Townsend L. Bourne

Townsend Bourne is a partner in the Government Contracts, Investigations and International Trade Practice Group in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. She also is Leader of the firm’s Aerospace, Defense & Government Services Team.

Areas of Practice

Townsend represents companies that do business with the Federal Government, either directly or through a prime contractor or reseller. She represents multiple clients in the aerospace and defense industry as well as commercial companies and cloud service providers.

Townsend specializes in matters relating to cybersecurity and data protection for government contractors, including counseling clients with regard to Department of Defense (DoD) and civilian agency security requirements, implementation of System Security Plans, negotiation of subcontractor agreements and incident response. She chairs the Coalition for Government Procurement’s Cyber and Supply Chain Security Committee, and writes and speaks frequently on cybersecurity developments affecting the Government Contracts industry.

Townsend's experience also includes complex litigation in connection with the Contract Disputes Act and the False Claims Act, bid protest actions both challenging and defending agency decisions on contract awards before the Government Accountability Office and Court of Federal Claims, claims litigation before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals and the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, investigating and preparing contractor claims and conducting internal investigations. She also helps clients navigate issues relating to multiple award contract vehicles, procurement integrity, subcontract flow-down provisions, mandatory disclosure, and contract termination and assists in negotiation of subcontracts and teaming agreements.

Honors

Washington, D.C. Rising Star, Super Lawyers, 2019-2020

Digital Media

Nota Bene Episode 39: Doing Business with the U.S. Government in an Era of Cybersecurity, Espionage and Executive Orders with Townsend Bourne

Insights

Articles

•Blockchain Tech has Numerous Applications for Defense
National Defense, 12.2019
•The Long Reach Of Section 889 (aka the Anti-Huawei Rule)
The Coalition for Government Procurement; Friday Flash, 12.06.2019
•Viewpoint: Some FAQs Answered About the New Cybersecurity Rule
National Defense, 07.03.2018
•Achieving Cyber-Fitness in 2017: Part 6-Potential Liabilities and Putting It All Together
The Government Contractor, 12.06.2017
•Achieving Cyber-Fitness in 2017: Part 5-Cyber Incident Reporting and Response
The Government Contractor, 09.13.2017
•Achieving Cyber-Fitness in 2017: Part 4-Subcontracts, Joint Ventures And Teaming Agreements
The Government Contractor, 06.14.2017
•Presidential Executive Order on Cybersecurity: No More Antiquated IT
Bloomberg Law Privacy and Security Law Report, 05.29.2017
•Achieving Cyber-Fitness in 2017: Part 3-Proving Compliance And The Role Of Third-Party Auditors
The Government Contractor, 04.05.2017
•Achieving Cyber-Fitness in 2017: Part 2-Looking Beyond The FAR And DFARS-Other Safeguarding And Reporting Requirements
The Government Contractor, 02.22.2017
•Achieving Cyber-Fitness in 2017: Part 1-Planning for Compliance
The Government Contractor, 02.01.2017
•Lots of Little Things - Recent FAR Updates
Law360, 08.19.2013
•Authored chapter, General Overview of Cloud Computing, Cloud Computing Legal Deskbook, 2013 Edition, Thomson Reuters Westlaw, 2013

Government Contracts, Investigations & International Trade Blog Posts

• Presidential Executive Orders Delegate Additional Authorities To Respond To COVID-19 Outbreak, April 1, 2020
• Presidential Executive Order Calls on HHS to Issue Priority Contracts and Allocate Scarce Medical Resources, March 20, 2020
• The True Impact of the Chinese Telecom Ban on Government Contractors, November 25, 2019
• GSA Implements Restrictions on Certain Chinese-Made Telecommunications Services and Equipment, September 27, 2019
• Effective Last Month! - DoD’s Implementation of New FAR Prohibitions on Chinese Telecommunications Equipment and Services in Government Contracts, September 5, 2019
• Effective Immediately! - FAR Amended to Include Prohibition on Chinese Telecommunications Equipment and Services in Government Contracts, August 13, 2019
• Cyber Update: DoD Contractor Cybersecurity Certification and 33 New Enhanced Controls to Combat the Advanced Persistent Threat, June 26, 2019
• New Executive Order To Further Restrict Business with Huawei and Other Foreign Adversaries Engaged in Cyber Espionage, May 20, 2019
• 'Internet of Things' Guidance to be Added to Cybersecurity Requirements for Agencies and Federal Contractors, April 29, 2019
• More Opportunities On the Horizon for Small Businesses Seeking to Sell Cloud Computing to the Government, February 27, 2019
• Recovering After the Shutdown: Proposed Legislation to Guarantee Back Pay for Government Contractors, February 1, 2019
• The List of Forbidden Products Grows: The NDAA’s Prohibitions on Use of Certain Chinese-Made Equipment, November 28, 2018
• NIST Releases Highly-Anticipated Draft Special Publication on Assessing the Security Requirements in NIST SP 800-171 for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), December 1, 2017
• Achieving Cyber-Fitness In 2017: Part 5-Cyber Incident Reporting And Response, October 26, 2017
• Achieving Cyber-Fitness In 2017: Part 4-Subcontracts, Joint Ventures And Teaming Agreements, July 27, 2017
• Achieving Cyber-Fitness In 2017: Part 2-Looking Beyond The FAR And DFARS- Other Safeguarding And Reporting Requirements, April 10, 2017
• Achieving Cyber-Fitness In 2017: Part 1-Planning For Compliance, February 28, 2017
• GAO Tackles Cybersecurity, June 30, 2016
• Potential Changes at GAO in 2016, March 29, 2016
• Suspension and Debarment: A New Government Approach, November 23, 2015
• What’s New Out There? Highlights from the Federal Register, May 20, 2014
• GAO Dismisses Protest Alleging Noncompliance with E-Verify Requirements, November 20, 2013
• Lots of Little Things - FAR Updates from the Federal Acquisition Circular, August 15, 2013
• What's New Out There? A Regulatory Update, June 26, 2013
• A New Twist On Establishing Interested Party Status At The GAO, December 9, 2011
• 'First Impression' Ruling: Court May Review the Rationality of Emails Sent By GAO Attorneys, September 19, 2011
• Objects In SBA's Mirror Are Smaller Than They Appear: A Summary Of SBA's Proposed Rule To Increase Small Business Size Standards, April 18, 2011
• Inflation Adjustment Of Acquisition-Related Thresholds In The FAR, October 7, 2010
• Precision Pine & Timber, Inc. v. United States: An Unexpected Test For Determining Breach Of The Implied Duty To Cooperate And Not To Hinder Contract Performance, April 9, 2010
• GAO Sides with Foreign Military Sales Program Contractors in Dispute Over Protest Costs, December 8, 2009
• Proposed Changes to FAR Part 45 To Add Clarity and Correction to Government Property Provisions, November 9, 2009

