CHAPTER 31 —GENERAL
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Equipment Rental
"(a)
"(1)
"(2)
"(3)
"(4)
"(b)
"(c)
"(1)
"(2)
"(d)
"(1) when the President has issued an emergency declaration or a major disaster declaration pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (
"(2) in other emergency situations if the agency head makes a determination that obtaining such equipment is necessary in order to protect human life or property; or
"(3) when otherwise authorized by law.
"(e)
"(f)
"(1)
"(2)
"(3)
"(4)
Uniform Contract Writing System Requirements
"(a)
"(1) establish uniform data standards, internal control requirements, independent verification and validation requirements, and business process rules for processing procurement requests, contracts, receipts, and invoices by the Department of Defense or other executive agencies, as applicable;
"(2) establish and maintain one or more approved electronic contract writing systems that conform with the standards, requirements, and rules established pursuant to paragraph (1); and
"(3) require the use of electronic contract writing systems approved in accordance with paragraph (2) for all contracts entered into by the Department of Defense or other executive agencies, as applicable.
"(b)
"(1) The Secretary of Defense, with respect to the Department of Defense and the military departments.
"(2) The Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy, with respect to the executive agencies other than the Department of Defense and the military departments.
"(c)
"(d)
"(e)
"(1) describe the standards, requirements, and rules established pursuant to subsection (a)(1);
"(2) identify the electronic contract writing systems approved pursuant to subsection (a)(2) and, if multiple systems are approved, explain why the use of such multiple systems is the most efficient and effective approach to meet the contract writing needs of the Federal Government; and
"(3) provide the schedule for phasing in the use of approved electronic contract writing systems in accordance with subsections (a)(3) and (d).
"(f)
"(1) The term 'appropriate committees of Congress' means—
"(A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
"(B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform [now Committee on Oversight and Accountability], and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
"(2) The term 'executive agency' has the meaning given that term in
§3101. Applicability
(a)
(b)
(1)
(A)
(B)
(2)
(c)
(1)
(A) to the Department of Defense, the Coast Guard, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; or
(B) except as provided in paragraph (2), when this division is made inapplicable pursuant to law.
(2)
(
In subsection (c)(1)(B), the words "except as provided in paragraph (2)" are added for clarity. The words "
Executive Documents
Ex. Ord. No. 13005. Empowerment Contracting
Ex. Ord. No. 13005, May 21, 1996, 61 F.R. 26069, provided:
In order to promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement, it is necessary to secure broad-based competition for Federal contracts. This broad competition is best achieved where there is an expansive pool of potential contractors capable of producing quality goods and services at competitive prices. A great and largely untapped opportunity for expanding the pool of such contractors can be found in this Nation's economically distressed communities.
Fostering growth of Federal contractors in economically distressed communities and ensuring that those contractors become viable businesses for the long term will promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement and help to empower those communities. Fostering growth of long-term viable contractors will be promoted by offering appropriate incentives to qualified businesses.
Accordingly, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 486(a) [now 121(a)] of
(a) monitor the implementation and operation of the policies and procedures developed in accordance with this order;
(b) develop a process to ensure the proper administration of the program and to reduce the potential for fraud by the intended beneficiaries of the program;
(c) develop principles and a process to evaluate the effectiveness of the policies and procedures developed in accordance with this order; and
(d) by December 1 of each year, issue a report to the President on the status and effectiveness of the program.
(a) issue rules, regulations, and guidelines necessary to implement this order, including a requirement for the periodic review of the eligibility of qualified businesses and distressed areas;
(b) draft all rules, regulations, and guidelines necessary to implement this order within 90 days of the date of this order; and
(c) ensure that all policies and procedures and all rules, regulations, and guidelines adopted and implemented in accordance with this order minimize the administrative burden on affected agencies and the procurement process.
(a) "Agency" means any authority of the United States that is an "agency" under
(b) "Area of general economic distress" shall be defined, for all urban and rural communities, as any census tract that has a poverty rate of at least 20 percent or any designated Federal Empowerment Zone, Supplemental Empowerment Zone, Enhanced Enterprise Community, or Enterprise Community. In addition, the Secretary may designate as an area of general economic distress any additional rural or Indian reservation area after considering the following factors:
(1) Unemployment rate;
(2) Degree of poverty;
(3) Extent of outmigration; and
(4) Rate of business formation and rate of business growth.
