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Richard B. Oliver, Partner

Richard B. Oliver

Partner
Los Angeles

Partner, Los Angeles

T: +1.213.488.7102
T: +1.213.488.7102

Areas of Focus

Richard Oliver is a leading authority on government contracts and disputes involving the Department of Defense and civilian agencies.

Dick has 35+ years’ experience representing clients before the Government Accountability Office, the SBA’s Office of Hearings & Appeals, the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals and other administrative boards; in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims; and in federal and state courts. He has an active bid protest practice, represents clients in major criminal and civil investigations, and counsels on complex small business regulations. Dick lectures frequently on government and small business contracting issues.

Representative Experience

  • Successful defense of GAO protest challenging NASA’s contract award to client for a $300 million contract to provide engineering services to perform a broad range of technical research and development activities for the Goddard Space Flight Center. Mitchell Vantage Systems LLC, B-421548.2 & .3,  29, 2023.
  • Successful challenge to the terms of the solicitation as unduly restrictive of competition for a $100+ million Air Force procurement for defensive cyber hardware, which resulted in the agency taking corrective action, including the conduct of market research and revision of the solicitation requirements. Sealing Technologies Inc., B-421863.1, Sept. 28, 2023.
  • Successful Court of Federal Claims protest of Defense Health Agency’s decision to reject client’s proposal for information technology support services for the DHA Military Medical Treatment Facilities, which resulted in the agency taking corrective action. Systems Plus Inc., Case No. 23-1163 (Fed. Cl., Aug 11, 2023).