Eye on Privacy Blog Posts

• Feds Want New IoT Guidance to Address Security Vulnerabilities, May 22, 2019
• Year In Review: Eye on Privacy 2018, January 28, 2019
• When the U.S. Government Declares Companies Cyber-Insecure, We Should All Pay Attention, January 7, 2019
• Justice Department Creates Cyber-Digital Task Force, February 26, 2018
• NIST’s Highly-Anticipated Security Requirements Draft Impacts Government Contractors’ Treatment of CUI, December 18, 2017
• Assessing GDPR Guidelines Part II: Data Impact Assessments, December 14, 2017
• Assessing GDPR Guidelines Part I: Profiling and Automated Decision Making, December 13, 2017

Labor and Employment Law Blog Posts

• Recovering After the Shutdown: Proposed Legislation to Guarantee Back Pay for Government Contractors, January 25, 2019

Media Mentions

•Agencies, Firms Explore Applications for Blockchain Tech
ExecutiveBiz, 12.12.2019
•Huawei Ban’s Compliance Rules Too Taxing For Contractors
Law360, 11.01.2019
•ABA Section Flags Problems With DFARS/NIST Cybersecurity Guidance
The Government Contractor, 06.13.2018

Speaking Engagements

•Presenter, Cybersecurity Compliance Frameworks for Government Contracting,” National Contract Management Association’s Government Contract Management Symposium, Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia, December 3, 2018
•Presenter, FedRAMP and the Cloud; Cybersecurity Update,” Ingram Micro Federal Summit, Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor, Maryland, October 31, 2018
• FREE Popular Topics Webinar Series: DoD Cybersecurity Requirements, Public Contracting Institute, August 23, 2018

Events

•Part Two of the Federal Contractor's COVID-19 Survival Guide
04.02.2020

•Webinar - Government Use of Blockchain: What Government Contractors Need to Know
via GlobalMeet, 11.13.2019

•Advanced Employment Issues in Government Contracting
06.19.2019

•The Coalition for Government Procurement's 2019 Spring Training Conference
05.16.2019

•2019 Ingram Micro Federal Summit
04.29.2019

•Cybersecurity 2019: Regulations and Standards
Public Contracting Institute, 03.13.2019

•Cybersecurity 2019: Protecting Sensitive Information
Public Contracting Institute, 02.19.2019

•Cybersecurity 2019: Introduction and Overview
01.15.2019

•Cybersecurity Compliance Frameworks for Government Contracting
Government Contract Management Symposium, 12.03.2018

•FedRAMP and the Cloud; Cybersecurity Update
Ingram Micro Federal Summit, 10.31.2018

•FREE Popular Topics Webinar Series: DoD Cybersecurity Requirements
Public Contracting Institute, 08.23.2018

•Breach Investigation and Response Virtual Class
Cybersecurity: It Isn’t Just for Techies Anymore!, Virtual Class, 03.20.2018

•Confronting the Threat - Sharing Information and Spreading the Risk Virtual Class
Cybersecurity: It Isn’t Just for Techies Anymore!, Virtual Class, 02.20.2018

•The Cloud and FedRAMP Virtual Class
Cybersecurity: It Isn’t Just for Techies Anymore!, Virtual Class, 01.30.2018

•Regulations and Standards
Cybersecurity: It Isn’t Just for Techies Anymore!, Virtual Class, 12.19.2017

•Cybersecurity: It Isn’t Just for Techies Anymore! Virtual Class Series
Webinar, 10.31.2017

•Lunch With Your Cybersecurity Lawyer
Sheppard Mullin DC, 09.28.2017