(c) "Qualified large business" means a large for-profit or not-for-profit trade or business that (1) employs a significant number of residents from the area of general economic distress; and (2) either has a significant physical presence in the area of general economic distress or has a direct impact on generating significant economic activity in the area of general economic distress.
(d) "Qualified small business" means a small for-profit or not-for-profit trade or business that (1) employs a significant number of residents from the area of general economic distress; (2) has a significant physical presence in the area of general economic distress; or (3) has a direct impact on generating significant economic activity in the area of general economic distress.
(e) "Secretary" means the Secretary of Commerce.
William J. Clinton.
Ex. Ord. No. 13627. Strengthening Protections Against Trafficking in Persons in Federal Contracts
Ex. Ord. No. 13627, Sept. 25, 2012, 77 F.R. 60029, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act (
The United States has long had a zero-tolerance policy regarding Government employees and contractor personnel engaging in any form of this criminal behavior. As the largest single purchaser of goods and services in the world, the United States Government bears a responsibility to ensure that taxpayer dollars do not contribute to trafficking in persons. By providing our Government workforce with additional tools and training to apply and enforce existing policy, and by providing additional clarity to Government contractors and subcontractors on the steps necessary to fully comply with that policy, this order will help to protect vulnerable individuals as contractors and subcontractors perform vital services and manufacture the goods procured by the United States.
In addition, the improved safeguards provided by this order to strengthen compliance with anti-trafficking laws will promote economy and efficiency in Government procurement. These safeguards, which have been largely modeled on successful practices in the private sector, will increase stability, productivity, and certainty in Federal contracting by avoiding the disruption and disarray caused by the use of trafficked labor and resulting investigative and enforcement actions.
(1) strengthen the efficacy of the Government's zero-tolerance policy on trafficking in persons by Federal contractors and subcontractors in solicitations, contracts, and subcontracts for supplies or services (including construction and commercial items), by:
(A) expressly prohibiting Federal contractors, contractor employees, subcontractors, and subcontractor employees from engaging in any of the following types of trafficking-related activities:
(i) using misleading or fraudulent recruitment practices during the recruitment of employees, such as failing to disclose basic information or making material misrepresentations regarding the key terms and conditions of employment, including wages and fringe benefits, the location of work, living conditions and housing (if employer provided or arranged), any significant costs to be charged to the employee, and, if applicable, the hazardous nature of the work;
(ii) charging employees recruitment fees;
(iii) destroying, concealing, confiscating, or otherwise denying access by an employee to the employee's identity documents, such as passports or drivers' licenses; and
(iv) for portions of contracts and subcontracts:
(I) performed outside the United States, failing to pay return transportation costs upon the end of employment, for an employee who is not a national of the country in which the work is taking place and who was brought into that country for the purpose of working on a U.S. Government contract or subcontract;
(II) not covered by subsection (a)(1)(A)(iv)(I) of this section, failing to pay return transportation costs upon the end of employment, for an employee who is not a national of the country in which the work is taking place and who was brought into that country for the purpose of working on a U.S. Government contract or subcontract, if the payment of such costs is required under existing temporary worker programs or pursuant to a written agreement with the employee; provided, however
(III) that the requirements of subsections (a)(1)(A)(iv)(I) and (II) shall not apply to:
(aa) an employee who is legally permitted to remain in the country of employment and who chooses to do so; or
(bb) an employee who is a victim of trafficking and is seeking victim services or legal redress in the country of employment, or an employee who is a witness in a trafficking-related enforcement action;
(v) other specific activities that the FAR Council identifies as directly supporting or promoting trafficking in persons, the procurement of commercial sex acts, or the use of forced labor in the performance of the contract or subcontract;
(B) requiring contractors and their subcontractors, by contract clause, to agree to cooperate fully in providing reasonable access to allow contracting agencies and other responsible enforcement agencies to conduct audits, investigations, or other actions to ascertain compliance with the TVPA, this order, or any other applicable law or regulation establishing restrictions on trafficking in persons, the procurement of commercial sex acts, or the use of forced labor; and
