Richard W. Oehler
- Firmwide Co-Chair, Government Contracts Practice
- Seattle
- Washington, D.C.
A highly experienced advisor, Rick counsels and represents companies in complex U.S. regulatory matters.
Rick Oehler advises clients in the following areas: reviews by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS); economic sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC); federal, state, and local government contract issues; U.S. export controls including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
Rick counsels numerous foreign and U.S. companies regarding the applicability of CFIUS to foreign investments in U.S. businesses and works with the transaction parties to prepare and submit CFIUS Notices and Declarations. He also assists companies in their responses to CFIUS Non-Notified Transaction inquiries and negotiates National Security Agreements with CFIUS. Rick also handles other national security matters and holds a top secret security clearance.
Rick has substantial experience in export compliance, including OFAC economic sanctions, EAR export controls, and ITAR export controls. In these areas, he has handled internal and government investigations, voluntary self-disclosures, and related counseling and compliance activities.
Contractors turn to Rick for solutions in the federal, state, and local procurement arena, including in connection with government investigations, government claims, bid protests, government contract accounting disputes, prime contractor and subcontractor litigation, Freedom of Information Act litigation, bid protests, and small business matters.
*D.C. Practice limited to representation of the public before U.S. Departments and Agencies under Rule 49(c)(2).
Areas of focus
Industries
Services
Education & Credentials
Education
- Harvard Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1976
- Dartmouth College, B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 1972
Bar and Court Admissions
-
Washington
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
Related Employment
- Faculty member, “Legal Aspects of Contracts,” University of Washington, Certificate Program in Contract Management 1992-1996
- U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, Washington, D.C., Trial Attorney, Court of Federal Claims Litigation: Experience as a Department of Justice Trial Attorney handling hundreds of multi-million dollar contracts and related lawsuits against the United States, 1978-1987
Professional Recognition
National Contract Management Association Special Award (1988-1992; 1993-1995) in recognition of serving as a faculty member for National Education Seminars
Listed in Who's Who in America
Impact
Professional Leadership
- University of Washington, Certificate Program in Contract Management, Advisory Board Member, 1991-present
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims Bar Association, Member
- American Bar Association, Public Contract Law Section
- Washington State Bar Association, Construction Law Section
- National Contract Management Association, Puget Sound Chapter
- U.S. Department of Justice Trial Advocacy Program, Lecturer
Insights
News
Professional Experience
Government Contracts
REO Solution, LLC v. United States, 125 Fed. Cl. 659 (2016)
Successfully represented Sage Acquisitions, LLC in a post-award bid protest in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims related to a substantial U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) procurement.
Size Appeal of ARNC/Bridge Consulting, LLC, SBA No. SIZ-5736 (2016)
Size Appeal of Sage Acquisitions, LLC, SBA No. SIZ-5738 (2016) (PFR)
Size Appeal of Sage Acquisitions, LLC, SBA No. SIZ-5743 (2016)
Successfully represented Sage Acquisitions, LLC in multiple SBA size protests related to a substantial U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) procurement.
Q Integrated Cos., LLC v. United States, No. 1:16-cv-00101-CFL (2016)
Successfully represented Sage Acquisitions, LLC in a post-award bid protest in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims related to a substantial U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) procurement.
Matter of Kilgore Flores Company, LLC, B-406139 (2016)
Successfully represented Armtec Countermeasures Co. as intervenor in a bid protest before the GAO regarding a U.S. Department of the Navy procurement.
Matter of FEI Company, Comp. Gen. B-408655 (2016)
Successfully represented FEI Company in a GAO protest regarding a U.S. Department of the Navy contract.
Bailey Controls Company v. City Electric Inc.
U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska
Prime contractor-subcontractor disputes.
Bayley Construction Company
Successful representation in bid protest regarding high school construction project.
Boeing v. United States
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Successfully represented contractor in CAS 402 dispute concerning the proper accounting for bid and proposal costs. 862 F.2d 290 (Fed. Cir. 1988)
Boeing v. United States
Handled more than $80 million dollars in P-3 subcontract claims against United States; obtained multimillion dollar settlement.
