Eric S. Crusius

Eric Crusius is a Tysons attorney who focuses his practice on a wide range of government contract (GovCon) matters, including bid protests, claims and disputes, compliance issues and sub-prime issues.

Mr. Crusius has extensive experience in government contract litigation, including successfully prosecuting and intervening in numerous bid protests before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (USCFC), U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), boards of contract appeals and other federal agencies. He counsels clients regarding the Service Contract Act (SCA) and other labor issues, domestic preferences, export controls, cybersecurity, subcontracting and teaming agreements, and compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and other agency regulatory requirements such as the Defense Federal Acquisition Supplement (DFARS). Mr. Crusius also represents contractors in investigations, suspension and debarment proceedings, and in federal and state courts. He also supports the firm's corporate practice and performs due diligence and compliance reviews for acquisitions and sales of entities and business units in the defense and civilian space.

Sample representations include:

• Represented a multinational Fortune 100 manufacturer with respect to issues connected with the Defense Production Act (DPA) compliance under Titles I and III
• Guided breach response plans for defense contractors following cybersecurity attacks and obtained favorable investigative outcomes following breach disclosures to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
• After trial, obtained a successful verdict that challenged a finding by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) that a security contractor violated the SCA avoiding substantial fines and a potential debarment
• Successfully removed a company from the suspension and debarment list following a criminal conviction of the company and its founder after guiding the company through a significant compliance plan
• Guided mandatory disclosures for clients resulting in no further inquiries or actions by the federal government
• Counsels contractors with unique and emerging compliance issues connected with the American Rescue Plan Act, the Chinese technology ban and supply chain compliance, autonomous transportation, offensive and defensive cybersecurity weapons, helium shortages and others

Mr. Crusius also draws on his previous experience representing internet-based companies across the globe and focuses on cybersecurity issues particular to government contractors, including counseling contractors regarding cybersecurity compliance obligations, specialized breach response requirements required by various federal agencies (including the DOD), and certifications such as the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP). He is an industry thought leader with respect to these issues having appeared on Government Matters, Federal News Network and featured at conferences to provide insight to the greater contractor community.

In addition, Mr. Crusius is well-versed in developing strategies for and managing all stages of complex multimillion-dollar litigations from commencement through trial.

Mr. Crusius' recent representative litigation matters include:

• Obtained a $3.3 million verdict in a complex government contracts trial against L-3 Communications
• Won jury trial, including punitive damages, on behalf of a government contractor in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in a case involving the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
• Won an appeal in Ohio's Ninth District Court of Appeals overturning the summary judgment decision by the trial court
• Successfully prosecuted numerous bid protests at the GAO and the USCFC, including a successful challenge of an approximately $190 million award on two separate protest grounds and a successful challenge of corrective action taken by the agency and prior adverse GAO decision
• In another protest decision at the USCFC, obtained a finding that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) acted unlawfully when structuring a $4 billion program for the sourcing and distribution of medical supplies for VA medical facilities
• Obtained a significant settlement for a government contractor against the client's former heads of business development and operation started a competing business
• In a matter alleging numerous business torts connected with false allegations that the client was selling counterfeit goods, obtained a substantial settlement during jury selection