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MoFo Advises Aechelon Technology on Government Contracts Matters Related to Its Sale to Shield AI

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Morrison Foerster advised Aechelon Technology, a global leader in geo-specific flight simulators and physics-based sensor AI...

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Morrison Foerster advised Aechelon Technology, a global leader in geo-specific flight simulators and physics-based sensor AI training, on government contracts aspects of its acquisition by Shield AI, a defense technology company building state-of-the-art autonomy software and aircraft and a portfolio company of Sagewind Capital, a defense and government technology-focused private equity firm. Aechelon is a leading provider of cutting-edge technology for simulation and geo-specific databases, supporting both manned and unmanned systems across all major Department of War service branches. The company's software enables hyper-realistic, physics-based synthetic environments to train both warfighters and autonomous systems. Aechelon is the simulation technology provider for the Pentagon's Joint Simulation Environment (<a href="https://www.navair.navy.mil/nawcad/jse" target="_blank">JSE</a>), which is used by the U.S. military to test and validate next-generation autonomous systems and combat aircraft. The MoFo team advising Aechelon Technology was led by government contracts partners Damien Specht and Locke Bell, national security partner James Brower and government contracts associate Nicole Giles. Read the <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sagewind-capital-announces-sale-of-aechelon-technology-to-shield-ai-302725547.html" target="_blank">press release</a>.

