, d/b/a Chariot, B-413047; B-413047.2; B-413047.3 (Aug. 8, 2016)
• Successfully appealed from SBA size determination involving affiliation through identity of interest and stock ownership in Size Appeal of W&T Travel Services, LLC, SBA No. 5721 (2016)
• Argued and won appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in case involving jurisdictional questions and affiliation under SBA’s ostensible subcontractor rule.  See Tinton Falls Lodging Realty, LLC v. United States, Case No. 14-5140 (Fed. Cir. 2015)
• Successfully defended our client’s service disabled veteran owned small business (SDVOSB) status in a SDVOSB and size status protest before the U.S. Small Business Administration. See SDVOSB Appeal of Robert F. Hyland and Sons, LLC, SBA No. VET-247 (2015)
• Successfully defended our client’s small business size status before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in a case involving the ostensible subcontractor rule. See Tinton Falls Lodging Realty LLC v. United States, No. 14-353C, slip op. (Fed. Cl. July 8, 2014)
• Successfully appealed a size determination concluding that the protested firm was an eligible small business for the procurement. See Crosstown Courier Service Incorporated, SBA No. SIZ-5571 (2014)
• Successfully appealed SBA’s denial, on reconsideration, of an application for the 8(a) program.  See Striker Electric, SBA No. BDPE-465 (2013)
• Won appeal from adverse SBA size determination, overturning SBA decision that client was affiliated with another business due to an identity of interest based on a familial relationship. See Size Appeal of SP Technologies, LLC, SBA No. SIZ-5319(2012)
• Successfully appealed adverse SBA size determination involving the scope of the protection from affiliation for SBA-approved 8(a) Mentor-Protégé Agreements, familial identity of interest affiliation, and the newly organized concern rule. See Size Appeal of Rio Vista Management, LLC, SBA No. SIZ-5316 (2012)
• Overturned NAICS code designation resulting in a reclassification of contract into a larger size standard. See NAICS Appeal of Dial General Engineering, SBA No. NAICS-5375 (2012)

Articles

• SBA Proposed Rule’s Potential Adverse Impacts on Small Business IT Value-Added Resellers, PilieroMazza Client Alert, 09.19.24
• SBA Tightens Enforcement of HUBZone Regulations, PilieroMazza Client Alert, 09.26.23
• Reducing the Negative Impacts of a Government Shutdown for Federal Contractors, PilieroMazza Client Alert, 09.21.23
• Final Rule Implements New Process for Appealing HUBZone Status Protests, PilieroMazza Client Alert, 05.10.23
• SBA Releases Preview of New HUBZone Maps Effective July 1, 2023, PilieroMazza Client Alert, 01.20.23

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Events

• Using JV’s to Win Work with GSA and Beyond, 2024 National HUBZone Conference, 07.23.24
• Empowering Small Business Panel, Empowering Small Business: A Matchmaking Event , 02.29.24
• Small Business Year In Review, Webinar Series, 02.21.24
• 2023 Small Business Regulatory Year in Review, Small Business Committee: 2024 Small Business Regulatory Year in Review, 01.30.24
• Joint Venture Eligibility: Refresher on Requirements for Small Business Contractors, 2023 National HUBZone Conference, 08.22.23

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Webinar Replays

• CMMC Is Coming: Are You Ready?, Webinar Replays, 03.17.20
• Everything You Need to Know about SBA’s Manufacturer and Non-Manufacturer Rules, Webinar Replays, 07.17.19
• The Buy American Act and Trade Agreements Act: Understanding Federal Domestic Preference Requirements, Webinar Replays, 03.15.18
• The ABCs of SBICs, Webinar Replays, 10.25.17
• How Small Businesses Can Get a Piece of the Pie Through Subcontracts, Webinar Replays, 10.04.17

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Podcasts

• So You Want to be a Government Contractor? What Commercial Businesses Need to Know, 07.07.22
• Ex Rel. Radio – False Claims Act: The Risks to Small Business Government Contractors, 01.14.20
• Ex Rel. Radio – Cybersecurity, Implied Certifications, and the False Claims Act, 07.29.19
• Insider Threats and Risk Mitigation Strategies, 05.15.19
• How Cybersecurity Compliance Impacts Closing, 05.08.19

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News

• 2024 Super Lawyers® Distinguishes 12 PilieroMazza Attorneys for Legal Excellence, 05.13.24
• “Off the Shelf” Podcast: PilieroMazza’s Jon Williams Addresses Top Concerns for Small Business Government Contractors in 2023 and Beyond, 11.15.23
• SECAF Honors Government Contract Attorney Jon Williams with Advocate of the Year Award, 05.05.23
• PilieroMazza Client Xcelerate Solutions Completes Investment Transaction, 02.23.23
• PilieroMazza Submits Comments on Proposed Rule on Ownership and Control and Contractual Assistance Requirements for the 8(a) Business Development Program, 11.09.22

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Education

• The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, J.D., 2001
• Syracuse University, B.S., 1998

Admissions

• Maryland
• District of Columbia

• U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims
• U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
• U.S. District Court, District of Maryland

Honors