THE ROLE OF ACQUISITION IN IMPLEMENTING SOCIAL & PUBLIC POLICY

2. THE ROLE OF ACQUISITION IN IMPLEMENTING SOCIAL & PUBLIC POLICY Breakout Session # WC10 -111 Name: The Role of Acquisition in Implementing Social and Public Policy Date: Tuesday, June 20 Time: 11:00 AM 1

3. HOT ISSUES* Pending New WOSB RULE HUBZone Statutory Preference Effects of Recovery Act on Buy American Act Compliance Issues with Service Contract Act * As addressed in Centre Consulting’s 2010 Annual Review

4. FAR Parts Addressed FAR Part 19 – Small Business Programs FAR Part 22 – Application of Labor Laws to Govt. Acquisitions FAR Part 23 – Environment, Energy & Water Efficiency, Renewable Energy Technologies, Occupational Safety & Drug-Free Workplace FAR Part 24 – Protection of Privacy and Freedom of Information FAR Part 25 – Foreign Acquisitions FAR Part 26 – Other Socioeconomic Programs

5. FAR PART 19 SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS

6. SCOPE OF FAR PART 19 Eligibility for Program Set-Asides Certificate of Competency Program Subcontracting Assistance Program Types of Small Business Concerns

7. Size Standards (FAR 19.1) Established by the SBA on an industry-by-industry basis Each NAICS code has a different size standard On 21 October 2009 SBA published proposed rule to amend size standards of five industries, part of ongoing initiative to review all size standards

8. Policy of Encouraging Small Business Participation (FAR 19.2) Govt. policy to provide maximum practicable opportunities in federal govt. contracting to small business concerns Contracting officers required to take steps to allow greater small business participation Equal low bids – preference for small business

9. Eligibility for Small Business Programs (FAR 19.3) Good faith representation at time of offer that qualifies as small business Offerors or contracting officers may protest size status

10. Set-Asides (FAR 19.5) Set-asides – the reserving of an acquisition exclusively for small business concerns. May be total or partial May be by simplified acquisition procedures, sealed bids, or competitive proposals

11. Certificate of Competency Program (FAR 19.6) Certificate of Competency (CoC) is the certificate issued by the SBA stating that its holder is responsible If question of competency, contracting officer may withhold the award or refer the matter to the cognizant Government Contracting Area Office

12. The Small Business Subcontracting Program (19.7) • Contracts for more than simplified acquisition threshold must state in contract that small business concerns will have maximum practicable opportunity to participate. • Successful offerors must submit subcontracting plan in acquisitions over $550,000.

13. Spotlight: Types of Small Business Concerns • Women-Owned • Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned • HUBZones • 8(a)

14. Women-Owned Small Businesses • Requirements – must be “small” pursuant to 13 CFR 121 and at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women • Proposed final rule published in Federal Register on 4 March 2010 establishes certification procedures for WOSBs and guidance on conducting set-asides

15. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses • Requirements – must be “small” pursuant to 13 CFR 121 and 51% or more controlled by a service-disabled veteran. Can be any degree disabled. • 2009 GAO reports found numerous problems with oversight and controls on SDVOSB program.

16. HUBZones • A “HUBZone” is a “historically underutilized business zone” • Recent CoFC Mission Critical Solutions decision (Feb. 2010) held that there is a statutory preference for HUBZones over other forms of set-asides.

17. 8(a) • Requirements – Be unconditionally owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals • Graduate from program in nine years • SBA on 28 October 2009 proposed changes to 8(a) program, including changes to the “economic disadvantage” and “ownership” requirements

18. FAR Part 22 Application of Labor Laws to Government Acquisitions

19. Basic Labor Policies (FAR 22.1) • Agencies must maintain sound relations with industry • Agencies must remain impartial • Administrating procuring office shall report any dispute or potential dispute

20. Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (FAR 22.3) • Applies to contracts using laborers and mechanics • Provides overtime pay requirements

21. Labor Standards for Contracts Involving Construction (FAR 22.4) • FAR implements statutes prescribing labor standard requirements for contracts in excess of $2,000 Examples: • Davis-Bacon Act – Provides minimum wage requirements for laborers or mechanics employed directly on the work site (40 USC §3141 et. seq.)

22. Davis-Bacon Act Wage Determinations Types: • General Wage Determination– Contains prevailing wages rates for the types of construction designated in the determination, & is used in contracts performed within a specified geographical area • Project Wage Determination – Issued at the specific request of the agency

23. Consequences for Violating Wage Determinations • Investigation • Payment withholdings • Contract terminations

24. FAR Subpart 22.4, Examples Continued… • Copeland Act – Makes it unlawful to force or intimidate an employee on a public construction contract to forfeit compensation (18 USC §874, 40 USC §3145) • Contract Work Hours Safety Standards Act – Prohibits laborers or mechanics from working on contracts for more than 40 hours unless compensated with overtime pay (1 ½) (40 U.S.C. §3701 et. seq.)

