The Contract Disputes Act, which is often called the CDA, was created in 1979. I applies to government contracts, as long as they began on March 1, 1979, or on any date after that.
This act does not apply to civilian contracts. However, many civilian companies provide goods and services to the government, and the act was created to deal with those contracts. The dispute can be over a contract regarding one of four things:
1. The purchase of property. This does not apply to real estate, but it could apply to vehicles, manufactured products, and a whole host of other items.
2. The purchase of services. These services could be as simple as janitorial services or as complex as global transportation services.
3. The purchase of work that is to be done on real estate and government property. This could be the construction of a new building, the alteration of a building or of the land itself, the repair and maintenance of structures on the land, or anything else. The government uses a lot of companies for upkeep services and construction projects, and short-term or long-term contracts will be used.
4. Disposal of any type of personal property by the government. In this case, a contract may dictate how the disposal is to be carried out, when it is to take place, who is supposed to be paid for the service, and much more.
Working with the government can be daunting at times, but it’s important to know that the Contract Disputes Act was set up to protect both sides and help them find a resolution. Be sure you know all of your options in Colorado.
Source: Justice.gov, “70. The Contract Disputes Act,” accessed April 05, 2016
