The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA) is an independent tribunal housed within the General Services Administration. The CBCA presides over various disputes involving Federal executive branch agencies. Its primary responsibility is to resolve contract disputes between government contractors and agencies under the Contract Disputes Act. 

Contract Disputes (CDA) claims paid by the Judgment Fund are reimbursed by the agency whose appropriations were used for the contract in dispute. The No FEAR Act requires agencies to reimburse the Judgment Fund for payments made on their behalf to employees, former employees, or applicants for federal employment arising out of claims of actual or alleged violations of Federal anti-discrimination laws, Federal whistleblower protection laws, and/or retaliation claims arising from the assertion of rights under those laws.

For Suits in Admiralty Act, see USDOJ’s Aviation, Space & Admiralty Litigation Section of the Torts Branch which handles aviation, space, and maritime cases and claims. “Our clients include the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, all military services including the Navy and the Coast Guard, the Maritime Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, NASA, NSA, and the Departments of State, Interior, Transportation, and Commerce.  In its admiralty practice, the Section represents the United States in the government’s role as ship-owner, regulator, and protector of the nation’s waterways and maritime resources. Its admiralty litigation concerns collisions involving U.S. vessels and warships, grounding of vessels while using U.S. government-produced charts, challenges to the boarding of vessels on the high seas during national security and drug interdiction activities, and maritime-based pollution incidents, including vessel oil spills.  Affirmative admiralty actions seek compensation for the loss of government cargo; damage to locks, dams, and natural resources; and the costs associated with maritime pollution cleanups.”

The largest settlements below for the State Department are in contract disputes, one for $62 million, and another for $4.5 million. We’ve figured out where that $62 million settlement went, have you?

Second largest settlements are in payments under the Suits in Admiralty Act; two payments in 2018 and 2019 respectively for $2.5 million and $2 million each.

There are several foreign claims, and federal tort claims in US courts related to traffic (settlements are larger than in administrative payments). Also two notable cases for Title VII Discrimination in Federal Employment, both in the District of Columbia, one with a $14K settlement and the other with $200K.

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