About Morhard & Associates

Morhard & Associates was established in 2005 by Jim Morhard who, after 26 years, decided to use his knowledge and experience to assist clients in navigating the often turbulent waters of Washington, D.C. Jim’s long and varied background in government, from the Navy Comptroller’s office to Professional Staff and eventually Chief of Staff of the Senate Appropriations Committee, make him particularly well suited to government affairs consulting, especially for clients who seek a better understanding of the budget and appropriations processes.

Morhard & Associates’ first responsibility is to our clients. We are committed to providing our clients the most comprehensive, innovative, and effective consulting services available. We are “hands-on” and proactive. We develop innovative strategies to achieve our clients’ short term goals and position them for long term success. We measure our success according to what we are able to achieve with and on behalf of our clients. Finally, we are committed to representing our clients in the most principled manner possible.

Learn about our areas of Expertise

Why choose Morhard & Associates to serve you?

• We know Committee procedure, Senate and House rules, Senate and House floor procedure, and conference procedure.
• We are familiar with Federal agencies, programs, and processes, including contracting processes.
• We know the Federal budget process. We know how Federal funds are allocated, from budget formulation to passage of spending bills. We know how Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis and scoring impacts legislation and policy.
• We understand the factors that contribute to a decision maker’s stance on an issue, and we use this understanding to guide our clients.
• We know how to analyze legislation and understand its impacts. We are expert drafters of legislation.
• In our oversight roles on Appropriations, we helped managed the day to day operations of major Federal agencies under our jurisdiction. We are able to translate this experience into understanding of our clients’ corporate structures and internal challenges.
• We have personal contacts in many corners of the Executive and Legislative branches, and at all stages of the legislative process, particularly within the budget process.
• Having served and interacted regularly with the most senior Members of the Senate and House, we are expert at taking complicated problems and issues and making them understandable to decision makers in government and the corporate world, either orally or in writing.
• We are negotiators, and we use these skills on behalf of our clients. We have negotiated outcomes for countless legislative disputes during Committee and Senate action, as well as conference agreements for more than 25 appropriations bills.
• We know how to promote and secure support for an agenda. We anticipate hurdles – legislative or political – and know how to overcome them.