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PilieroMazza PLLC

Antonio R. Franco

Managing Partner

Washington, DC

202.655.4154

afranco@pilieromazza.com

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Bio

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Tony has over 30 years of experience representing government contractors and commercial businesses. His practice encompasses all aspects of federal government contracting. Tony also works closely with attorneys in the Firm’s Business & Transactions Group on corporate transactions and the Labor & Employment Group to address employer-employee challenges in the highly regulated market of government contracting. Tony has also achieved an “AV Preeminent” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest peer rating, signifying many of Tony’s peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence for his legal knowledge, communication skills, and ethical standards.

Tony counsels clients on a wide range of complex legal and regulatory matters, including (i) protests and claims against the federal government; (ii) commercial and contractual disputes; (iii) investigations and compliance audits; (iv) suspension and debarment proceedings; and (v) entity formation, including joint ventures, operating agreements, and shareholder agreements.

Tony primarily represents government contractors interested in pursuing set-aside opportunities under SBA’s small business programs—the 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, and All Small Mentor-Protégé Program. He advises firms on teaming, joint ventures, and strategies to defend awards from size, status, and bid protests. Tony also assists firms in complying with the FAR and rules applicable to all small business contracting programs.  Tony’s practice also encompasses the representation of Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and their government contracting subsidiaries.

Tony is fluent in Spanish.

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Related Practice Areas

  • Government Contracts
  • False Claims Act
  • Native American Law & Tribal Advocacy
  • Bid Protests

Representative Matters

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Representative Experience

  • Represents firms of all sizes looking to structure business and teaming arrangements, joint ventures, mentor protégé agreements and other contractual relations to compete on small business and related set-asides
  • Represents contractors in bid protests before the Court of Federal Claims, GAO and procuring agencies and size protests before the SBA
  • Represents clients in suspension and debarment proceedings and the development of compliance programs
  • Handles internal investigations and voluntary and mandatory disclosures
  • Assists in-house and outside counsel who need help representing their clients in navigating the complex, highly regulated government contracting market
  • Assists in the negotiation and preparation of shareholders agreements, operating agreements and partnership arrangements to qualify under different set-aside programs
  • Assists contractors with equitable adjustment claims, disputes, and appeals
  • Works closely with the firm’s Corporate Practice Group to structure transactions to facilitate the acquisition of government contractors from the due diligence stage through the contract novation process

Insights

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Articles

  • The First 100 Days: President Biden Signs Memo on Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships, Tribal Advocate, 02.04.21
  • PilieroMazza Comments to RIN 3245-AG94, Proposed Rule on the Consolidation of Mentor Protégé Programs and Other Government Contracting Amendments, PilieroMazza Comments, 02.18.20
  • PilieroMazza Drafts Comments to RIN 3245-AG94, Proposed Rule on the Consolidation of Mentor Protégé Programs and Other Government Contracting Amendments, PilieroMazza Comments, 01.30.20
  • BLOG: Top Priorities from SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 01.20.20
  • BLOG: No More “Consent to Subcontract” for 8(a) Firms, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 12.03.19
  • Teaming Agreements: Are They Necessary or Not Worth the Effort?, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 01.10.19
  • SAM Registration Update: Notarized Letter Requirement Change and New Deadline Looming, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 06.13.18
  • The Risk of Certifying as Small Without Tax Returns, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 03.06.18
  • FAR’s Signature Requirements Strictly Enforced, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 01.17.17
  • DBE Contracting Opportunities under the Trump Administration, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 01.05.17
  • The SBA’s Two New Recertification Rules, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 08.25.16
  • The DOJ’s Enforcement of Small Business Regulations – Tony Franco, Set-Aside Alert, 06.10.16
  • The GAO’s Report on Contracting with ANC-Owned 8(a) Firms And Its Potential Impact on Tribally-Owned 8(a) Firms, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 04.27.16
  • The SBA’s Final Rule on the 8.73 Percent Inflationary Adjustment to the Monetary-based Size Standards can be Confusing, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 02.12.16
  • Timing Matters, Not Just Size When Protesting Long Term Contracts, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 12.03.15
  • Reporting Executive Compensation: What If You Don’t Report?, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 11.03.15
  • A Look At The Numbers: 2015 Government Contracting Annual Report, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 08.04.15
  • The Trade Agreements Act: An Unknown Compliance Issue for Small Businesses, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 05.15.15
  • Reporting Requirements and Diminishing Profits for Government Contractors, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 04.21.15
  • Claim Basics: Five Key Considerations for Government Contract Claims – Tony Franco, Set-Aside Alert, 01.23.15
  • Yet Another Recertification Rule, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 01.21.15
  • DOT’s New DBE Utilization Rules, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 12.12.14
  • Relying on an Affiliate for Past Performance to Win A Contract, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 10.07.14
  • What to Do When an Investigator Comes Knocking, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 08.05.14
  • The Government’s Good Faith and Fair Dealing Duty to Government Contractors – Antonio Franco, Set-Aside Alert, 03.21.14
  • Subcontracting to mentors: a growing risk? – Tony Franco, Alex Levine, Set-Aside Alert, PilieroMazza Client Alert, 06.28.13
  • Proposed Legislation Offers Potential Rewards to Small Businesses…Along With a Few Risks – Tony Franco, Set-Aside Alert, 10.26.12
  • Joint Venture Accounting – Tony Franco, Set-Aside Alert, 07.27.12
  • I Have to Do What? Hire My Competitor’s Employees? – Tony Franco, Nichole DeVries, Set-Aside Alert, 12.06.11
  • Government Contractors: Positioning for Growth in Trying Times – Tony Franco, Washington Smart CEO Magazine – White Paper, October 2011, 10.01.11

