lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2011-06-15 00:00:00

Strengthening Manufacturing and Rebuilding Transit Act of 2011 or SMART Act - Requires the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to give preference to the award of discretionary or competitive grants, loans, loan guarantees, and lines of credit to transportation infrastructure projects, including the purchase of transit vehicle rolling stock, rail, and supporting equipment, in which manufactured goods to be purchased have a domestic content percentage that: (1) exceeds applicable federal requirements; and (2) in the case of rolling stock, is consistent with industry-recognized standards, if available. Directs the Secretary to establish a centralized website that provides rules and guidance, waiver notices, and agency actions of the domestic content (Buy America) standards for DOT federal-aid programs. Requires the Secretary to subject to public notice and comment any request for waiver, and to publication in the Federal Register and notification to Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of any waiver, of Buy America requirements involving: (1) public transportation projects, (2) AMTRAK acquisition and maintenance of equipment and facilities, and (3) intercity passenger rail service corridor capital assistance projects. Directs the DOT Inspector General to report annually to Congress on acquisitions funded by federal transportation infrastructure investments that do not comply with Buy American requirements.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2011-07-13 00:00:00

American Jobs Matter Act of 2011 - Requires an executive agency to state in a solicitation for competitive proposals that the agency may consider information that the offeror may include on the effects awarding the contract to the offeror would have on employment within the United States (jobs impact statement). Allows such statement to include a guarantee that jobs created or retained in the United States will not be moved outside the United States after award of the contract. Requires each agency to: (1) assess, annually, the accuracy of such a statement submitted by an offeror awarded a contract; (2) submit an annual report on the frequency of use of such statements in evaluating competitive proposals; and (3) track the number of jobs created or retained during the performance of a contract awarded to an offeror that submitted such a statement. Authorizes an agency to evaluate whether a contractor should be proposed for debarment if the number of jobs that the agency estimates will be created based on such statement significantly exceeds the number created or retained. Sets forth analogous provisions for defense contracts. Requires revision of the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement the amendments made by this Act.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2011-10-17 00:00:00

Withholding Tax Relief Act of 2011 - Repeals the provision in the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 requiring federal, state, and local governmental entities to withhold 3% of payments due to vendors providing goods and services to such entities. Rescinds permanently $30 billion of appropriated but unobligated discretionary funds.  Exempts unobligated funds of the Department of Defense (DOD) or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to determine and identify from which appropriation accounts such rescissions shall apply and report to the Secretary of the Treasury and Congress on such rescissions.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2012-06-04 00:00:00

Authorizes the Chief of the Forest Service to award certain contracts for fire suppression air tankers earlier than the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date of a required notification.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2012-08-02 00:00:00

Afghanistan Contractor Accountability Act of 2012 - Requires the head of an executive agency that fails to respond to a covered final audit report issued by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or that responds with a non-concur or partial concur response, to report to Congress with an explanation of the failure to respond or the non-concur or partial concur response.  Defines "covered final audit report" as a final audit report issued by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction that includes a recommendation for an executive agency to seek reimbursement for failure by a contractor or subcontractor to successfully complete a construction contract due to poor contractor performance, cost-overruns, or other reasons that would, if implemented, result in at least $500,000 in savings.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2012-09-21 00:00:00

Buy Fairly Trade Goods Act of 2012 - Directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to: (1) prohibit executive agencies from procuring imported merchandise subject to an antidumping or countervailing duty order, and (2) require that the terms of a contract or other agreement entered into between an agency and energy provider prohibit the provider from use of such merchandise in the performance of the contract or agreement. Allows the President to waive such requirement if it is in the U.S. national security interests. Requires the Council to ensure that such amendments are consistent with U.S. obligations under any international agreements.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2013-01-29 00:00:00

Government Neutrality in Contracting Act - Directs the head of any federal agency that awards or obligates funds for any construction contract, or that awards grants, provides financial assistance, or enters into cooperative agreements for construction projects, to ensure that bid specifications, project agreements, or other controlling documents do not: (1) require or prohibit a bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor from entering into, or adhering to, agreements with a labor organization, with respect to that construction project or another related construction project; or (2) otherwise discriminate against or give preference to such a party because it did or did not become a signatory or otherwise adhere to such an agreement.

Allows exemptions to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve national security. Allows additional exemptions for certain projects. Directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement this Act with respect to the applicable federal contracts.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2013-02-14 00:00:00

Protecting Americans Abroad Act - Amends the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 to allow the Department of State to use a best-value contracting method in awarding local guard or protective service contracts in high risk areas abroad under the diplomatic security program.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2013-02-15 00:00:00

Equal Standards in Hiring Americans Act - Provides that the proposed rule published by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs of the Department of Labor in the Federal Register on December 9, 2011, relating to affirmative action and nondiscrimination obligations of contractors and subcontractors regarding individuals with disabilities, and any subsequent rule that is substantially the same, shall have no force or effect unless the Secretary of Labor certifies to Congress that each office and division within the Department of Labor is complying with the requirements of such rule.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2013-02-28 00:00:00

Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2013 - (Sec. 2) States that it is the policy of the U.S. government that no government contracts or grants should be awarded to individuals or business entities with seriously delinquent federal tax debts.

