On March 25, two committees in the House—the Small Business and Armed Services Committees—took action on AGC-supported construction procurement reform legislation. The House Small Business Committee unanimously approved a construction procurement reform bill and the House Armed Services Committee introduced a Department of Defense-specific procurement reform bill that would both:
- Improve reporting of federal agency contract bundling and consolation in an effort to increase contracts let and thereby providing more full and open competition; and
- Prevent small business construction contractors from having to purchase manufactured goods—like fixings, furniture, equipment, steel and drywall—from only small business manufacturers. This legislation comes from a recent court decision, which left an opening in a current rule that has previously applied only to contracts for goods to also apply that rule to contracts for services, including construction.
In addition, the House Small Business Committee approved bill would: (1) help prohibit reverse auctions for federal construction services contracts; and (2) prevent agencies from eliminating joint venture or teaming arrangements where the companies within the entities have no prior past or relevant experience together as such a specific entity. The House Armed Services Committee bill would also (1) help ensure increased and permanent funding for acquisition workforce training; and (2) encourage military personnel to join the acquisition workforce.
AGC testifiedin favor of many of these construction procurement reform before the House Small Business Committee on February 12. AGC will work with members of the House Armed Services Committee to include these provisions, and other pro-construction industry procurement reforms, in the annual National Defense Authorization Act, which has passed Congress and become law each year for over 50 consecutive years.
For more information, please contact Jimmy Christianson at 703-837-5325 orchristiansonj@agc.org. Return to Top