Government Contracts
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Mary Kate Hunter
How to Research Government Contracts
Study Aids
The following study aids may be borrowed from the Reserve Collection at the Law Library's Circulation Desk for up to 2 hours. Older editions may be found in the Law Library stacks. For more study aids in the Law Library's collection, please consult our Study Aids guide.
Principles of Government Contracts by 
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This title is a continuation of the Government Contracts in a Nutshell titles. It provides a basic, general overview of the law of government contracts.
Government Contract Law: The Deskbook for Procurement Professionals by 
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Easy to follow outline of the issues involved in contract formation and contract administration.
(Note: the print version includes additional chapters that are not included in the online version.)
The Government Contracts Reference Book by - This link opens in a new window
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An A-Z quick-reference guide that provides definitions for more than 1500 terms, phrases, and acronyms used in government procurement. Also includes citations to relevant articles following each definition.
Legal Research Databases
- Westlaw
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Major legal database that contains both primary and secondary sources related to government contracts. Includes unique newsletters including The Nash & Cibinic Report, The Government Contractor, and Briefing Papers. Contains applicable regulations, statutes, administrative and court decisions. - VitalLaw (formerly Cheetah)
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A Wolters Kluwer database that includes a Government Contracts content area. Primary sources include statutes, regulations, administrative and court decisions. Secondary sources include the Nash & Cibinic e-Series books. Also contains a FAR Matrix Smart Chart tool that operates by either provision/clause or contract type. - Lexis
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Major legal database that contains both primary and secondary sources related to government contracts. Contains applicable regulations, statutes, administrative and court decisions.
Deciphering Acronyms and Abbreviations
Commonly Used:
- ASBCA
(Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals)
- CBCA
(Civilian Board of Contract Appeals)
- DFARS
(Department of Defense FAR Supplement)
- FAR
(Federal Acquisition Regulation)
- Fed. Cl.
(United States Court of Federal Claims)
Reference Resources:
- Acronyms and Abbreviations in Government Contracting
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- Prince's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations: A Reference Guide for Attorneys, Legal Secretaries, Paralegals, and Law Students
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- DAU Glossary of Defense Acquisition Acronyms and Terms
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Bluebook Rules
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R14.2: Rules, Regulations, and Other Publications
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T1.2: Federal Administrative and Executive Material
Interpreting Citations
Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals:
An example of an Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals decision is:
Grumman Aerospace Corp., ASBCA No. 48282, 98-2 BCA ¶ 29,943.
- Grumman Aerospace Corp. = Name
- ASBCA = Bluebook abbreviation for Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals
- No. = Bluebook abbreviation for number
- 48282 = Decision number
- 98-2 = Reporter number (first two numbers indicate year of decision)
- BCA = Bluebook abbreviation for Board of Contract Appeals Decisions
- ¶ 29,943 = Paragraph number of decision
Decisions of the Comptroller General:
Decisions may be published in either the Comptroller General's Procurement Decisions (CPD) or the Decisions of the Comptroller General of the United States (Comp. Gen.). An example of a Comptroller General's Procurement Decisions citation is:
Gemini Industries, Inc., B-281323, 99-1 CPD ¶ 22 (Comp. Gen. Jan. 25, 1999).
- Gemini Industries, Inc. = Protesting party
- B-281424 = Comptroller General file "B" number
- 99-1 = Reporter number (first two numbers indicate year of decision)
- CPD = Bluebook abbreviation for Comptroller General's Procurement Decisions
- ¶ 22 = Paragraph number of decision
- Comp. Gen. = Bluebook abbreviation for Comptroller General
- Jan. 25, 1999 = Date
An example of a Decisions of the Comptroller General of the United States citation is:
Kiewit Western Co., 65 Comp. Gen. 54 (1985).
- Kiewit Wester Co. = Protesting party
- 65 = Reporter volume number
- Comp. Gen. = Bluebook abbreviation for Decisions of the Comptroller General of the United States
- 54 = Page number where decision starts
- 1985 = Year of decision
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR):
An example of a Federal Acquisition Regulation citation is:
FAR 16.405-2.
- FAR = Federal Acquisition Regulation
- 16 = Part
- 4 = Subpart
- 05 = Section
- 2 = Subsection
To cite to a historical FAR section, include the appropriate year in the parenthetical: FAR 17.109 (2008).
Federal Claims Reporter:
An example of a cite to a decision in the Federal Claims Reporter is:
Areolease Long Beach v. United States, 31 Fed. Cl. 342 (1994).
- 31 = Reporter volume number
- Fed. Cl. = Bluebook abbreviation for Federal Claims Reporter
- 342 = Page number where decision starts
- 1994 = Year of decision