Antonio R. Franco | Attorney | PilieroMazza PLLC , Law Firm, Government Contracts Attorney

Bio

Tony has over 30 years of experience representing government contractors and commercial businesses. His practice encompasses all aspects of federal government contracting. Tony also works closely with attorneys in the Firm’s Business & Transactions Group on corporate transactions and the Labor & Employment Group to address employer-employee challenges in the highly regulated market of government contracting. Tony has also achieved an “AV Preeminent” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest peer rating, signifying many of Tony’s peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence for his legal knowledge, communication skills, and ethical standards.

Tony counsels clients on a wide range of complex legal and regulatory matters, including (i) protests and claims against the federal government; (ii) commercial and contractual disputes; (iii) investigations and compliance audits; (iv) suspension and debarment proceedings; and (v) entity formation, including joint ventures, operating agreements, and shareholder agreements.

Tony primarily represents government contractors interested in pursuing set-aside opportunities under SBA’s small business programs—the 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, and All Small Mentor-Protégé Program. He advises firms on teaming, joint ventures, and strategies to defend awards from size, status, and bid protests. Tony also assists firms in complying with the FAR and rules applicable to all small business contracting programs. Tony’s practice also encompasses the representation of Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and their government contracting subsidiaries.

Tony is fluent in Spanish.

Related Practice Areas

Representative Matters

Representative Experience

Represents firms of all sizes looking to structure business and teaming arrangements, joint ventures, mentor protégé agreements and other contractual relations to compete on small business and related set-asides
Represents contractors in bid protests before the Court of Federal Claims, GAO and procuring agencies and size protests before the SBA
Represents clients in suspension and debarment proceedings and the development of compliance programs
Handles internal investigations and voluntary and mandatory disclosures
Assists in-house and outside counsel who need help representing their clients in navigating the complex, highly regulated government contracting market
Assists in the negotiation and preparation of shareholders agreements, operating agreements and partnership arrangements to qualify under different set-aside programs
Assists contractors with equitable adjustment claims, disputes, and appeals
Works closely with the firm’s Corporate Practice Group to structure transactions to facilitate the acquisition of government contractors from the due diligence stage through the contract novation process

Insights

Credentials

Education

Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1986
Tulane University, B.A., 1983, cum laude
University of Madrid, Junior Year Abroad Honors Program, 1982

Admissions

District of Columbia
Maryland
Florida

U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. District Court, District of Maryland

Honors

Super Lawyer®, Washington DC, Government Contracts, 2018-Present
AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating

Bio Representative Matters Insights Credentials Honors

Tony is fluent in Spanish.

Related Practice Areas

Representative Experience

Represents firms of all sizes looking to structure business and teaming arrangements, joint ventures, mentor protégé agreements and other contractual relations to compete on small business and related set-asides
Represents contractors in bid protests before the Court of Federal Claims, GAO and procuring agencies and size protests before the SBA
Represents clients in suspension and debarment proceedings and the development of compliance programs
Handles internal investigations and voluntary and mandatory disclosures
Assists in-house and outside counsel who need help representing their clients in navigating the complex, highly regulated government contracting market
Assists in the negotiation and preparation of shareholders agreements, operating agreements and partnership arrangements to qualify under different set-aside programs
Assists contractors with equitable adjustment claims, disputes, and appeals
Works closely with the firm’s Corporate Practice Group to structure transactions to facilitate the acquisition of government contractors from the due diligence stage through the contract novation process