Kent is Vice Chair of the firm’s Transportation and International Commerce group. He practices in the surface transportation area, with emphasis on procurement, federal regulatory requirements, and transit labor.
Kent's experience in the procurement area includes providing legal counsel regarding compliance with federal competitive procurement requirements; preparation of procurement documents; preparation and negotiation of design-build contracts, construction contracts, rolling stock purchase agreements, operations and maintenance contracts, and professional services agreements; management of the procurement process; and resolution of bid protests.
In the regulatory area, Kent advises clients on a wide range of federal requirements, including Buy America, environmental regulations, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise. He also represents public transit agencies in all aspects of the development of new fixed guideway transit projects, including the development and negotiation of full funding grant agreements with the Department of Transportation, and financing plans for major capital projects.
Kent has considerable experience negotiating Section 13(c) labor protection agreements with transit unions, representing transit agencies in mediation and impasse resolution at the Department of Labor, and in arbitrations before both private arbitrators and the Department of Labor.
Kent also has experience working in all aspects of the legislative process on Capitol Hill, including preparing position papers and briefing documents, drafting legislative proposals and amendments, and preparing testimony for hearings.