While much of the focus on President Trump’s recent Executive Order on Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity (the “EO”) has been on its elimination of race and sex-based affirmative action requirements for federal contractors, another provides carries even greater potential implications. The EO also introduces new contractual obligations
government contractor
FAR Council Withdraws Proposed Contractor Pay Inquiry and Transparency Rule
Effective as of January 8, 2025, the FAR Council has withdrawn a proposed rule that would have limited federal contractors from seeking and considering information about job applicants’ compensation history and required contractors to disclose salary ranges in job postings.
The announcement states that “in light of the limited time…
POTENTIAL PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN – What Government Contractors Need To Know
A partial government shutdown may soon be upon us. According to the Washington Post, “[t]he White House and a number of federal agencies have started advanced preparations for a partial government shutdown, as President Trump and congressional Democrats appear unlikely to resolve their fight over a border wall before some government funding lapses at week’s end. ” Unlike past shutdowns, because Congress has already passed, and the President has signed, spending bills into law that apply to approximately 75% of government spending, a government shutdown will be far less extensive than those experienced in the past. If one occurs, the departments of the Interior, Agriculture, State, Housing and Urban Development, Treasury, Commerce, and Homeland Security would lose funding – and government contractors with existing contracts with those agencies could face a temporary loss of funding.
OFCCP Launches New Database to Help Contractors Identify Candidates with Disabilities and Protected Veterans and Facilitate Relationships with Organizations
On March 13, 2014, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) launched a new database (1) to help contractors find qualified workers with disabilities and veterans, and (2) to assist contractors in establishing relationships with national organizations and local community groups that have access to these workers.
Contractors can…
Expanded Whistleblower Provisions Applicable To Federal Contractors And Subcontractors Take Effect
Yesterday a significant expansion of whistleblower protections for employees of federal contractors and subcontractors took effect. The National Defense Authorization Act for 2013 (“NDAA”) extended whistleblower protections to an employee of a “contractor, subcontractor, or grantee” who makes a claim of gross mismanagement, gross waste, abuse of authority, a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety, or a violation of a law, rule, or regulation related to a federal contract. These protections do not apply to a disclosure related to an “element of the intelligence community” under the National Security Act of 1984.