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Events

  • Realistic Steps Between Federal Partners: Winning Strategies for SDVOSB and HUBZone (Part 2 Panel),  SAME 2022 Federal Small Business Conference, 11.03.22
  • How to File a Request for Equitable Adjustment or Claim on Your Contract, SEBAC Event, 10.12.22
  • Joint Ventures – A Roadmap for Small Business Government Contractors, VA PTAC Event, 07.26.22
  • Mentor Protégé Programs, DoD MARC 2022 Summer Workshop, 07.14.22
  • Size Standards, Federal Business Survival or Not?, SAME 2021 Federal Small Business Conference , 11.19.21
  • Roadmap to Joint Venture Agreements: Legal and Accounting Considerations, 04.06.21
  • SBA’s Final Rule on SBA’s MP Program, Joint Ventures, Affiliation and 8(a) Regulations, 11.20.20
  • WEBINAR: The Value and Art of Negotiating Effective Teaming Agreements, 02.13.20
  • WEBINAR: Teaming, Subcontracting, & Joint Ventures, 11.13.19
  • Tony Franco to present “Strategies for Growth After Graduation – The End of the Line?”, 04.17.19
  • VIP Webinar – SBA Proposes Significant Changes to Its Small Business Regulations, 02.21.19
  • WEBINAR: SBA Proposes Significant Changes to Small Business Procurement: Will You Be Impacted?, 01.16.19
  • Contractor Teaming Agreements: Necessary or Not Worth it?, 12.12.18
  • Webinar: Understanding OCI Mitigation Plans, 11.07.18
  • Webinar: Strategies for Teaming Agreements, 07.24.18
  • Taking Advantage of the DBE Program in Today’s Environment, 05.24.17

View More View Less

News

  • 12 PilieroMazza Attorneys Featured in 2022 Super Lawyers, 05.03.22
  • JD Supra Again Distinguishes PilieroMazza for Government Contracting Content, 03.31.22
  • PilieroMazza Elevates 3 Attorneys to Partnership Ranks in 2022, 01.05.22
  • PilieroMazza Earns #1 Spot for Government Contracts Thought Leadership on JD Supra, 04.01.21
  • PilieroMazza Builds on Strategic Plan for the Future, 01.05.21
  • PilieroMazza Sponsors Housing and Services for Adults with Mental Illness, 10.02.20
  • Tony Franco Comments on SBA’s Procurement Scorecard for Law360, 09.01.20
  • ANNOUNCEMENT: Tony Franco Joins MCCC Board of Directors and Executive Committee as General Counsel, 06.16.20
  • PilieroMazza Adds Attorneys to List of Super Lawyers®, 05.07.20
  • PilieroMazza’s Response to the COVID-19 Crisis, 03.16.20

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Credentials

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Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1986
  • Tulane University, B.A., 1983, cum laude
  • University of Madrid, Junior Year Abroad Honors Program, 1982

Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • Maryland
  • Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
  • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland

Honors

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Honors

MartinDale Hubble AV Preeminent Peer Related for Highest Level of Professional Excellence 2018 Badge

AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating

Rated by Super Lawyers Antonio Franco SuperLawyers.com

District of Columbia Super Lawyer®, Government Contracts, 2018-Present

Bio Representative Matters Insights Credentials Honors

Tony has over 30 years of experience representing government contractors and commercial businesses. His practice encompasses all aspects of federal government contracting. Tony also works closely with attorneys in the Firm’s Business & Transactions Group on corporate transactions and the Labor & Employment Group to address employer-employee challenges in the highly regulated market of government contracting. Tony has also achieved an “AV Preeminent” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest peer rating, signifying many of Tony’s peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence for his legal knowledge, communication skills, and ethical standards.

