University of Virginia Library

Law School Reviews
Contracts' Public Value

Decision making processes involved
in awarding government
defense contracts and how these
procedures can best serve the public
interest will be probed at a two-day
seminar at the University Law
School this weekend.

The government contracts seminar
on "Low Visibility Decisions
and the Public Interest," will bring
together lawyers, legal scholars,
judges, and representatives of private
industry, the military and
government agencies. A wide range
of topics will be covered, including
bid protests and decision review,
the legal standing of disappointed
contractors and whether or not
government contract decisions
should be published.

"Decisions are being made daily
affecting all defense contractors
some times with life or death results
.. which are subject to no control,
no review, and no reversal," said
Richard E. Speidel, professor of law
at the University and one of the
seminar organizers.

Supertransport Rift

"The question is can or should
these low visibility decisions, which
are often known only to immediately
interested parties, be subject
to control or review in the public
interest," he said.

"The recent controversy over
the government contract for the
$5.2 billion C-51 jet Supertransport
program is an example of decision
making and contract awarding procedures
to be explored," he noted.

The problem will be outlined
Friday morning by Judge Harold
Eventual, of the United States
Court of Appeals, District of
Columbia Circuit. Friday's seminar
will include discussions of decisions
made before and after contracts are
awarded and whether or not certain
government regulations should be
subject to review.

Participants

Among the participants on
Friday's panel discussions will be
Stephen P. Haycock, assistant general
counsel of the General Accounting
Office: Mastin G. White,
commissioner of the U.S. Court of
Claims; Richard C. Solibakke, chairman
of the armed services board of
contract appeals, and other panelists
from private law firms, industry
and the military.

Prospects Reform

On Saturday representatives
of three branches of
government will review the prospects
for reform: Herbert Roback,
staff administrator of the military
operations subcommittee of the
House of Representatives: Harry R.
Van Cleve general counsel of the
General Services Administration
and Judge Oscar H. Davis of the
U.S. Court of Claims will present
the cases for congressional, executive
and judicial responsibility.

Included in the program will be
panelists from the University's Law
School and the Judge Advocate
General's School. They will sponsor
the seminar together with the
American Bar Association. All sessions
will be in the East Hall of the
Law School.