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  • Successful GAO protest of $95+ million Department of the Navy contract award for engineering support services for the Naval Surface Warfare Center, which forced the agency to take corrective action. INDUS Technology Inc., B-421327.2, July 7, 2023.
  • Successful defense of GAO protest of $85+ million Department of Navy contract awarded to our client to provide industrial support services to the various industrial operations, depot repair and torpedo maintenance functions for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center. Delphinus Engineering Inc., B-421574, July 5, 2023, CPD ¶168.
  • Successful GAO protest challenging the Department of Health and Human Services’ flawed decision to exclude client from participating in Phase 2 of the CIO-SP4 procurement, which resulted in the agency taking corrective action to reevaluate proposals and the recovery of attorneys’ fees. Systems Plus Inc., B-419956.184, et al., June 29, 2023, 2023 CPD ¶ 163.
  • Successful pre-award protest of $100+ million Department of the Air Force procurement, which challenged the agency’s flawed “efficient competition” evaluation methodology, resulting in corrective action. J&J and ALMS Mission Support Solutions, LLC, B-421241.1, Nov. 30, 2022.
  • Successful protest challenging the Department of Health and Human Services’ flawed decision to exclude client from participating in Phase 2 of the CIO-SP4 procurement. Systems Plus Inc., B-419956.66, Nov. 29, 2022.
  • Successful protest of $35+ million Department of Agriculture award, which challenged the flawed best value tradeoff, resulting in corrective action. Cask NX LLC, B-421194.1, B-421194.2, Nov. 15, 2022.
  • Successful protest of $315+ million award to sustain and transform the Air Force’s Air Operations Center Weapon System, resulting in corrective action. Parsons Government Services Inc., B-420668.1, Apr. 19, 2022.
  • Successful pre-award protest of Department of Homeland Security solicitation for Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Training and Awareness Solutions, alleging FAR violations and agency bias in favor of a particular offeror, resulting in cancellation of the solicitation, a government internal investigation and other corrective action. R3 Strategic Support Group Inc., B-421017.1, Sept. 26, 2022.
  • Successful protest of the Navy’s award decision for $290 million environmental remediation services contract, forcing the Navy to take corrective action. ECC Environmental LLC v. United States, Case No. 21-2087C (Fed. Cl. Nov. 4, 2021).
  • Successful defense of $250+ million Army Corps of Engineers IDIQ awards for emergency debris management services. CrowderGulf LLC, et al., B-418693.9, et al., Mar. 25, 2022.
  • Successful pre-award protest of Department of the Army solicitation alleging improper disclosure of pricing information and a flawed evaluation scheme, resulting in corrective action, including a government internal investigation and action appropriate to ensure fairness and integrity in the procurement process. Beshenich Muir & Associates LLC, B-420693.2, Oct. 7, 2022.
  • Successful bid protest action that resulted in the permanent injunction of a $980 million Air Force contract. Sierra Nevada Corporation v. United States, Case No. 21–1186C (Fed. Cl. July 12, 2021).
  • Successful defense of $163 million State Department contract for information technology support and instructional systems design and development services, which resulted in award to our client. Candor Solutions LLC, B-417950.5, B-417950.6, May 10, 2021.
  • Successful defense against protest of $3.5 million Marine Corps award of a bridge contract for IT services, defending claim that sole source award to 8(a) contractor was improper. AccelGov LLC v. United States, Case No. 21-1647C (Fed. Cl. Sep. 30, 2021).
  • Successful protest of the Air Force’s decision to remove client from competition in $2 billion Brooks Act procurement, resulting in published decision, which sustains all five protest grounds and requires reimbursement of attorneys’ fees. Evergreen JV, B-418475.4, Sept. 23, 2020, 2020 CPD ¶ 301.
  • Successful protest of the Navy’s award decision for $50 million logistics support services contract. After GAO ADR Outcome Prediction, the Navy decided to take corrective action and reimburse attorneys’ fees. INDUS Technology Inc., B-418958, Oct. 21, 2020.
