Travis L. Mullaney

Partner

Travis helps government contractors navigate the federal procurement landscape and solve the complex problems they face on a regular basis.

Travis L. Mullaney, Partner, Arent Fox LLP

Travis has over ten years of experience assisting clients with a broad spectrum of matters arising throughout the government contracts lifecycle.

Travis helps clients take their contracts from start to finish by advising on teaming arrangements, pursuing and defending bid protests, leading subcontract negotiations, investigating and advising on compliance issues (intellectual property, small business, cybersecurity, conflicts of interest, labor issues, suspension, and debarment matters), litigating contract claims and disputes, and conducting due diligence for corporate mergers and acquisition (M&A) and other transactions.

Travis has represented clients of all sizes from small IT consulting shops to multi-billion dollar defense contractors. His diverse practice has included clients from the technology, defense, construction, energy, and aerospace industries.

Client Work

Bid Protests

Travis regularly prosecutes and defends bid protests before federal and state agencies, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC). Travis helps create opportunities for clients to secure contracts they should have won and protect contracts they were rightfully awarded. Travis utilizes established relationships with agency counsel and works cooperatively with agencies to secure the best outcome, whether through early dismissal, settlement, corrective action, outcome determination, or adjudicative determination.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Travis regularly advises on corporate transactions involving government contractors, including analyzing Foreign Ownership Control and Influence (FOCI) issues, advising on small business recertification requirements, reviewing purchase agreement terms and conditions, conducting diligence, preparing disclosure schedules, drafting consent letters, and preparing novation packages.

Internal Investigations / Suspension and Debarment / Ethics & Compliance

Travis has worked on numerous internal investigations and suspension and debarment matters for both large and small contractors, including everything from individual employees to high profile matters involving a major aerospace contractor. Travis works with debarment officials to mitigate concerns and secure less drastic means of resolution. Travis also regularly advises clients on preparation of Ethics and Compliance policies to prevent the emergence or recurrence of issues in the future and provides training to contractor personnel on ethics, compliance, and procurement issues relevant to contractors.

National Security

Travis regularly assists clients in matters that involve national security, including FOCI reviews, issues affecting personnel and facility security clearances, managing access to classified and controlled unclassified information, understanding the parameters of cybersecurity and information controls, and developing applicable policies and procedures to ensure compliance. Travis helps clients manage risk and resolve issues arising from contractor missteps that might lead to potential liability or other negative consequences. Travis is well versed in the NISPOM and is actively tracking developments with respect to Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and the restrictions on the use of equipment and services from Chinese-owned telecom providers, satellite services providers, and manufacturers of unmanned aircraft systems.

Supply Chain / Sourcing Restrictions

Travis advises contractors on issues that affect government contractor supply chains, including FAR and DFARS flow-down clauses, subcontractor and vendor obligations, domestic sourcing preferences and requirements under the Buy America Act, Buy American Act, and Trade Agreements Act, as well as compliance with restrictions on purchases of covered telecommunications equipment, foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems, foreign commercial satellite services, and hardware, software, or services developed by covered entities. 

Small Business

Travis counsels small businesses and those with which they contract on issues regarding mentor-protégé agreements, joint ventures, set-aside contracts, affiliation concerns, recertification requirements, and size protests. Travis understands the differing requirements that affect businesses with varying socioeconomic preferential status, including businesses that identify as small, small disadvantaged, woman-owned, veteran-owned, or participate in the 8(a) business development program.

Claims

Travis has helped prepare and negotiate requests for equitable adjustment and has litigated and/or resolved numerous claims and terminations before Contracting Officers, the Civilian and Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals, and the COFC.

Government Funding / Grants

Travis advises clients on the obligations and requirements that go along with government funding and investment through loans, grants, cooperative agreements, cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAs), agreements utilizing Other Transaction Authority (OTAs), and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.

Previous Work

Travis has spent his entire career providing high-quality representation to clients of major law firms. Immediately prior to joining ArentFox Schiff, Travis served as a Counsel in the Government Contracts group of a large, full-service, international law firm. Travis has also worked as an Associate and Legal Assistant at other law firms specializing in construction and energy law.

Professional Activities

Travis is a member of the American Bar Association, Public Contract Law section and regularly volunteers with the ABA Military Pro Bono Project.

Perspectives