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Damien is a partner in the firm’s Government Contracts & Public Procurement practice. Damien represents clients in all facets of government contracts transactions, as well as regulatory counseling, subcontract and teaming agreement negotiations, contract disputes, size protests, and protests. Damien has been recognized as a leading Government Contracts lawyer by various publications. Chambers USA explains that he “is a strong choice for advising government contractors on M&A transactions,” with sources saying that he has “excellent knowledge of government contracts M&A” and that “his biggest strength is that he is very commercial, thinking about both the legal and business side of things.” National Law Journal named him a Trailblazer and found that federal lawmakers turn to him when they “need expert advice about small-business policy.”Damien has played a significant role in more than 200 government contracts transactions, representing industry leaders, private-equity firms and entrepreneurs. He also regularly serves as lead counsel in high-stakes litigation, including pre- and post-award protests at the GAO, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and state tribunals, as well as in size protests and appeals.The co-editor of books on small business litigation and government contracts transactions, Damien was a founding member of the ABA Public Contract Law Section Mergers and Acquisitions Committee and serves in the leadership of the American Bar Association Small Business & Other Socioeconomic Programs Committee. Damien has testified about procurement issues before the United States House of Representatives.<h4>GAO PUBLISHED DECISIONS</h4><ul><li>Dawson Solutions, LLC, B-418587, B-418587.2, Jun. 19, 2020, 2020 CPD ¶ 216</li><li>LATA-Atkins Technical Services, LLC, B-418602,B-418602.4, Jun. 10, 2020, 2020 WL 3265159</li><li>Inquiries, Inc., B-418486, B-418486.2, B-418486.3, May 27, 2020, 2020 WL 3034820</li><li>BEAT, LLC, B-418235, B-418235.2, Jan.30, 2020, 2020 CPD ¶ 64</li><li>Battelle Memorial Institute, B-416263.5, Jan. 23, 2020, 2020 WL 508726</li><li>ASRC Federal Data Network Technologies, LLC, B-418028; B-418028.2, Dec. 26, 2019, 2019 WL 7370424</li><li>IPKeys Technologies, LLC, B-416873.2, B-416873.3, Apr. 5, 2019, 2019 CPD ¶138</li><li>ActioNet, Inc., B-416557.4, February 27, 2019, 2019 CPD ¶ 97</li><li>Advanced Software Systems, Inc., B-414892.2, B-414892.3, B-414892.4, B-414892.5, B-414892.6, Jan. 7, 2019, 2019 CPD ¶ 51</li><li>Chenega Healthcare Services, LLC, B-416158, Jun. 4, 2018, 2018 CPD ¶ 200</li><li>Federal Acquisition Services Alliant JV, LLC, B-415406.2, B-415406.3, April 11, 2018, 2018 CPD ¶ 139</li><li>VT Halter Marine, Inc., B-415510.2, B-415510.3, B-415510.4, Jan. 24, 2018, 2018 CPD ¶ 62</li><li>OBXtek, Inc., B-415258, Dec. 12, 2017, 2017 CPD ¶ 381</li><li>Katmai Health Services, LLC, B-413816.3, Jul. 12, 2017, 2017 CPD¶ 220</li><li>Verdi Consulting, Inc., B-414103.2, B-414103.3, B-414103.4, Apr. 26, 2017, 2017 CPD ¶ 136</li><li>Threat Management Group, LLC, B-413729, Dec. 21, 2016, 2017 CPD ¶ 9</li><li>Analytic Strategies LLC; Gemini Industries, Inc.; B-413758.2, B-413758.3, Nov. 28, 2016, 2016 CPD ¶ 340</li><li>Kollsman, Inc., B-413485, B-413485.2, B-413485.3, Nov. 8, 2016, 2016 CPD ¶ 326</li><li>The Boeing Company, B-412441, Feb. 16, 2016, 2016 CPD ¶ 269</li><li>Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., B-411359; B-411359.2, Jun. 16, 2015, 2015 CPD¶ 219</li><li>IAP World Services, Inc.; EMCOR Government Services, B-407917.2, B-407917.3, B-407917.4, B-407917.5, B-407917.6, B-407917.7, 2013 CPD ¶ 171</li><li>AT&T Government Solutions, Inc. , B-406926, B-406926.2, B-406926.3, B-406926.4, B-406926.5, B-406926.6, 2013 CPD ¶ 88</li><li>Weibel Equipment, Inc., B-406888, B-406888.2, 2012 CPD ¶ 279</li><li>O'Gara Training and Services, LLC, B-404901.2, 2011 CPD ¶ 171</li><li>Harrington, Moran, Barksdale, Inc., B-401934.2, B-401934.3, 2010 CPD ¶ 231</li><li>CIGNA Government Services, LLC, B-401068.4, B-401068.5, 2010 CPD ¶ 230</li><li>ITT Corporation, Systems Division, B-310102.6, B-310102.7, B-310102.8, B-310102.9, 2010 CPD ¶ 12</li><li>FedSys, Inc., B-401453, 2009 CPD ¶ 181</li><li>Academy Facilities Management, B-401094.3, 2009 CPD ¶ 139</li><li>Honeywell Technology Solutions, Inc., B-400771; B-400771.2, 2009 CPD ¶ 49</li><li>TrailBlazer Health Enterprises, LLC, B-310801.6, B-310801.7, B-310801.10, 2013 CPD ¶ 204</li><li>Evans Security Solutions, Inc. , B-311035, 2008 CPD ¶ 58</li><li>DRS C3 Systems, LLC, B-310825; B-310825.2, 2008 CPD ¶ 103 </li></ul><h4>COFC PUBLISHED DECISIONS</h4><ul><li>AccelGov, LLC v. United States, 170 Fed. Cl. 508 (2024)</li></ul><ul><li>Acuity Edge, Inc. v. United States, 174 Fed. Cl. 46 (2024)</li></ul><ul><li>Alpine Cos., Inc. v. United States, 156 Fed. Cl. 681 (2021)</li></ul><ul><li>Navarro Rsch. & Eng’g, Inc. v. United States, 151 Fed. Cl. 184 (2020)</li></ul><ul><li>Next Phase Sols. & Servs., Inc. v. United States, 164 Fed. Cl. 15 (2023)</li></ul><ul><li>Noble Supply & Logistics LLC v. United States, 168 Fed. Cl. 439 (2023)</li></ul><ul><li>Quanterion Sols, Inc. v. United States, 157 Fed. Cl. 22 (2021)</li></ul><ul><li>HomeSource Real Estate Asset Servs. v. United States, No. 10-416 C, 94 Fed. Cl. 466 (Fed. Cl. 2010)</li><li>ACTA, LLC v. United States, No. 20-356C</li><li>Chenega Healthcare Servs., LLC v. United States, No. 18-861C, 141 Fed. Cl. 254 (Fed. Cl. 2019)</li><li>Trans Digital Techs., LLC v. United States, No. 18-121C, 138 Fed. Cl. 34 (Fed. Cl. 2018)</li><li>Precise Sys. v. United States, No. 14-1174C, 122 Fed. Cl. 263 (Fed. Cl. 2015)</li><li>Palladian Partners, Inc. v. United States, No. 14-317C, 119 Fed. Cl. 417 (Fed. Cl. 2014)</li><li>Pyramid Real Estate Servs., LLC v. United States, No. 10-599 C, 95 Fed. Cl. 613 (Fed. Cl. 2010)</li><li>Acad. Facilities Mgmt. v. United States, No. 09-302C, 87 Fed. Cl. 441 (Fed. Cl. 2009)</li><li>L-3 Communs. EOTech, Inc. v. United States, No. 08-515 C, 83 Fed. Cl. 643 (Fed. Cl. 2008)</li></ul>