(C) requiring contracting officers to notify, in accordance with agency procedures, the agency's Inspector General, the agency official responsible for initiating suspension or debarment actions, and law enforcement, if appropriate, if they become aware of any activities that would justify termination under section 106(g) of the TVPA,
(2) except as provided in subsection (a)(3) of this section, ensure that provisions in solicitations and clauses in contracts and subcontracts, where the estimated value of the supplies acquired or services required to be performed outside the United States exceeds $500,000, include the following requirements pertaining to the portion of the contract or subcontract performed outside the United States:
(A) that each such contractor and subcontractor maintain a compliance plan during the performance of the contract or subcontract that is appropriate for the size and complexity of the contract or subcontract and the nature and scope of the activities performed, including the risk that the contract or subcontract will involve services or supplies susceptible to trafficking. The compliance plan shall be provided to the contracting officer upon request, and relevant contents of the plan shall be posted no later than the initiation of contract performance at the workplace and on the contractor or subcontractor's Web site (if one is maintained), and shall, at a minimum, include:
(i) an awareness program to inform employees about:
(I) the policy of ensuring that employees do not engage in trafficking in persons or related activities, including those specified in subsection (a)(1)(A) of this section, the procurement of commercial sex acts, or the use of forced labor; and
(II) the actions that will be taken against employees for violation of such policy;
(ii) a process for employees to report, without fear of retaliation, any activity that would justify termination under section 106(g) of the TVPA, or is inconsistent with the requirements of this order, or any other applicable law or regulation establishing restrictions on trafficking in persons, the procurement of commercial sex acts, or the use of forced labor;
(iii) a recruitment and wage plan that only permits the use of recruitment companies with trained employees, prohibits charging recruitment fees to the employee, and ensures that wages meet applicable host country legal requirements or explains any variance;
(iv) a housing plan, if the contractor or subcontractor intends to provide or arrange housing, that ensures that the housing meets host country housing and safety standards or explains any variance; and
(v) procedures to prevent subcontractors at any tier from engaging in trafficking in persons, including those trafficking-related activities described in subsection (a)(1)(A) of this section, and to monitor, detect, and terminate any subcontractors or subcontractor employees that have engaged in such activities; and
(B) that each such contractor and subcontractor shall certify, prior to receiving an award and annually thereafter during the term of the contract or subcontract, that:
(i) it has the compliance plan referred to in subsection (a)(2)(A) of this section in place to prevent trafficking-related activities described in section 106(g) of the TVPA and this order; and
(ii) either, to the best of its knowledge and belief, neither it nor any of its subcontractors has engaged in any such activities; or, if abuses have been found, the contractor or subcontractor has taken the appropriate remedial and referral actions;
(3) specify that the requirements in subsections (a)(2)(A) and (B) of this section shall not apply with respect to contracts or subcontracts for commercially available off-the-shelf items.
(b) Not later than 1 year after the date of this order, the member agencies of the President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF), established pursuant to section 105 of the TVPA,
(1) in consultation with appropriate management councils, such as the Chief Acquisition Officers Council, provide guidance to agencies on developing appropriate internal procedures and controls for awarding and administering Federal contracts to improve monitoring of and compliance with actions to prevent trafficking in persons, consistent with section 106 of the TVPA, including the development of methods to track the number of trafficking violations reported and remedies applied; and
(2) in consultation with the Federal Acquisition Institute and appropriate management councils, such as the Chief Acquisition Officers Council:
(A) develop methods to track the number of Federal employees trained; and
(B) implement training requirements to ensure that the Federal acquisition workforce is trained on the policies and responsibilities for combating trafficking, including on:
(i) applicable laws, regulations, and policies; and
(ii) internal controls and oversight procedures implemented by the agency, including enforcement procedures available to the agency to investigate, manage, and mitigate contractor and subcontractor trafficking violations.
(b) The member agencies of PITF shall jointly facilitate the sharing of information that may be used by acquisition, program, and other offices within agencies to evaluate where the risk of trafficking in persons may be heightened based on the nature of the work to be performed, the place of performance, and any other relevant considerations.
(1) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or
(2) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Barack Obama.
