Compliance Stuff

  UPDATED February 20, 2025 On February 15, 2025, the director of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), in his capacity as chair of the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council (CAAC), issued a  CAAC Letter  authorizing executive agencies to deviate from existing provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and procurement practices in order to implement President Trump’s  Executive Order 14173,   Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity . This letter further clarifies the extent to which federal contractors are relieved from all obligations that applied under the now-revoked Executive Order 11246, including the maintenance of affirmative action programs for women and minorities and all related requirements established by the rules promulgated pursuant to Executive Order 11246. The letter first instructs the executive agencies to exclude from new solicitations or contracts the following clauses that have been in use to...

  On November 29, 2024, a proposal was issued in the  Federal Register  to change thresholds  regarding  laws enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs ( OFCCP )  and other agencies .  This proposal would affect Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 503) and the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA)  among other laws .   FAR Council Action   The proposal to change thresholds was made by the  Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council . The FAR Council includes representatives of the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and NASA. The FAR Council controls the federal acquisition regulations (FARs), which govern much of the procurement of products and services done by the federal government.   The Federal Register notice issued by the FAR Council affects many federal agencies and programs. The FAR Council is requir...