Profile
Melissa Paige Prusock focuses her practice on investigations, litigation, and counseling related to federal government contracts and grants. Melissa’s substantial civil and criminal government investigations experience includes representing federal contractors and award recipients in False Claims Act (FCA) matters (including qui tam actions) and Office of Inspector General (OIG) audits and investigations. Melissa also regularly represents clients in suspension and debarment proceedings, counsels clients in connection with internal investigations and mandatory disclosures, and assists clients with assessing, developing, and implementing compliance programs.
Melissa provides strategic advice to federal award recipients, including private entities and state, territorial, and local governments, on compliance with the Uniform Guidance and other requirements associated with the expenditure of federal funds. She also represents clients in bid protests before the Government Accountability Office and Court of Federal Claims, as well as in other government contracts and related litigation in various federal courts.
Concentrations
- Government investigations
- False Claims Act and qui tam defense
- Suspension, debarment and ineligibility determinations
- Development and enhancement of ethics and compliance programs
- Federal grants compliance counseling
- Bid protests
- Government contracts compliance counseling
Capabilities
Experience
- Represented clients in multiple investigations and settlements of False Claims Act allegations involving small business contracting programs.
- Represented clients in overturning, resolving or settling debarment or suspension actions, including negotiating Administrative Agreements.
- Represented individual employees of large government contractors in connection with civil and criminal investigations related to government contracts.
- Represented state and territorial governments in connection with compliance issues arising from federal grant funding received following natural disasters.
- Represented government contractors and federal program participants in connection with inspector general audits and investigations.
- Provided training to federal award recipients on Uniform Guidance.
- Represented clients as intervenors in defending FEMA award decisions in multiple procurements against protests filed at the U.S. Government Accountability Office and Court of Federal Claims.
- Represented clients in Court of Federal Claims case challenging government’s right of offset under contract and state law, resulting in $55 million judgment.
- Challenged agency's past performance evaluation in U.S. Government Accountability Office bid protest and obtained attorneys' fees for client.
- Challenged agency’s decision to exclude small business from competition due to an alleged disqualifying organizational conflict of interest and was awarded attorneys’ fees for pursuing protest by U.S. Government Accountability Office.
- Represented client as amici in ruling by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that FAR part 12’s proscription against the use of terms inconsistent with customary commercial practice applies to task and delivery orders issued under Federal Supply Schedule contracts.
- Represented government contractor in connection with dispute with government over intellectual property rights.
- Represented client in connection with dispute over exercise of options under GSA Schedule Contract.
- Intern, U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, 2013-2014
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, "Ones to Watch," Government Relations Practice, 2025
- Listed, The Legal 500 United States, Government - Government contracts, 2024
- Member, Federal Circuit Bar Association
- Member, American Bar Association, Public Contracts Law Section
- Vice Chair, Debarment and Suspension Committee, 2022-2024
- Co-Chair, Grant Law Committee, 2023-2024
- Vice Chair, 2022-2023
- Vice Chair, Procurement Fraud and False Claims Committee, 2022-2024
Credentials
- J.D., cum laude, Boston University School of Law, 2014
- B.A., summa cum laude, Tufts University, 2010
- District of Columbia
- New York
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York