Executive Order No. 13673
Ex. Ord. No. 13673, July 31, 2014, 79 F.R. 45309, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 13683, §3, Dec. 11, 2014, 79 F.R. 75042; Ex. Ord. No. 13738, Aug. 23, 2016, 81 F.R. 58807, which related to compliance with labor laws by Federal contractors, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 13782, §1, Mar. 27, 2017, 82 F.R. 15607, set out below.
Ex. Ord. No. 13782. Revocation of Federal Contracting Executive Orders
Ex. Ord. No. 13782, Mar. 27, 2017, 82 F.R. 15607, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Donald J. Trump.
Government Contracting
Memorandum of President of the United States, Mar. 4, 2009, 74 F.R. 9755, provided:
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
The Federal Government has an overriding obligation to American taxpayers. It should perform its functions efficiently and effectively while ensuring that its actions result in the best value for the taxpayers.
Since 2001, spending on Government contracts has more than doubled, reaching over $500 billion in 2008. During this same period, there has been a significant increase in the dollars awarded without full and open competition and an increase in the dollars obligated through cost-reimbursement contracts. Between fiscal years 2000 and 2008, for example, dollars obligated under cost-reimbursement contracts nearly doubled, from $71 billion in 2000 to $135 billion in 2008. Reversing these trends away from full and open competition and toward cost-reimbursement contracts could result in savings of billions of dollars each year for the American taxpayer.
Excessive reliance by executive agencies on sole-source contracts (or contracts with a limited number of sources) and cost-reimbursement contracts creates a risk that taxpayer funds will be spent on contracts that are wasteful, inefficient, subject to misuse, or otherwise not well designed to serve the needs of the Federal Government or the interests of the American taxpayer. Reports by agency Inspectors General, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and other independent reviewing bodies have shown that noncompetitive and cost-reimbursement contracts have been misused, resulting in wasted taxpayer resources, poor contractor performance, and inadequate accountability for results.
When awarding Government contracts, the Federal Government must strive for an open and competitive process. However, executive agencies must have the flexibility to tailor contracts to carry out their missions and achieve the policy goals of the Government. In certain exigent circumstances, agencies may need to consider whether a competitive process will not accomplish the agency's mission. In such cases, the agency must ensure that the risks associated with noncompetitive contracts are minimized.
Moreover, it is essential that the Federal Government have the capacity to carry out robust and thorough management and oversight of its contracts in order to achieve programmatic goals, avoid significant overcharges, and curb wasteful spending. A GAO study last year of 95 major defense acquisitions projects found cost overruns of 26 percent, totaling $295 billion over the life of the projects. Improved contract oversight could reduce such sums significantly.
Government outsourcing for services also raises special concerns. For decades, the Federal Government has relied on the private sector for necessary commercial services used by the Government, such as transportation, food, and maintenance. Office of Management and Budget Circular A–76, first issued in 1966, was based on the reasonable premise that while inherently governmental activities should be performed by Government employees, taxpayers may receive more value for their dollars if non-inherently governmental activities that can be provided commercially are subject to the forces of competition.
However, the line between inherently governmental activities that should not be outsourced and commercial activities that may be subject to private sector competition has been blurred and inadequately defined. As a result, contractors may be performing inherently governmental functions. Agencies and departments must operate under clear rules prescribing when outsourcing is and is not appropriate.
It is the policy of the Federal Government that executive agencies shall not engage in noncompetitive contracts except in those circumstances where their use can be fully justified and where appropriate safeguards have been put in place to protect the taxpayer. In addition, there shall be a preference for fixed-price type contracts. Cost-reimbursement contracts shall be used only when circumstances do not allow the agency to define its requirements sufficiently to allow for a fixed-price type contract. Moreover, the Federal Government shall ensure that taxpayer dollars are not spent on contracts that are wasteful, inefficient, subject to misuse, or otherwise not well designed to serve the Federal Government's needs and to manage the risk associated with the goods and services being procured. The Federal Government must have sufficient capacity to manage and oversee the contracting process from start to finish, so as to ensure that taxpayer funds are spent wisely and are not subject to excessive risk. Finally, the Federal Government must ensure that those functions that are inherently governmental in nature are performed by executive agencies and are not outsourced.