Damien C. Specht

Partner

Locke is a partner in MoFo’s Government Contracts & Public Procurement practice. He has been recognized by Chambers USA for his “proficiency across the government contracts space,” with sources commending his deep experience in Intellectual Property and Data Rights.Locke counsels clients across industries through the full lifecycle of delivering technology and licensing software to U.S. federal, state, and local governments, and performing government-funded R&D through contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and other vehicles such as other transactions (OTs/OTAs), cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAs), and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. He provides strategic advice for asserting, protecting, and enforcing patents, data rights, and other intellectual property under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) and the Bayh-Dole Act, before statutory agencies such as NASA and the Department of Energy, and in engagements with OT consortia, federal laboratories, and federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs). He is a skilled negotiator of commercial and noncommercial licensing agreements, contracts and subcontracts, joint venture agreements, and teaming agreements. As a litigator, Locke represents clients in bid protests, complex contract claims, data rights challenges, patent and copyright infringement suits under 28 U.S. Code §1498, trade secrets misappropriation and reverse-FOIA disputes, and civil fraud and qui tam actions under the False Claims Act. Locke also regularly advises large and small businesses, private equity firms, and entrepreneurs on the complex government contracting and IP-related issues they face in M&A and other transactional matters.Locke has repeatedly been “Recommended for Government Contracts” by The Legal 500, and in 2024 he was ranked “Up and Coming” in Government Contracts by Chambers USA. He has also been recognized as a Rising Star by Law360 and the National Law Journal.Locke is a professorial lecturer in law at the George Washington University Law School, where he teaches Government Procurement of Intellectual Property. He is a current vice-chair and former co-chair of the Intellectual Property Committee for the American Bar Association Public Contract Law Section. Locke holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia and formerly was a patent examiner for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He earned his J.D. with honors from the George Washington University Law School, where he received the Patricia A. Tobin Government Contracts Award. Locke clerked for Judge Mary Ellen Coster Williams at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

Locke Bell

James Brower is a partner in Morrison Foerster’s Litigation Department, residing in the Washington D.C. office.James has extensive experience advising and representing clients in matters relating to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and other national security-related matters. He has worked across a variety of departments within the U.S. Federal Government, including the Defense Security Service (now the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency) within the Department of Defense and the Office of Investment Security within the Department of the Treasury. James, while with the Department of the Treasury, led the review, assessment, and investigation of over one hundred transactions and spent years handling complex filings, transactions, and policies. He also led CFIUS’s mitigation monitoring efforts and the deployment and implementation of the CFIUS Pilot Program.Directly prior to joining Morrison Foerster, James worked at a global law firm representing clients before CFIUS advising clients on various policies and processes in compliance with federal statutes, and leading engagements with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency.James received his B.A. in English as well as Government and International Politics from George Mason University, and his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School.

James Brower

Nicole Giles is an associate in the Government Contracts practice in Morrison Foerster’s Washington, D.C. office.Nicole represents government contractors on various contract matters, including mergers and acquisitions, bid protests, contract claims and disputes, and compliance issues. Before joining the firm, she worked as a government contracts associate for a leading law firm and clerked for the U.S. Civilian Board of Contract Appeals.Nicole’s experience includes advising on mergers and acquisitions involving both the purchase and sale of government contracting concerns or related assets, including performing due diligence and negotiating purchase agreements; prosecuting and defending bid protests before the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC); representing government contractors in disputes with the federal government, including appeals of contracting officer final decisions to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) and Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA); and counseling clients on various compliance issues, including those involving the Service Contract Act (SCA).Nicole graduated magna cum laude from Gettysburg College with a B.A. in History and Philosophy. She earned her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School. While in law school, Nicole served as Editor-in-Chief of the Public Contract Law Journal and served as Co-Chair of the Judges Committee for the GW Law Moot Court Board. She also interned for the Honorable Thomas C. Wheeler at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and at the Bureau of Arms Control of the U.S. Department of State.

Nicole Giles

Associate

Technology

Government Contracts + Public Procurement