  • Successful protest challenging the Air Force’s rejection of T Square’s proposal as late, thereby creating new precedent in this evolving area of contract formation law. T Square Logistics Servs. Corp. v. United States, 2017 WL 4638265 (Fed. Cl., Oct. 16, 2017).
  • Successful defense of $29 million Navy contract for system administration and integrated logistics support, infrastructure, library and support services, which resulted in award to our client. eTRANSERVICES Corp., B-419596.1, Mar. 30, 2021.
  • Successful protest of the Navy’s award decision for $50 million financial and administrative services contract, forcing the Navy to take corrective action. INDUS Technology Inc., B-418729.1, June 25, 2020.
  • Successful protest of Air Force decision to remove client from competition in $1+ billion Brooks Act procurement, resulting in corrective action. Evergreen JV, B-418475.2, Apr. 21, 2020.
  • Successful defense of $50+ million protest, resulting in award to our client. Qi Tech LLC, B-416711.10, Apr. 16, 2020, 2020 CPD ¶ 148.
  • Successful defense of multiple GAO protests which challenged the $72 million contract for complex acquisition and financial support services for the Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center’s Launch Enterprise. MCR Federal LLC, B-416654.5 & .6, Mar. 20, 2020, 2020 CPD ¶ 97.
  • Successful protest of $15 million Department of Defense award, resulting in corrective action. Redhorse Corp., B-417902.1, Sept. 20, 2019.
  • Successful defense of $50+ million protest, resulting in award to our client. Altavian Inc., B-417701.1, B-417701.2, Sept. 17, 2019, 2019 CPD ¶ 323.
  • Successful defense of $35+ million protest, resulting in award to our client. Quantech Services Inc., B-417347, B-417347.2, May 29, 2019, 2019 CPD ¶ 203.
  • Successful defense of $100+ million protest, resulting in award to our client. Client Solution Architects LLC, B-417176.1, Jan. 28, 2019.
  • Successful defense of $40+ million protest, resulting in award to our client. Battistella S.p.A., B-416597.4, Jan. 24, 2019.
  • Successful protest of $50+ million Navy award, resulting in corrective action. Tatitlek Technologies Inc., B-416711.5, Dec. 21, 2018.
  • Successful pre-award protest of $5+ billion Department of Education solicitation, resulting in corrective action and permitting our client to rejoin the competition. Navient Solutions LLC. v. United States, No. 18-1679 (Fed. Cl. Nov. 14, 2018).
  • Successful protest challenging the Navy’s rejection of Harper’s proposal for a $50+ million hangar facility construction project. Harper Constr. Co. Inc., B-415042; B-415042.2, Nov. 7, 2017.
  • Successful defense against protest of $30+ million Defense Health Agency award, defending against claim that the agency failed to properly evaluate the awardee’s past performance proposal. LOUI Consulting Grp. Inc., B-413703.9, Aug. 28, 2017, 2017 CPD ¶ 277.
  • Successful protest challenging the Department of Education’s $2.8 billion procurement of debt collection services, securing a TRO and Preliminary Injunction blocking the government from beginning performance under the protested contracts and from transferring to other contracts any work intended to be performed under the disputed procurement. As a result of this victory, the government agreed to undertake corrective action by amending the solicitation, accepting revised proposals and conducting new evaluations. Continental Servs. Grp. Inc. v. United States, 132 Fed. Cl. 191 (May 2, 2017).
  • Successful defense against a protest of a $12 million Department of Agriculture award, challenging the past performance evaluation. Ameritac Inc, B-413611, B- 413611.2, Nov. 28, 2016, 2016 CPD ¶ 354.
  • Successful defense against a protest of a $7 million Air Force award, challenging the technical evaluation and price realism. OSI Vision, B-414067, Nov. 21, 2016, 2016.
  • Successful protest challenging award of $65 million Army contract to operate a training facility, resulting in corrective action. Systems Plus Inc., B-413323.1, July 22, 2016.
  • Successful protest challenging award of $105 million Air Force contract for B-52 training systems, resulting in corrective action. CymSTAR Services LLC, B-412957.2 & .3, Apr. 26, 2016.
  • Successful protest challenging the Navy’s decision to exclude our client from participating in Phase II of an acquisition for an approximately $90 million design/build construction contract, resulting in corrective action. Consigli ECC LLC, B- 412923, Apr. 13, 2016.
