Whitney N. Alston

Whitney Alston’s transactional practice focuses on alternative delivery projects and includes counseling clients on procurement structure, contract drafting, proposer instructions, regulatory compliance and investigations. Whitney also is a member of the Construction Claims team where she is able to utilize her background in bid protest, litigation and dispute resolution to enable her to provide advice regarding issues critical to infrastructure projects.

Earlier in her career, Whitney served as an officer in the United States Air Force.  While in the Air Force, she was a Contracting Officer executing and overseeing procurements for the federal government. Right after law school, she worked at the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Commercial Division, Government Contracts Section. Prior to joining Nossaman, Whitney worked as a government contracts associate representing government contractors against various government agencies to include the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Energy (DoE).

Experience

Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (LASCD). Provides advice and counseling to the Districts on all aspects of their construction program, including drafting new RFPs, reviewing follow on agreements, advising on amendment language.

California High-Speed Rail Authority. Serves as key team member providing contract administration and drafting advice regarding the various equipment contracts. She also helped draft procurement and contract documents.

Maryland Transit Administration and Maryland Department of Transportation – Purple Line Light Rail. Member of the contract administration team to investigate a claim by design-build contractor to draft a loss of productivity and labor inefficiencies memorandum.

Harbor Department of the City of Los Angeles (Port of Los Angeles) – Pier 500. Member of the team advising the Port of Los Angeles on the Pier 500 procurement. Draft Pre-Development Agreement, Statement of Work and other relevant procurement documents.

Santa Clara Valley Water District – Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project. Member of the team advising the District on its development of the post procurement and post contract evaluation manual for this estimated $2 Billion project.

DC Water – Bid Protest. Advise client on bid protest inquiry regarding requirements under the Environmental Protection Agency’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program.

Riverside County Transit Commission – ELPSE/ECOP. Draft and review progressive design-build construction contracts while advising client on risk allocation issues and ensuring compliance with regulatory policies and public procurement laws.

LACSD (Clearwater) – Effluent Outfall Tunnel. Provided advice on California Public Records Act issues regarding potential construction disputes.

Transportation Corridor Agency. Draft and advise on procurement agreement language and provide guidance on conflict of interest issues.

Federal Government Experience

Interpretation of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

Draft policies and develop training on ethics compliance obligations

Draft memorandums for clients regarding public official conduct requirements and hiring restrictions.

Support ethics violations and conflict of interest investigations

Draft and administer federal government contracts; bid protest and claims

Provide guidance to client regarding cyber security controls, responding to cyber security incident, assist in developing breach notice to federal government regarding incident

Represent clients in state and federal court and at administrative boards for contract disputes

Assist client with internal investigations and reviewing document production