(Sec. 3) Requires the head of any executive agency that issues an invitation for bids or a request for proposals for a contract in an amount greater than the simplified acquisition threshold (i.e., $150,000) to require each person submitting a bid or proposal to: (1) certify that such person does not have a seriously delinquent tax debt, and (2) authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to disclose information limited to describing whether such person has a seriously delinquent tax debt.

Requires the head of any executive agency: (1) in evaluating any offer received in response to an agency solicitation for bids or proposals for a contract, to consider a certification that the offeror has a seriously delinquent tax debt to be definitive proof that the offeror is not a responsible source to do business with the federal government; and (2) to initiate a suspension or debarment proceeding against an offeror or a grant applicant after receiving an offer for a contract or grant application that contains a certification that such person has a seriously delinquent tax debt, or after receiving information from the Secretary that a submitted certification is false. Allows a waiver of such debarment requirement if an agency head certifies in writing urgent and compelling circumstances significantly affecting the interests of the United States.

(Sec. 4) Requires the head of any executive agency that offers a grant in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold amount to require each grant applicant to: (1) certify that the applicant does not have a seriously delinquent tax debt, and (2) authorize the Secretary to disclose information limited to describing whether such a applicant has a seriously delinquent tax debt. Requires the agency head, in evaluating a grant application, to consider a certification that the grant applicant has a seriously delinquent tax debt to be definitive proof that the applicant is high-risk, requiring enhanced oversight.

Requires the revision of the Federal Acquisition Regulation to incorporate requirements set forth in this Act relating to responsibility determinations and debarment for offerors or grant applicants.

(Sec. 5) Defines "seriously delinquent tax debt" as an outstanding federal tax debt for which a notice of lien has been filed in public records. Exempts from such definition: (1) tax debts that are being paid in a timely manner under an approved installment agreement, and (2) debts for which a collection due process hearing has been requested or is pending.

(Sec. 6) Makes this Act applicable to contracts and grants awarded on or after 270 days after its enactment.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2013-03-12 00:00:00

Freedom from Government Competition Act of 2013 - Requires each executive or military department or independent establishment to obtain all goods and services necessary for or beneficial to the accomplishment of its authorized functions by procurement from private sources, except if: (1) such goods or services are required by law to be produced or performed by such agency; or (2) the head of the agency determines and certifies that federal production, manufacture, or provision of a good or service is necessary for the national defense or homeland security, that a good or service is so inherently governmental in nature that it is in the public interest to require production or performance by government employees, or that there is no private source capable of providing the good or service.

Requires such private sector provision of goods and services to be performed through: (1) the divestiture of federal involvement, (2) the award of a contract using competitive procedures, or (3) conducting a public-private competitive sourcing analysis in accordance with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) procedures and determining that using the private sector is in the best interest of the United States and provides the best value to the taxpayer.

Authorizes an agency head to utilize federal employees to provide goods or services previously provided by a private sector entity upon completion of a public-private competitive sourcing analysis and after determining that provision by federal employees provides the best value.

Requires the Director of OMB to carry out a study, in conjunction with the Comptroller General (GAO), to evaluate the activities carried out in each agency.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2013-03-21 00:00:00

American Jobs Matter Act of 2013 - Requires an executive agency to state in a solicitation for competitive proposals that the agency may consider information that the offeror may include on the effects awarding the contract to the offeror would have on employment within the United States (jobs impact statement). Allows such statement to include a guarantee that jobs created or retained in the United States will not be moved outside the United States after award of the contract.

Requires each agency to: (1) assess, annually, the accuracy of such a statement submitted by an offeror awarded a contract; (2) submit an annual report on the frequency of use of such statements in evaluating competitive proposals; and (3) track the number of jobs created or retained during the performance of a contract awarded to an offeror that submitted such a statement. Authorizes an agency to evaluate whether a contractor should be proposed for debarment if the number of jobs that the agency estimates will be created based on such statement significantly exceeds the number created or retained.

 Sets forth analogous provisions for defense contracts.

Requires revision of the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement the amendments made by this Act.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2013-04-26 00:00:00

American Steel First Act of 2013 - Prohibits heads of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Transportation (DOT) from obligating or expending funds or providing financial assistance for projects for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public work unless all of the iron and steel used in such project is produced in the United States.

Waives such prohibition in cases where: (1) the prohibition would be inconsistent with the public interest, (2) iron and steel are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities of a satisfactory quality, or (3) inclusion of iron and steel produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall project contract by more than 25%. Prohibits waivers by a department head for products produced in a foreign country that is determined by the U.S. Trade Representative to have violated the terms of an agreement with the United States by discriminating against products covered by the agreement that are produced in the United States.

Prohibits such department heads from imposing financial assistance restrictions on: (1) states that impose more stringent requirements on the use of iron and steel in foreign countries in projects carried out with such assistance, or (2) recipients that comply with such state imposed requirements.