  • Successful defense against protest of $88 million Navy award, defending against claims that the agency failed to properly evaluate the protester’s technical and cost proposals. All Native Inc., B-411693, B-411693.2, B-411693.3, Oct. 5, 2015, 2015 CPD ¶ 337.
  • Successful protest challenging a small business set-aside decision by the Defense Logistics Agency, resulting in corrective action which will allow our client to compete for this acquisition. Madison Research Corporation, Kratos Defense, B-411761, July 22, 2015.
  • Successful protest of $64 million award for the Marine Corps Acquisition, Logistics, and Administration Support Services for the Program Manager, Advanced Amphibious Assault and the Program Manager, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected programs, resulting in corrective action. Cask Techs. LLC B-411300.1, B-411300.2, Apr. 10, 2015.
  • Successful protest of $65 million Air Force award for Transient Aircraft Services, challenging the agency’s best value determination and proposal evaluations and resulting in corrective action. T Square Logistics Servs. Corp., B-411218, Mar. 30, 2015.
  • Successful protest against $20 million Navy task order contract for professional command support services, resulting in corrective action. Alutiiq Pacific LLC, B-410574, October 9, 2014.
  • Successful defense against protest of $10 million Navy award, defending against claims that the sole source award was improper and that the agency failed to consider a conflict of interest. Mustang Technical Services LLC, B- 410373, Sept. 25, 2014.
  • Successful protest against Navy multiple award task order contract (MATOC) awards with evaluated $42 million task order for in-service engineering support, resulting in corrective action, including the award of a MATOC to Alutiiq. Alutiiq Pacific LLC, B-409942, July 1, 2014.
  • Successful protest of a $37 million award for an Army information technology contract, which challenged the attribution of past performance among corporate affiliates, the reasonableness of the staffing evaluation and disparate treatment of the proposals. Alutiiq Pacific LLC, B-409584, B-409584.2, June 18, 2014, 2014 CPD ¶ 96.
  • Successful defense against protest of $18 million Army award of a bridge contract for professional administrative support services, defending claim that sole source award to 8(a) contractor was improper. HRCI–MPSC PASS LLC, B-408919, B-408919.2, Jan. 8, 2014, 2014 CPD ¶ 25.
  • Successful defense against protest of $44 million Army task order award for the construction of transient quarters and enlisted and officer dining facility in Bahrain, defending agency’s rejection of protester’s proposal for failing to meet material requirement. Contrack Int’l Inc., B-408945, B-408945.2, Dec. 27, 2013, 2013 CPD ¶ 300.
  • Successful defense against protest of $45 million Air Force award for explosive ordinance disposal support services, defending claims of an Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) and unreasonable technical and past performance evaluations. Threat Mgmt. Grp., B-407766.6, July 3, 2013, 2013 CPD ¶ 167.
  • Successful protest of $100 million Army award for professional administrative support services, which challenged the Army’s corrective action and resulted in additional corrective action, including contract award for Alutiiq. Alutiiq Pacific LLC, B-407810.3, July 17, 2013.
  • Successful protest of task order award under the Army’s Advance Contract Initiative, resulting in corrective action, including the award of the task order to ECC. Chem. Corp., B-408030, February 25, 2013.
  • Successful protest of Army award for utility infrastructure upgrades at the Afghanistan National Army Regional Military Training Center, resulting in corrective action, including a new review of ECCI’s responsibility with respect to the procurement and award of the contract to ECCI. ECC Int’l Inc., B-407856, Jan. 4, 2013.
  • Successful pre-award protest challenging solicitation requirement for the Army’s Forward Area Arming and Refueling Points, including corrective action, a new review of ECCI’s responsibility with respect to the procurement and award of the contract to ECCI. ECC Int’l Inc., B-407860, Jan. 4, 2013.
  • Successful protest of $543 million award for Department of Veterans Affairs real-time location system, challenging the agency’s best value discriminators and proposal evaluations. IBM Corporation, U.S. Federal, B- 406934, B- 406934.2, B- 406934.3, Oct. 3, 2012, 2013 CPD ¶ 89.

