As reported in an earlier alert and blog, on September 9, 2021, President Biden rolled out his Path Out of the Pandemic plan (the “Plan”) to combat the spread of COVID-19. Two central portions of the Plan include issuance of (1) an instruction to the Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue a directive that requires companies with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforces are either fully vaccinated or their workers test negative for COVID-19 on a weekly basis before coming to work, and (2) an Executive Order on Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors (EO) that requires that covered government contractors and subcontractors at any tier comply with all guidance published by the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (or the “Task Force”) that is determined to “promote economy and efficiency in Federal contracting” by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, for those contractor or subcontractor workplace locations where individuals are “working on or in connection with a Federal Government contract or contract-like instrument.”
Continue Reading Executive Order on Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors – COVID Task Force Guidance Issued and Opportunity to Comment Available
Helping individuals, companies, and organizations understand key legal and practical considerations for promoting compliance and making better business decisions in these types of federal, state, and local government contracting matters MORE
GSA
GSA Removes All But DoD-Approved Drones from MAS Contracts
In a move that has been expected for some time, the General Services Administration (GSA) announced on January 12, 2021 that it will remove all drones (as defined by 49 U.S.C. Ch. 448) from Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contracts, except those drones approved by the Department of Defense (DoD) Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) through its…
And Still More Guidance Comes Out on Section 889 Implementation
The saga of what is prohibited and what is covered by an exception to the National Defense Authorization Act, FY 2019, Section 889 prohibition on the use or delivery of covered telecommunications and video surveillance equipment and services continues.
As reported previously, the FAR rule implementing Section 889(a)(1)(B)’s prohibitions was published on July 14, 2020…
In Case You Missed It: New Website Provides Acquisition-Related Coronavirus Information
If you’re looking for a single place to find information concerning the federal government’s response to the coronavirus that impacts contractors, the General Services Administration (GSA) recently uploaded a webpage on the acquisition.gov website that aims to deliver: https://www.acquisition.gov/coronavirus. While it is not a comprehensive source, the site includes selected links to guidance and…
Knowledge is Power . . . If You Know How to Use It
Discussions with an agency prior to submitting a final proposal can lead to a more well-informed submission by an offeror; however, such is not always the case. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) decision in Quality Control International, LLC (QCI), B-417984 (December 20, 2019) provides guidance as to how offerors should rely on information supplied by…