Makes any person who intentionally mislabels or misrepresents a product used in a project under this Act as "Made in America" ineligible for another department contract from for six years.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) publish a justification for a waiver of the prohibition against obligating funds to carry out the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, highway projects, public transportation projects, or aviation programs unless the steel, iron, and manufactured products used are produced in the United States; and (2) provide for public notice and comment for such waiver.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2013-05-09 00:00:00

Construction Quality Assurance Act of 2013 - Requires each solicitation by an executive agency for the procurement of construction in excess of $1 million to require each bidder to submit the name, business location, and nature of work of each subcontractor with whom such bidder will subcontract for work in excess of $100,000. Deems to be non-responsive, and prohibits consideration of, any bidder that fails to list such subcontractors.

Prohibits a contractor from substituting another subcontractor for a listed subcontractor, permitting any subcontract to be voluntarily assigned or transferred, or subcontracting work for which the contractor listed itself, except with the consent of the contracting officer for good cause. Sets forth: (1) examples of good cause and procedures required for substitution requests; and (2) penalties for violations of substitution prohibitions, including suspension or debarment from federal contracts for multiple violations. Requires revisions to the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement this Act.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2013-05-23 00:00:00

Amends the procurement technical assistance cooperative agreement program of the Department of Defense (DOD) (providing procurement technical assistance to businesses) to: (1) increase from 50% to 65% the DOD share of program costs, and (2) increase assistance limits with respect to programs operating on a statewide basis, on less than a statewide basis, wholly within one service area of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or wholly within more than one such service area.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2013-06-18 00:00:00

Prohibits the federal government from contracting with an offeror or any of its principals if the offeror certifies that it or any of its principals: (1) within the preceding three years, has been convicted of (or had a civil judgment rendered against it for) commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public contract or subcontract, violation of federal or state antitrust statutes relating to the submission of offers, commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, tax evasion, or violating federal criminal tax laws, or receiving stolen property; (2) are presently criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity with such offenses; or (3) within the preceding three years, has been notified of any delinquent federal taxes in an amount that exceeds $3,000 for which the liability remains unsatisfied.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-06-25 00:00:00

Section 526 Repeal Act - Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to repeal the requirement that any federal agency procurement contract for an alternative or synthetic fuel, including those from nonconventional petroleum sources, for any mobility-related use (except research or testing) specify that lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with the fuel must, on an ongoing basis, be less than or equal to such emissions from equivalent conventional fuel produced from conventional petroleum sources.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2013-07-16 00:00:00

Buy Smarter and Save Act of 2013 - Directs the President to establish: (1) an annual government-wide goal to procure goods and services using strategic sourcing, and (2) an annual government-wide goal for savings from the use of strategic sourcing. Defines "strategic sourcing" as a structured and collaborative process of critically analyzing an organization's spending patterns to better leverage its purchasing power, reduce costs, and improve overall value and performance.

Directs the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to: (1) issue guidance to executive agencies for implementing the strategic sourcing goals established by this Act, and (2) report on spending for goods and services that was strategically sourced and the extent of the savings realized.

Directs the Departments of Defense (DOD), Homeland Security (DHS), Energy (DOE), Veterans Affairs (VA), and Health and Human Services (HHS), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to take certain actions to support strategic sourcing, including establishing department wide-goals and savings targets for strategic sourcing efforts and a strategic sourcing accountability official.

Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to: (1) conduct studies on contract utilization fees and on establishing strategic sourcing initiative contract vehicles, and (2) assess and report on the performance of executive agencies in implementing the strategic sourcing goals required by this Act and the amounts saved through the use of strategic sourcing.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2013-10-23 00:00:00

Grant Reform and New Transparency Act of 2013 or the GRANT Act - Establishes new standards for awarding federal grants. Requires executive agencies to use merit-based selection procedures in awarding grants and to conduct an evaluation of the ability of a prospective grantee to successfully carry out a grant before awarding it.

Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to: (1) upgrade any public website for finding federal grant opportunities so that such website serves as a central point of information for competitive grants, (2) issue and disseminate guidance to aid agencies in establishing merit-based selection procedures for grant programs and in identifying amounts of undisbursed funding remaining in grant accounts, and (3) submit a plan to improve the single audit process for auditing the financial statements and federal awards of a non-federal entity. Sets forth the information required to be included in the public grant website, including grant funds availability and grant award information. Requires agencies to explain to grant applicants the basis for award decisions involving grants exceeding $100,000.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Health
Date: 2013-12-03 00:00:00

Protecting Health Care Providers from Increased Administrative Burdens Act - Prohibits a state or local government or other entity that receives a payment from the federal government related to the delivery of health care services to individuals, whether or not such individuals are or have been employed by the federal government, from being treated as a federal contractor or subcontractor by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs based on the work performed or actions taken by such individuals that resulted in the receipt of such payment.
Topic: Government Operations — Procurement & Contractors
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-04-03 00:00:00

Serve Our Heroes Now Act - Prohibits awarding a contract to any contractor whose past performance resulted in the completion of a construction project at a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility more than 24 months after the original agreed-upon completion date.