While the federal government cannot be forced to participate in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to resolve disputed claims, Bill has been highly successful in using, FAR 33.214, a little-known administrative rule, to incentivize government contracting officers to employ ADR procedures (including mediation) as early in the dispute process as possible. Under FAR 33.214, if the government contracting officer rejects a contractor’s request for ADR proceedings, the officer must provide the contractor a written explanation to explain why the circumstances fit within limited exemptions to ADR or why ADR procedures are inappropriate, which is reviewable by the judge. Government contracting officers, often reluctant to sign such a document and commit to a position so early in the process, will most often agree to engage in ADR.
Bill advises clients in countries throughout the world and has served as a paid consultant to various international corporations and chambers of commerce eager to learn the intricacies of engaging in contracting with the United States Government. Bill is a graduate of the Brandeis School of Law, Louisville, Kentucky where he was Editor-in-Chief, Louisville Law Examiner and has a B.S. in Accounting from University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland. He is admitted to the bars of the District of Columbia (1984) and Virginia (1990). CMMA is pleased to have Bill and his specialized skill set as a Neutral.
William F. Savarino
bsavarino@cmmaadr.com
Bill Savarino has been practicing Government law for 40 years focusing on matters pertaining to federal and state procurements. He started his legal career in the Contract Law Department of the U.S. Department of Commerce, following which he became a partner in the Government Contracts practice of a large national firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. To better serve clients in the small to mid-sized markets, he moved to a boutique Government Contracts firm with 12 lawyers in Washington, D.C. and Arlington, VA, named Cordatis, LLP.
One of the foremost practitioners in his specialized field, Bill’s practice includes government contracts, national security, and business transactions both domestic and international. Government Contracts practice involves counseling and litigating, both prosecuting and defending government contract claims, on behalf of contractors before the administrative Boards of Contract Appeals and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. The nature of the include construction, technology, technical data rights, interpretations, compliance, terminations, and changes.