BWXT Hanford Company v. Fluor Hanford Inc.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
Represented plaintiff, a DOE subcontractor, on business tort and trade secret claims against the prime contractor.
Environmental Contractor Arbitration
American Arbitration Association
Represented subcontractor in an environmental dispute involving prolonged arbitration proceedings under AAA's Large, Complex Commercial Disputes Procedures.
Environmental Contractor Suspension Matter
Successfully represented contractor in EPA suspension hearing.
General Construction Company v. WSDOT
Successfully represented Guy F. Atkinson in defeating bid protest concerning WSDOT 520 Bridge Rehabilitation Project.
General Electric Co. v. WPPSS
Successfully obtained ruling that GE’s contract proposal contained trade secrets exempt from Public Disclosure Act release.
IBC/Nippon Hodo Ltd. v. United States
Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals
Successfully represented contractor regarding multi-million dollar construction claims.
IBC / TOA Corporation v. United States
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Successfully represented contractor in denying bid protest.
IBC / TOA Corporation v. United States
Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals
Successfully represented contractor in U.S. flag vessel dispute.
I-Net technologies Inc.
Successful representation of intervenor in protest of federal procurement.
Environment, Energy & Resources
California Energy General Corp. v. U.S.
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Obtained favorable settlement of contract breach and taking claims regarding geothermal leases.
CH2M HILL Remediation
Environmental remediation project disputes.
Calpine Siskiyou Geothermal Partners, L.P. v. DOE
American Arbitration Association
Obtained multimillion dollar settlement in several breach of contract actions.
Jack Young, et al. v. Environmental Chemical Corporation
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Prevailed in complex CERCLA and negligence action regarding environmental remediation project.
Klickitat Energy Partners v. DOE
American Arbitration Association
Successfully represented contracting party in $20.1 million settlement in breach of contract arbitration.
PacifiCorp v. Bonneville Power Administration
U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon
Successfully compelled Bonneville to arbitrate dispute under general transmission agreement. Subsequently, settled dispute successfully.
Pit River Tribe, et al. v. Bureau of Land Management, Calpine Corporation, et al.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
Action alleging violation of NEPA, NHPA and Sacred Site E.O. in connection with federal approval of geothermal project on federal lands.
Puget Sound Energy Inc.
Counseled Puget regarding substantial DOE energy savings contracts.
Puget Sound Energy Inc. v. Bonneville Power Administration
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Successfully mediated transmission agreement dispute.
Puget Sound Energy Inc. v. United States
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Multimillion dollar transmission agreement disputes.
United States, et al. v. Wisconsin Electric Power Company
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
Action concerning alleged violation of Clean Air Act. New Source Review rules regarding operation of coal-fired utility plants. Successfully negotiated consent decree with U.S. and State of Michigan.
Wisconsin Electric Power Co. v. United States
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Represented nuclear utility in large breach of contract claim against DOE. More than $50 million awarded to client.
Litigation
The Boeing Company v. United States
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Successfully resolved Freedom of Information Act litigation with DOD.
Consilience Software v. L&I Department
Successfully represented company in Public Records Act litigation.
Evergreen Freedom Foundation v. Locke
Successfully represented intervenor, Boeing, in denying Public Records Act disclosure of certain Boeing information.
Good, et al. v. BWXT Hanford Company
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
Counsel for government contractor in complex toxic tort lawsuit that was mediated successfully after extensive litigation.
GSAI v. Kuehne + Nagle Inc.
Successful representation of logistics company in breach of contract action.
SAGEM SA v. Lockheed Martin Corp.
Intellectual property and trade regulation disputes.
Walton Technology Inc. v. Weststar Engineering Inc.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Prime contractor-subcontractor construction project performance dispute.
Waterjet Technology Inc. v. Flow International Corporation, et al.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Patent assignment and patent infringement disputes.
Financing
ZipStorm Series C Financing
Represented ZipStorm in its $115 million Series C financing, led by Tiger Global and Madrona Venture Group.
Cabana Series A Financing
Represented Cabana in its $10M Series A Financing.