Professional Highlights

  • Frequent author and speaker at industry conferences, including the Navy Gold Coast Small Business Conference, the NCMA World Congress, the Society of American Military Engineers Federal Business Opportunities Symposium, the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics Annual Compliance and Ethics Institute, and the Public Contracting Institute.
  • Served as president of the Los Angeles South Bay Chapter of the National Contract Management Association.
  • Served as a lawyer in the Office of General Counsel of the U.S. Air Force before entering private practice.

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  • Associations
    • American Bar Association
    • National Contract Management Association
  • Seminars and Presentations
    • “The New Protest Playbook: Key Strategies for a Changing Legal Landscape,” Pillsbury’s 2026 West Coast Government Contracts Summit, San Diego, May 12, 2026.
    • “How Revolutionary is the FAR Overhaul?” Pillsbury’s 2026 West Coast Government Contracts Summit, San Diego, May 12, 2026.
    • “Small Business — Thriving in a Time of Scrutiny,” Pillsbury’s 2026 West Coast Government Contracts Summit, San Diego, May 12, 2026.
    • “Small Business Agency Updates and SB Firms Lessons Learned,” SAME San Diego Post Small Business Forum (SBF) / NAVFAC SW Industry Day, San Diego, February 26–27, 2026.
    • “Small Business Survival Guide: The Ever-Changing Landscape,” Pillsbury’s 2024 West Coast Government Contracts Summit, San Diego, May 16, 2024.
    • “From Missteps to Mastery: Navigating Bid Protests Through Real-World Examples,” Pillsbury’s 2024 West Coast Government Contracts Summit, San Diego, May 16, 2024.
    • “SBA – How to Maintain Your Status and Avoid Challenges,” Pillsbury’s 2023 West Coast Government Contracts Summit, San Diego, April 20, 2023.
    • “Bid Protests – Newly Activist COFC Judiciary and Agencies’ Continuing Trend Toward Corrective Action,” Pillsbury’s 2023 West Coast Government Contracts Summit, San Diego, April 20, 2023.
    • “Your Tax Dollars at Work: The Truth behind Government Contracting,” Pillsbury CLE Marathon, January 30, 2020.
    • “Engaging Navy Program Managers Using CPARS,” panel discussion, 2019 Navy Gold Coast Conference, July 26, 2019.
    • “Navigating Bid Protests in Changing Times,” Pillsbury’s 5th Annual West Coast Government Contracts Seminar, May 9, 2019.
    • Panel on Protest Updates, Pillsbury’s Fall 2017 Government Contracts Briefing, October 3, 2017.
    • Pillsbury’s Government Contracts Fall 2017 Briefing – Panel on Protest Updates (Oct. 3, 2017 – Tysons, VA).
    • “U.S. Government Contracting Compliance: Managing Supply Chain Ethics and Compliance Risk for the World’s Single Largest Buyer,” SCCE’s 16th Annual Compliance and Ethics Institute, October 17, 2017.
    • “New Administration but Same Old Story? Labor Laws, Executive Orders and Regulations Impacting the Supply Chain,” Public Contracting Institute Webinar, March 15, 2017.
    • “Small Business Administration’s New Mentor-Protégé Program,” S.A.M.E. Federal Business Opportunities Symposium, November 9, 2016.
    • “What Government Contractors Need To Know about Bid Protests,” NCMA World Congress, July 28, 2015.
    • “When Is a Small Business Not a Small Business?,” NCMA World Congress, July 28, 2015.
    • “What Every Government Contractor Needs To Know about Bid Protests,” NCMA World Congress, July 27, 2014.
    • “Bid Protests from a Small Business Perspective,” San Diego Chapter of NCMA, May 21, 2014.
    • “Recent and Pending Small Business Regulations,” San Diego S.A.M.E., January 8, 2014.
    • “Small Business Regulatory and Legislative Update,” NCMA Webinar, December 19, 2013.
    • “Debriefings – How to Maximize the Value of These Communications,” NCMA Webinar, November 21, 2013.
    • “The Service Contract Act,” Webinar, August 13, 2013.
    • “The Changing World of Small Business Contracting – 2013,” NCMA World Congress, July 22, 2013.
    • “What Every Government Contractor Needs to Know about Bid Protests,” San Diego Industry Group, June 19, 2013.
    • “Recent and Pending Small Business Regulations,” S.A.M.E. Joint Engineering Training Conference, May 23, 2013.
    • “Successful 8(a) Team Building,” National Native American 8(a) Conference, January 29, 2013.
    • “Recent and Pending Small Business Regulations,” S.A.M.E. San Diego Post, January 9, 2013.
    • “The Changing World of Small Business Contracting – 2012,” NCMA World Congress, July 30, 2012.
    • “Government vs. Commercial Contracts: Specific Comparisons between the FAR and the UCC,” San Diego Chapter of NCMA, April 18, 2012.
    • “The Changing World of Small Business Contracting,” LA Post S.A.M.E., November 8, 2011.
    • “The Changing World of Small Business Contracting – 2011,” NCMA World Congress, August 23, 2011.
