The Federal government is the largest consumer of IT products and services. ACT of course agrees that all federal contractors should comply with federal statutes. However, the revised proposed rule unnecessarily adds additional obstacles to an already lengthy and complex Federal procurement process. The rule ignores the fact that laws and administrative procedures are already available to disqualify unscrupulous businesses.
Due process is omitted.
Small firms are especially susceptible to allegations of violations of federal statutes and exclusion from the bidding process. With competition so fierce among small businesses, simple allegations from competitors could warrant an investigation and potentially reduce the chance to bid on a federal contract. ACT believes a company should compete on merit and its ability to fulfill the contract in a timely manner. The rule, however, is poised to increase the application review time by requiring federal contracting officers to further investigate companies, hindering the government's ability to quickly acquire and benefit from the latest IT products and services available. Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that violations are occurring at such an increasing rate that would warrant additional regulations.