Tony counsels clients on a wide range of complex legal and regulatory matters, including (i) protests and claims against the federal government; (ii) commercial and contractual disputes; (iii) investigations and compliance audits; (iv) suspension and debarment proceedings; and (v) entity formation, including joint ventures, operating agreements, and shareholder agreements.

Tony primarily represents government contractors interested in pursuing set-aside opportunities under SBA’s small business programs—the 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, and All Small Mentor-Protégé Program. He advises firms on teaming, joint ventures, and strategies to defend awards from size, status, and bid protests. Tony also assists firms in complying with the FAR and rules applicable to all small business contracting programs.  Tony’s practice also encompasses the representation of Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and their government contracting subsidiaries.

Tony is fluent in Spanish.

Read More Read Less

Related Practice Areas

  • Government Contracts
  • False Claims Act
  • Native American Law & Tribal Advocacy
  • Bid Protests

Representative Experience

  • Represents firms of all sizes looking to structure business and teaming arrangements, joint ventures, mentor protégé agreements and other contractual relations to compete on small business and related set-asides
  • Represents contractors in bid protests before the Court of Federal Claims, GAO and procuring agencies and size protests before the SBA
  • Represents clients in suspension and debarment proceedings and the development of compliance programs
  • Handles internal investigations and voluntary and mandatory disclosures
  • Assists in-house and outside counsel who need help representing their clients in navigating the complex, highly regulated government contracting market
  • Assists in the negotiation and preparation of shareholders agreements, operating agreements and partnership arrangements to qualify under different set-aside programs
  • Assists contractors with equitable adjustment claims, disputes, and appeals
  • Works closely with the firm’s Corporate Practice Group to structure transactions to facilitate the acquisition of government contractors from the due diligence stage through the contract novation process

Articles

  • The First 100 Days: President Biden Signs Memo on Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships, Tribal Advocate, 02.04.21
  • PilieroMazza Comments to RIN 3245-AG94, Proposed Rule on the Consolidation of Mentor Protégé Programs and Other Government Contracting Amendments, PilieroMazza Comments, 02.18.20
  • PilieroMazza Drafts Comments to RIN 3245-AG94, Proposed Rule on the Consolidation of Mentor Protégé Programs and Other Government Contracting Amendments, PilieroMazza Comments, 01.30.20
  • BLOG: Top Priorities from SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 01.20.20
  • BLOG: No More “Consent to Subcontract” for 8(a) Firms, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 12.03.19
  • Teaming Agreements: Are They Necessary or Not Worth the Effort?, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 01.10.19
  • SAM Registration Update: Notarized Letter Requirement Change and New Deadline Looming, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 06.13.18
  • The Risk of Certifying as Small Without Tax Returns, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 03.06.18
  • FAR’s Signature Requirements Strictly Enforced, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 01.17.17
  • DBE Contracting Opportunities under the Trump Administration, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 01.05.17
  • The SBA’s Two New Recertification Rules, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 08.25.16
  • The DOJ’s Enforcement of Small Business Regulations – Tony Franco, Set-Aside Alert, 06.10.16
  • The GAO’s Report on Contracting with ANC-Owned 8(a) Firms And Its Potential Impact on Tribally-Owned 8(a) Firms, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 04.27.16
  • The SBA’s Final Rule on the 8.73 Percent Inflationary Adjustment to the Monetary-based Size Standards can be Confusing, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 02.12.16
  • Timing Matters, Not Just Size When Protesting Long Term Contracts, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 12.03.15
  • Reporting Executive Compensation: What If You Don’t Report?, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 11.03.15
  • A Look At The Numbers: 2015 Government Contracting Annual Report, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 08.04.15
  • The Trade Agreements Act: An Unknown Compliance Issue for Small Businesses, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 05.15.15
  • Reporting Requirements and Diminishing Profits for Government Contractors, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 04.21.15
  • Claim Basics: Five Key Considerations for Government Contract Claims – Tony Franco, Set-Aside Alert, 01.23.15
  • Yet Another Recertification Rule, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 01.21.15
  • DOT’s New DBE Utilization Rules, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 12.12.14
  • Relying on an Affiliate for Past Performance to Win A Contract, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 10.07.14
  • What to Do When an Investigator Comes Knocking, The PM Legal Minute Blog, 08.05.14
  • The Government’s Good Faith and Fair Dealing Duty to Government Contractors – Antonio Franco, Set-Aside Alert, 03.21.14
  • Subcontracting to mentors: a growing risk? – Tony Franco, Alex Levine, Set-Aside Alert, PilieroMazza Client Alert, 06.28.13
  • Proposed Legislation Offers Potential Rewards to Small Businesses…Along With a Few Risks – Tony Franco, Set-Aside Alert, 10.26.12
  • Joint Venture Accounting – Tony Franco, Set-Aside Alert, 07.27.12
  • I Have to Do What? Hire My Competitor’s Employees? – Tony Franco, Nichole DeVries, Set-Aside Alert, 12.06.11
  • Government Contractors: Positioning for Growth in Trying Times – Tony Franco, Washington Smart CEO Magazine – White Paper, October 2011, 10.01.11

