Nicole is a Senior Associate  Attorney with Koprince Law, LLC. Nicole’s practice focuses exclusively on federal government contract law. In this endeavor, Nicole draws on her civil litigation experience to zealously advocate for clients in several areas of government contracts litigation, including GAO bid protests and SBA size and status protests. Nicole leverages her intensive training in legal research and writing to assist clients in transactional needs, including drafting and reviewing complex legal agreements. Nicole also utilizes her finely-tuned persuasive writing skills and polished understanding of SBA’s socioeconomic program requirements to assist clients with program admissions applications and denial appeals.  

Prior to joining Koprince Law, Nicole worked in civil litigation, where she specialized in medical malpractice, railroad collisions, wrongful-death, traumatic brain injury, and product liability. In that position, Nicole represented clients in multi-million-dollar state and federal lawsuits.

At Washburn University School of Law, Nicole served as secretary of the Washburn Intellectual Property Society. She also worked as a teaching assistant for the first-year Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing courses, and as a research assistant for the head of the Washburn Government Law Department, where her research and editing contributed to the American Bar Association’s 2017 Administrative and Regulatory Law News publication.

Nicole received her B.A. from the University of Kansas, where she dual majored in psychology and biology. Here at Koprince, Nicole relies on her technical background and proficiency in legal analysis to assist clients in navigating the intricacies of government contracts law. Nicole is a new mom to a bouncing baby boy named “Robert.” She spends most of her free time outdoors with her husband, where she enjoys hiking, kayaking, golfing, snowboarding, fishing, volunteering at an animal rescue, and playing with her own dogs, “Tanis” and “Ida May.” She is also an avid yogi and a fierce traveling kickball player. 

Nicole can be reached by telephone at (785) 200-8919 or by email at npottroff@koprince.com.

Bar Admissions

• Kansas
• Missouri

Professional Associations & Memberships

• Kansas Bar Association
• Missouri Bar Association

Education

• J.D., Washburn University School of Law
• B.A., The University of Kansas

Speaking

• “10 Myths of Selling To The Government.” Guest Presenter, 2020 The GovCast Podcast
• “Understanding and Obtaining the SBA’s WOSB and EDWOSB Certifications.” Co-Presenter, 2020 Govology Webinar
• “Buy American Act, Berry Amendment, and Trade Agreements Act.” Co-Presenter, 2020 Govology Webinar
• “Affiliations”, Co-Presenter, 2020 Iowa State University Center for Industrial Research and Service PTAC Webinar

Recent Publications

• “SBA Inspector General Says SBA’s Corrective Actions Have Effectively Resolved 8(a) Eligibility Concerns.” SmallGovCon, 2020.
• “Playing Games? GAO Requires NASA to Scratch $650 Million Contract Due to Foosball Snafu.” SmallGovCon, 2020.
• “SBA Clarifies that SBIR and STTR Programs Will Allow Successor-In-Interest Transfers of Awards.” SmallGovCon, 2020. 
• “VA CVE Verification Appeals Must be Filed at SBA, Not VA.” SmallGovCon, 2020.
• “Inspector General: SBA’s Certify.SBA.gov Platform “Has Not Accomplished Its Objectives.”  SmallGovCon, 2020. 
• “Ring Ring! GAO Sustains Protest of Awardee’s Conflict of Interest.” SmallGovCon, 2020.
• “Whose Jurisdiction is it Anyways? GAO Dismisses Size Challenge.” SmallGovCon, 2020.
• “GAO Awards Costs After Agency Unduly Delays Corrective Action.”  SmallGovCon, 2020
• “The FAR’s Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers Clause is Finally Getting the Boot.”  SmallGovCon, 2020.  
• “PPP Loans: To Take or Not To Take?”  SmallGovCon, 2020.
• “An Agency’s Broken Promise is Not GAO’s Problem.” SmallGovCon, 2020.
• “OHA Remands Area Office’s Conflicting Decision in Concurrent Size and Status Protests.” SmallGovCon, 2020.
• “DoD Warns Contractors to be Wary of Adversarial Investments during Pandemic.” SmallGovCon, 2020.  
• “Sole-Source Options for Agencies During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” SmallGovCon, 2020. 
• “8(a) Social Disadvantage Narratives: What SBA is Looking For.” SmallGovCon, 2020.     
• “It’s Not Up to Agency to Clarify Layout and Printing Errors in Proposals, Says GAO.” SmallGovCon, 2020.
• “SBA Area Office Double Counted Revenue in Denial of 8(a) Application, Says OHA.” SmallGovCon, 2020.
• “Federal Supply Schedule Acquisitions Require Price Comparisons to Determine Lowest Overall Cost, Says GAO.” SmallGovCon, 2020.
• “GAO Sustains Challenge Based on Misrepresentation of Incumbent Staff Availability.” SmallGovCon, 2020.
• “New Avenue for SBA Protests: Ostensible Subcontractor Status Protests.” SmallGovCon, 2019.
• “SBA Proposes to Remove the “Three” from the “Three-in-Two” Rule for Joint Ventures.” SmallGovCon, 2019.

Recent YouTube Videos

• “GAO Task Order Jurisdiction.”  YouTube 2020
• “8(a) Eligibility, Appealing Denials.” YouTube 2020
• “The CICA Stay of Performance.” YouTube, 2020.
• “Writing Your 8(a) Application’s Social Disadvantage Narrative: What the SBA is Looking For.” YouTube, 2019.
• “Data Rights Protection: Avoiding the Unlimited Government Rights Default.” YouTube, 2019.

Representative Matters

• Drafted numerous social disadvantage narratives for 8(a) Program applications.
• Drafted successful OHA Appeal of 8(a) Program denial.
• Drafted supplemental protest for originally-pro se protester resulting in corrective action in $40 million procurement.  
• Prepared SBA OHA Size Protest raising affiliation issues such as ostensible subcontractor affiliation.
• Drafted Intervenor Responses to SBA OHA Size Protests defending issues such as ownership and control.
• Served as primary drafter of a successful pre-award protest challenging the small business set-aside designation’s conformity with the Rule of Two.
• Participated on briefing team for GAO bid protest in a $100 million procurement challenging various issues with the agency’s evaluation.
• Served as primary drafter of numerous GAO bid protests to the terms of solicitations and contract awards.
• Prepared Intervenor Comments for GAO bid protest challenging agency awards.
• Drafted joint venture agreements for SDVOSB, VOSB, EDWOSB, WOSB, 8(a) Program, and small business set-aside procurements.
• Prepared operating agreements for small businesses and small business joint ventures focused on incorporating specific client needs while maintaining SBA regulation-compliance.