    • “Legal Lessons for Small Businesses,” LA Post S.A.M.E., November 9, 2010.
    • “Legal Challenges That Small Businesses Face – And How to Respond,” San Diego NDIA, August 17, 2010.
    • “GAO Bid Protests for Contractor Personnel,” NCMA World Congress, July 20, 2010.
    • “GAO Bid Protests for Contractor Personnel,” NCMA Webinar, February 23, 2010.
    • “The Pendulum Swings Back: Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009,” NCMA, South Bay Chapter, June 9, 2009.
    • “Value Engineering Change Proposals in Government Contracting,” Lorman Education Services, July 22, 2009.
  • External Publications
    • “GAO Annual Report Shows Protesters Continue to Obtain Relief in 43 Percent of Protests,” November 25, 2014.
    • “DOL to Federal Contractors – Transgender Discrimination is Sex Discrimination,” August 25, 2014.
    • “Latest Executive Order Will Mandate Self-Disclosure of Labor Law Violations,” August 4, 2014.
    • “New Executive Order Prohibits the Federal Government and Government Contractors from Employment Discrimination against LGBT Persons,” July 24, 2014.
    • “SBA Increases Revenue-Based Size Standards for Five Years of Inflation,” June 23, 2014.
    • “President Obama Signs Two More Orders Aimed at Federal Contractor Pay Practices,” April 9, 2014.
    • “President Obama Directs Department of Labor to Revise Fair Labor Standards Act Regulations to Make Overtime Pay Available to Wider Range of Employees,” March 14, 2014.
    • “President’s Executive Order Establishing $10.10 Minimum Wage Will Have Minimal Effect,” February 18, 2014.
    • “SBA Drastically Revises Size Standards for Renewable Energy and Other Electric Utility Contracts,”January 22, 2014.
    • “GAO Annual Report Shows Protesters Achieve the Most Success with Evaluation Process-Related Protest Grounds,” January 13, 2014.
    • “Proposed Rule Cuts Time to Challenge Contractor Evaluations,” August 9, 2013.
    • “FAR Revised to Standardize the Government’s Past Performance Evaluation Information,” August 5, 2013.
    • “SBA Issues Final Rule Protecting the Workshare and Payments of Small Business Subcontractors,” July 22, 2013.
    • “SBA Issues Final Rule That Applies Substantial Damages and Penalties for Contractors That Willfully Misrepresent Their Size or Status,” July 1, 2013.
    • “SBA Makes Massive Revisions to Size Standards for Various Industries, Including Finance and Insurance,” June 25, 2013.
    • “SBA Removes Limitations on Dollar Amount for Women-Owned Small Business Set-Asides,” May 7, 2013.
    • “Proposed Rule Finally Would Update the FAR to Implement SBA’s Revisions to Its Small Business Size and Status Protest and Appeal Procedures,” March 13, 2013.
    • “FY 2013 NDAA Authorizes Mentor-Protégé Program for All Small Businesses among Significant Small Business Contracting Changes,” January 8, 2013.
    • “SBA Final Rule Creates More SBIR And STTR Opportunities for Businesses Partially Owned by Venture Capital Companies, Hedge Funds and Private Equity Firms,” January 3, 2013.
    • “COFC Disagrees with GAO Regarding VA Set-Asides,” December 3, 2012.
    • “GAO Bid Protests and Sustain Rate Increase in FY 2012,” November 14, 2012.
    • “SBA Revises Many Size Standards to Incorporate 2012 NAICS Code Revisions – Are You Affected?,” August 21, 2012.
    • “SBA Proposes Regulations Affecting Multiple Award Contracts And Bundling,” May 31, 2012.
    • “SBA Proposed Rule Would Create More SBIR and STTR Opportunities for Businesses Partially Owned by Venture Capital Companies, Hedge Funds and Private Equity Firms,” May 17, 2012.
    • “SBA Issues Final Rule to Make Significant Changes to the Size Standards for Technical, Professional and Scientific Services,” February 14, 2012.
    • “FAR Council Implements Interim Rule Authorizing Federal Agencies to Set Aside Task and Delivery Orders under Multiple Award Contracts for Small Business Concerns,” January 17, 2012.

Education

  • J.D., Harvard Law School, 1977

    B.A., University of Virginia, 1974

Admissions

  • California

    Georgia

    District of Columbia

Courts

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

    U.S. Court of Federal Claims

    U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Dick's Insights

Alert 07.02.24

U.S. District Court Enjoins Enforcement of Key Portions of DOL’s Davis-Bacon Act Rule

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas granted a preliminary injunction against sections of the U.S. Department of Labor’s recently issued Davis-Bacon Act regulation amendments. The Court enjoined the problematic sections of the rule, finding that those sections of the rule violate the Davis-Bacon Act (DBA) statutory language, the congressional intent for the scope of the Act, and the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA).

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