View More View Less

Events

  • Realistic Steps Between Federal Partners: Winning Strategies for SDVOSB and HUBZone (Part 2 Panel),  SAME 2022 Federal Small Business Conference, 11.03.22
  • How to File a Request for Equitable Adjustment or Claim on Your Contract, SEBAC Event, 10.12.22
  • Joint Ventures – A Roadmap for Small Business Government Contractors, VA PTAC Event, 07.26.22
  • Mentor Protégé Programs, DoD MARC 2022 Summer Workshop, 07.14.22
  • Size Standards, Federal Business Survival or Not?, SAME 2021 Federal Small Business Conference , 11.19.21
  • Roadmap to Joint Venture Agreements: Legal and Accounting Considerations, 04.06.21
  • SBA’s Final Rule on SBA’s MP Program, Joint Ventures, Affiliation and 8(a) Regulations, 11.20.20
  • WEBINAR: The Value and Art of Negotiating Effective Teaming Agreements, 02.13.20
  • WEBINAR: Teaming, Subcontracting, & Joint Ventures, 11.13.19
  • Tony Franco to present “Strategies for Growth After Graduation – The End of the Line?”, 04.17.19
  • VIP Webinar – SBA Proposes Significant Changes to Its Small Business Regulations, 02.21.19
  • WEBINAR: SBA Proposes Significant Changes to Small Business Procurement: Will You Be Impacted?, 01.16.19
  • Contractor Teaming Agreements: Necessary or Not Worth it?, 12.12.18
  • Webinar: Understanding OCI Mitigation Plans, 11.07.18
  • Webinar: Strategies for Teaming Agreements, 07.24.18
  • Taking Advantage of the DBE Program in Today’s Environment, 05.24.17

View More View Less

News

  • 12 PilieroMazza Attorneys Featured in 2022 Super Lawyers, 05.03.22
  • JD Supra Again Distinguishes PilieroMazza for Government Contracting Content, 03.31.22
  • PilieroMazza Elevates 3 Attorneys to Partnership Ranks in 2022, 01.05.22
  • PilieroMazza Earns #1 Spot for Government Contracts Thought Leadership on JD Supra, 04.01.21
  • PilieroMazza Builds on Strategic Plan for the Future, 01.05.21
  • PilieroMazza Sponsors Housing and Services for Adults with Mental Illness, 10.02.20
  • Tony Franco Comments on SBA’s Procurement Scorecard for Law360, 09.01.20
  • ANNOUNCEMENT: Tony Franco Joins MCCC Board of Directors and Executive Committee as General Counsel, 06.16.20
  • PilieroMazza Adds Attorneys to List of Super Lawyers®, 05.07.20
  • PilieroMazza’s Response to the COVID-19 Crisis, 03.16.20

View More View Less

Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1986
  • Tulane University, B.A., 1983, cum laude
  • University of Madrid, Junior Year Abroad Honors Program, 1982

Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • Maryland
  • Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
  • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland

Honors

MartinDale Hubble AV Preeminent Peer Related for Highest Level of Professional Excellence 2018 Badge

AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating

Rated by Super Lawyers Antonio Franco SuperLawyers.com

District of Columbia Super Lawyer®, Government Contracts, 2018-Present

  • About Us
  • People
  • Services
  • Insights
  • Join Us!
  • Contact Us
  • PM Staff

Washington, DC
1001 G Street NW
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20001

202.857.1000

Boulder, CO
1434 Spruce Street
Suite 100
Boulder, CO 80302

303.501.1300

Annapolis, MD
1910 Towne Centre Boulevard
Suite 250
Annapolis, MD 21401

410.500.5551

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