25. Walsh-Healy Public Contracts Act (FAR 22.6) • Contracts over $10,000 • Must include or incorporate by reference act stipulations pertaining to minimum wages, maximum hours, child labor, convict labor, and safe and sanitary working conditions • 41 USC §35-45

26. Equal Employment Opportunity (FAR 22.8)

27. Nondiscrimination Because of Age (FAR 22.9) • Contractors and subcontractors may not discriminate based on age • Contractors and subcontractors may not impose maximum age limit for positions • No contract clause required

28. Service Contract Act of 1965 (FAR 22.10) • Codified at 41 USC §351 et. seq. • Applies to service contracts over $2500 • Contracts must provide minimum wage and fringe benefits as determined by locality wage determination or CBA

29. Service Contract Act of 1965 (FAR 22.10) Emerging Issues and Problems

30. SCA Considerations • Answers to questions are fact-specific • Wages/fringe benefits provided by incumbent contractor – effect on successor obligations • Price Adjustments for changes to wage determinations

31. Professional Employee Compensation (FAR 22.11) • Covers bona fide executive, administrative or professional employees not covered by the SCA • Provides that all professional employees shall be compensated fairly and properly

32. FAR Part 23 Environment, Energy and Water Efficiency, Renewable Energy Technologies, Occupational Safety, and Drug-Free Workplace

33. Scope of FAR Part 23 • Ensuring a drug-free workplace • Protecting and improving the quality of the environment.

34. Energy & Water Efficiency & Renewable Energy (FAR 23.2) • Applies to acquisitions in US & outlying areas

35. Hazardous Material Identification & Material Safety Data (FAR 23.3) • Policies and procedures for acquiring deliverable items including hazardous materials • Administered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

36. Use of Recovered Materials and Biobased Products (FAR 23.4)

37. Drug-Free Workplace (FAR 23.5) • FAR implements the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-690) • Requires offerors to publish a statement notifying employees of drug-free policies and to establish an ongoing drug-free awareness program • Does not apply outside U.S.

38. FAR Part 24 Protection of Privacy and Freedom of Information

39. Privacy Act Requirements (FAR 24.1) • 5 USC §552a • When an agency contracts for a system of records on individuals on behalf of the agency to accomplish an agency function, must apply the Act to the contractor and its employees • An agency officer or employee may be criminally liable for violations of the Act.

40. Freedom of Information Act Requirements (5 USC §552a, as amended) (FAR 24.2) • Information must be made available to the public by publication in the Federal Register, providing an opportunity to read and copy records at convenient locations, or providing a copy of a reasonably described record • Some documents may not be made available – proposals, exemptions under FOIA, dispute resolution communications

41. FAR Part 25 Foreign Acquisitions

42. Scope of FAR Part 25 • FAR provides policies and procedures for acquisition of foreign supplies, services, and construction materials and contracts performed outside the United States • Implements the Buy American Act, trade agreements, and other laws and regulations

43. Buy American Act - Supplies (FAR 25.1) • Restricts the purchase of supplies that are not domestic end products, for use within the United States • Is not subject to certain trade agreements • Uses a two-part test to define “domestic end product:” • Manufactured in U.S. • Cost of domestic components exceeds 50% of the cost of all components (waived for COTS items)

44. Buy American Act – Supplies (Exceptions) • Public Interest – Agency head makes determination, applies when agency has agreement with foreign government that provides blanket exception • Nonavailability – FAR provides for both class determinations and individualized determinations

45. Buy American Act – Construction Materials (FAR 25.2) • Provides only domestic construction materials may be used in construction contracts performed in the U.S. • Applies to contracts for the construction, alteration, or repair of any public work or any public building in the U.S.

46. Buy American Act – Construction Materials (Exceptions) • If impracticable or inconsistent with the public interest • Nonavailability • Unreasonable cost • Determinations and findings - required when a determination is made to apply any of the three exceptions

47. Trade Agreements (FAR 25.4) FAR provides policies and procedures applicable to acquisitions that are covered by the WTO Government Procurement Agreement, Free Trade Agreements, least developed country designations, the Caribbean Basin Trade Initiative, Israeli Trade Act, & Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft.

48. Trade Agreement - Exceptions • Set-Asides • Acquisition of arms, national defense or national security acquisitions • Acquisition of end products for resale • Authorized acquisitions not using Full & Open Competition • Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. • Acquisitions from Non-Profits Employing People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled

49. American Recovery & Reinvestment Act – BAA – Construction (FAR 25.6) • No funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the Recovery Act may be used in public building or public work construction projects unless certain conditions met • Exceptions: nonavailability, unreasonable cost, inconsistent with public interest • Exceptions shall be listed in contract & agency head shall publish notice in Federal Register within two weeks after determination is made

50. FAR Part 26 Other Socioeconomic Programs