Possible new federal procurement rules under Biden administration

With the change in administration, federal contractors have been keeping an ear to the wall to determine what, if any, changes may be coming their way. In the past, Democratic administrations have leaned towards more rules and regulations. In an interview between Larry Allen and Tom Temlin on Federal News Network, Larry gives his take on what federal contractors, small business included, can expect from the incoming administration.

In the realm of small business, Larry Allen suggests that increased scrutiny may take place regarding small business conduct on non-government contracts. Specifically, how small businesses have conducted themselves in all arenas on the issues of meeting federal employment, environmental, and other laws. Additionally, with a tighter budget being forecast, the new administration may push to bundle more contracts.

The GSA has also issued a new rule clarifying lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) for non-DoD contracts. The purpose of this would be to limit the use of the LPTA contracting, which would be good news for many small business contractors. While there is certainly a place for LPTA acquisition, it has reportedly been overused for high level service contracts leading to lower-level performance. This strategy can also box out small businesses.

Author: Paul McVeigh

Source: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/acquisition/2021/01/biden-administration-could-mean-several-new-federal-procurement-rules/