I hereby direct the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in collaboration with the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Administrator of General Services, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, and the heads of such other agencies as the Director of OMB determines to be appropriate, and with the participation of appropriate management councils and program management officials, to develop and issue by July 1, 2009, Government-wide guidance to assist agencies in reviewing, and creating processes for ongoing review of, existing contracts in order to identify contracts that are wasteful, inefficient, or not otherwise likely to meet the agency's needs, and to formulate appropriate corrective action in a timely manner. Such corrective action may include modifying or canceling such contracts in a manner and to the extent consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and policy.
I further direct the Director of OMB, in collaboration with the aforementioned officials and councils, and with input from the public, to develop and issue by September 30, 2009, Government-wide guidance to:
(1) govern the appropriate use and oversight of sole-source and other types of noncompetitive contracts and to maximize the use of full and open competition and other competitive procurement processes;
(2) govern the appropriate use and oversight of all contract types, in full consideration of the agency's needs, and to minimize risk and maximize the value of Government contracts generally, consistent with the regulations to be promulgated pursuant to section 864 of
(3) assist agencies in assessing the capacity and ability of the Federal acquisition workforce to develop, manage, and oversee acquisitions appropriately; and
(4) clarify when governmental outsourcing for services is and is not appropriate, consistent with section 321 of
Executive departments and agencies shall carry out the provisions of this memorandum to the extent permitted by law. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
The Director of OMB is hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
Barack Obama.
§3102. Delegation and assignment of powers, functions, and responsibilities
(a)
(b)
(1) the head of an executive agency may delegate functions and assign responsibilities relating to procurement to any officer or employee within the agency;
(2) the heads of 2 or more executive agencies, consistent with
(3) the heads of 2 or more executive agencies may establish joint or combined offices to exercise procurement functions and responsibilities.
(
| Revised Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
|---|---|---|
| 3102 | 41:261. | June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title III, §311, as added |
§3103. Acquisition programs
(a)
(b)
(1)
(2)
(c)
(1) determine whether there is a continuing need for programs that are significantly behind schedule, over budget, or not in compliance with performance or capability requirements; and
(2) identify suitable actions to be taken, including termination, with respect to those programs.
(
| Revised Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
|---|---|---|
| 3103 | 41:263. | June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title III, §313, as added |
§3104. Small business concerns
It is the policy of Congress that a fair proportion of the total purchases and contracts for property and services for the Federal Government shall be placed with small business concerns.
(
| Revised Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
|---|---|---|
| 3104 | 41:252(b). | June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title III, §302(b), |
The word "declared" is omitted as unnecessary.
§3105. New contracts and grants and merit-based selection procedures
(a)
(1) an executive agency should not be required by legislation to award—
(A) a new contract to a specific non-Federal Government entity; or
(B) a new grant for research, development, test, or evaluation to a non-Federal Government entity; and
(2) a program, project, or technology identified in legislation be procured or awarded through merit-based selection procedures.
(b)
(1) a contract is a new contract unless the work provided for in the contract is a continuation of the work performed by the specified entity under a prior contract; and
(2) a grant is a new grant unless the work provided for in the grant is a continuation of the work performed by the specified entity under a prior grant.
(c)
(1) refers to this section;
(2) identifies the particular non-Federal Government entity involved; and
(3) states that the award to that entity is required by the provision of law in contravention of the policy set forth in subsection (a).
(d)
(
| Revised Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
|---|---|---|
| 3105(a) | 41:253(i)(1). | June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title III, §303(i), as added |
| 41:266(a). | June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title III, §316, as added |
|
| 3105(b) | 41:253(i)(3). | |
| 41:266(c). | ||
| 3105(c) | 41:253(i)(2). | |
| 41:266(b). | ||
| 3105(d) | 41:253(i)(4). | |
| 41:266(d). |
§3106. Erection, repair, or furnishing of public buildings and improvements not authorized, and certain contracts not permitted, by this division
This division does not—
(1) authorize the erection, repair, or furnishing of a public building or public improvement; or
(2) permit a contract for the construction or repair of a building, road, sidewalk, sewer, main, or similar item using procedures other than sealed-bid procedures under
(
| Revised Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
|---|---|---|
| 3106 | 41:252(c)(1). | June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title III, §302(c)(1), |
In paragraph (1), the words "but such authorization shall be required in the same manner as heretofore" are omitted as unnecessary.