Ashley Powers

Ashley Powers advises a broad range of government clients on compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and FAR supplement requirements, with specific expertise in supply chain and cybersecurity. She regularly advises clients on complex data rights issues, with a focus on clients in the new and emerging technology space. In addition to her counseling practice, Ms. Powers maintains an active government contracts litigation practice, representing clients in investigations, bid protests, and contract claims.  

Ms. Powers has extensive government experience, having most recently served as Senior Counsel in the Contract Law Division, Office of General Counsel, at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In that role, she developed CIA-wide supply chain and cybersecurity compliance programs and served as the agency's legal expert on these issues, including Section 889 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Ms. Powers was also the primary legal advisor with regard to the CIA's relationship with In-Q-Tel (IQT) and the agency's relationships with new and emerging technology companies more generally. Her practice included regularly advising on all aspects of the federal procurement process, focusing on data rights, organizational conflicts of interest, and Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigations. Finally, Ms. Powers served as lead counsel defending the CIA in bid protests and contract claims before the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Court of Federal Claims (COFC), and the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA). She also spent several years as an Attorney-Advisor in the Contract Law Division of the Office of General Counsel at the Department of Commerce (DOC) where she represented the Department in all aspects of government contracts-related litigation, assisted in the redevelopment of the Department's Suspension and Debarment program, and served as a legal advisor to the Department's Suspension and Debarment Official (SDO).