Peters and Ernst Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Federal Contracting Process Advances in the Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) to streamline procedures for the solicitation and awarding of task and delivery order contracts for agencies across the federal government has advanced in the Senate. The bill will slim down the procurement process for contractors bidding on work as well as for the government, ensuring necessary due diligence is done while allowing awards to be made faster and to a wider array of contractors, including small businesses. The bill was approved by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where Peters serves as Chair. It now moves to the full Senate for consideration.
“When our government contracting process runs smoothly, agencies are better equipped to provide services to the American people,” said Senator Peters. “My bipartisan bill will cut red tape surrounding the federal procurement process to make it more efficient and guarantee that a wider array of contractors, including small businesses, are considered for federal contracts.”
“Entrepreneurs in Iowa and across the country deserve the opportunity to compete for federal contracts, but too much bureaucratic red tape stands in the way,” SenatorErnst said. “I’m working to streamline processes for federal contracting through this bipartisan effort. By making the award process faster and wider, Iowa’s small businesses and entrepreneurs can better compete and succeed.”
“Improving government processes and modernizing federal IT is a top priority for the tech industry. ITI commends U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Gary Peters and Senator Ernst for their Conforming Procedures for Federal Task and Delivery Order Contracts Act of 2024, which will help drive innovation and enable U.S. government agencies to access commercial products and practices more easily and provide essential services to Americans,” said ITI Executive Vice President of Policy Gordon Bitko.
“This bipartisan bill will extend contracting standards and efficiency to civilian agencies across the Federal government that was provided only for the Department of Defense under previous legislation. PSC anticipates that these changes will not only benefit federal agencies, they will also help federal contractors of all sizes while improving competition. PSC fully supports the passage of this bill to ensure that the government and taxpayers are getting the best value and performance for their investment,” said David Berteau, President and CEO of Professional Services Council.
The bipartisan Conforming Procedures for Federal Task and Delivery Order Contracts Act would extend certain streamlining measures for placement of task and delivery order contracts that the Department of Defense currently has in place to all federal agencies. These measures will reduce duplication of documentation requirements for agencies, and provide for a more nimble and meaningful bidding process and evaluation of proposals.
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