Alejandro (Alex) L. Sarria
Member
VICE CHAIR, LITIGATION
Alex Sarria is an experienced litigator and counselor with wide-ranging expertise in government contracts law. Named one of the nation's "Up and Coming" government contracts lawyers in 2023 by Chambers USA, Mr. Sarria is described by clients as a "responsive, smart" and business-focused advisor who "is able to quickly analyze issues and is extremely thorough and result-driven."
Mr. Sarria represents government contractors in high-stakes contract disputes, bid protests, False Claims Act lawsuits, and complex civil litigation arising from military operations, national security programs, and nuclear energy/environmental remediation projects. Leading government contractors also turn to Mr. Sarria to investigate allegations of procurement fraud, prepare mandatory disclosures, and defend against government investigations and audits.
In his counseling practice, Mr. Sarria advises clients on a wide range of federal procurement matters including cost allowability and cost accounting, defective pricing, Buy American Act (BAA)/Trade Agreements Act (TAA) compliance, intellectual property and data rights, supply chain (Section 889) and cybersecurity regulations (CMMC), subcontract pricing and flowdowns, commercial items and General Services Administration (GSA) schedule contracting, organizational conflicts of interest (OCIs), and business ethics and conduct requirements.
He also is recognized for his unique experience helping companies identify and mitigate their exposure to civil and tort liability and has worked with clients in numerous industries to secure liability protection and indemnification under the SAFETY Act, Public Law 85-804, the Price Anderson Act, the Defense Base Act (DBA), and FAR 52.228-7 (Insurance-Liability to Third Persons).
Representative Engagements
- Served as lead counsel in a multimillion-dollar contract termination case for one of the Department of Defense’s largest jet-fuel contractors in Afghanistan. Litigated the case before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) and obtained settlement for more than 75 percent of the amount claimed under the contract’s termination clause.
- Successfully represented one of the nation's largest energy services companies in a False Claims Act suit based on alleged violations of the Buy American Act and Trade Agreements Act on a U.S. military energy-savings performance contract.
- Successfully represented a leading pharmaceutical and life sciences contractor in an agency-level protest challenging a proposed sole-source contract award to a competitor.
- Served as lead government contracts counsel to one of world's largest engineering and professional services firms in its investigation of alleged Anti-Kickback Act violations involving a subcontractor.
- Served as lead regulatory counsel to a global munitions company in its acquisition of a U.S.-based defense contractor. Led a multidisciplinary team of Miller & Chevalier attorneys who advised on the government contracts, national security, export controls, and other regulatory aspects of the transaction.
- Successfully represented BGOV200 government contractor in a GAO bid protest of a multi-million dollar Navy procurement for base operations support at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NAS Pax River)
- Successfully represented medical claims processing contractor before GAO in a bid protest of a multi-million dollar Veterans Affairs (VA) procurement.
- Successfully represented a Washington Technology Top 100 government contractor as co-lead counsel in a $55 million Contract Disputes Act (CDA) dispute with the Army regarding the allowability of private security costs. Participated in five-week bench trial and authored briefs that resulted in complete victories for the contractor at the ASBCA and the Federal Circuit.
- Successfully represented a Washington Technology Top 100 government contractor in a wrongful employment termination suit arising from a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) environmental remediation project at the Kingston Fossil Plant in Tennessee.
- Successfully represented a Washington Technology Top 100 government contractor in a $12 million prime-subcontractor dispute litigated in U.S. District Court.
- Successfully asserted the government contractor defense on behalf of a Top 20 federal government contractor in a tort suit arising from Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) use of cargo scanning equipment at the U.S.-Mexico border.
- Represented a Washington Technology Top 100 government defense contractor in a $21 million CDA dispute with the Army over unpaid award fees. Litigated before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and obtained settlement for more than 99 percent of the claimed amount.
- Represented two Fortune 500 companies in a $2 billion class action for alleged non-payment of Defense Base Act (DBA) benefits. Successfully litigated the matter before the U.S. District Court, Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court.
- Represented a Top 10 government contractor in a high-profile products liability suit arising from the crash of a military fighter jet during a classified operation. Successfully removed the case from state to U.S. Federal Court.
- Successfully prosecuted bid protest of multimillion-dollar Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) procurement before the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
- Lead counsel in bid protest of multimillion-dollar Veterans Affairs (VA) procurement for home oxygen services before the GAO.
- Successfully prosecuted multiple bid protests of multimillion-dollar Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) procurements before the GAO.
- Successfully represented Fortune 100 company in obtaining liability protection under the SAFETY Act for its anti-terrorism security program.
- Successfully represented the first public utility in the United States to obtain liability protection under the SAFETY Act for its anti-terrorism security program.
Rankings and Recognition
- Chambers USA: Government Contracts (Nationwide), 2023
- Legal 500: Government: Government Contracts, 2021 - 2023
- Top Lawyers Under 40 Award, Hispanic National Bar Association, 2020
- Washington, DC Super Lawyers®: Rising Star, Government Contracts, 2018
Affiliations
- Co-Chair, Battlespace and Contingency Procurements Committee, Section of Public Contract Law, ABA
- Vice Chair, Contract Claims and Disputes Resolution Committee, Section of Public Contract Law, American Bar Association (ABA)
- Procurement Division & Legal Committee, National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA)
- Member, Cuban American Bar Association
Admissions
State Admissions
- District of Columbia
- Florida
Court Admissions
- United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- United States Court of Federal Claims
- United States District Court for the District of Columbia
Clerkships
- Judicial Intern, Honorable Judge Shelby Highsmith, United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, 2005
News and Events
News
Events
Speaking Engagement
Webinar: FAR Part 13 – Simplified Acquisition Procedures
Speaking Engagement
BCABA's Annual Program
Speaking Engagement
Government Contracts Webinar: Issues in Focus: Goodbye 2021! Hello 2022! What GovCons Need to Know as we Take on the New Year!
Speaking Engagement
DHG 26th Annual Government Contracting Conference
Speaking Engagement
PCI Webinar: The FAR's Extraordinary Contractual Relief & SAFETY Act Clauses
Publications
Internal Publication
A New Test for Federal Contractors: Attesting That Your Software Is Developed Securely
Internal Publication
Welcome In? The CARES Act Paid Leave Door May Be Open, But the Path to Recovery Remains Narrow and Uncertain for Most Government Contractors
Internal Publication
Buying Even More American: DoD Adopts Final Rule Increasing Buy American Domestic Content Requirements
Internal Publication