HR 1362
3-15-07, Bill Passed House 347-73
Referred to Senate
Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1362
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 15, 2007
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs
AN ACT
To reform acquisition practices of the Federal Government.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title- This Act may be cited as the `Accountability in Contracting
Act'.
(b) Table of Contents- The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents.
TITLE I--IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF CONTRACTS
Sec. 101. Limitation on length of noncompetitive contracts.
Sec. 102. Minimizing sole-source contracts.
Sec. 103. Maximizing fixed-price procurement contracts.
TITLE II--INCREASING CONTRACT OVERSIGHT
Sec. 201. Public disclosure of justification and approval documents for
noncompetitive contracts.
Sec. 202. Disclosure of Government contractor audit findings.
Sec. 203. Study of acquisition workforce.
Sec. 204. Repeal of sunset of training fund.
Sec. 205. Notice to Congress of noncompetitive contracts awarded to foreign-owned
companies in countries sponsoring terrorism.
Sec. 206. Prohibition on contracts to educational institutions not supporting
U.S. defense efforts.
TITLE III--PROMOTING INTEGRITY IN CONTRACTING
Sec. 301. Additional provisions relating to procurement officials.
Sec. 302. Report to Congress.
TITLE I--IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF CONTRACTS
SEC. 101. LIMITATION ON LENGTH OF NONCOMPETITIVE CONTRACTS.
(a) Revision of FAR- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Federal Acquisition Regulation shall be revised to restrict
the contract period of any contract described in subsection (c) to the minimum
contract period necessary--
(1) to meet the urgent and compelling requirements of the work to be performed
under the contract; and
(2) to enter into another contract for the required goods or services through
the use of competitive procedures.
(b) Contract Period- The regulations promulgated under subsection (a) shall
require the contract period to not exceed one year, unless the head of the
executive agency concerned determines that the Government would be seriously
injured by the limitation on the contract period.
(c) Covered Contracts- This section applies to any contract in an amount greater
than $1,000,000 entered into by an executive agency using procedures other
than competitive procedures pursuant to the exception provided in section
303(c)(2) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949
(41 U.S.C. 253(c)(2)) or section 2304(c)(2) of title 10, United States Code.
(d) Definitions- In this section:
(1) The term `executive agency' has the meaning provided in section 4(1)
of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 403(1)).
(2) The term `head of the executive agency' means the head of an executive
agency except that, in the case of the Department of Defense, the term means--
(A) in the case of a military department, the Secretary of the military
department;
(B) in the case of a Defense Agency, the head of the Defense Agency; and
(C) in the case of any part of the Department of Defense other than a
military department or Defense Agency, the Under Secretary of Defense
for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics.
SEC. 102. MINIMIZING SOLE-SOURCE CONTRACTS.
(a) Plans Required- Subject to subsection (c), the head of each executive
agency covered by title III of the Federal Property and Administrative Services
Act of 1949 (41 U.S.C. 251 et seq.) or, in the case of the Department of Defense,
the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics,
shall develop and implement a plan to minimize, to the maximum extent practicable,
the use of contracts entered into using procedures other than competitive
procedures by the agency or department concerned. The plan shall contain measurable
goals and shall be completed and submitted to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and the Committees on Appropriations
of the House of Representatives and the Senate and, in the case of the Department
of Defense and the Department of Energy, the Committees on Armed Services
of the Senate and the House of Representatives, with a copy provided to the
Comptroller General, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act.
(b) Comptroller General Review- The Comptroller General shall review the plans
provided under subsection (a) and submit a report to Congress on the plans
not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Requirement Limited to Certain Agencies- The requirement of subsection
(a) shall apply only to those agencies that awarded contracts in a total amount
of at least $1,000,000,000 in the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year in
which the report is submitted.
(d) Certain Contracts Excluded- The following contracts shall not be included
in the plans developed and implemented under subsection (a):
(1) Contracts entered into under section 8(a) of the Small Business Act
(15 U.S.C. 637(a)), in amounts less than the amounts listed in paragraph
(1)(D)(i)(II) of that section.
(2) Contracts entered into under section 31 (15 U.S.C. 657a) of such Act,
in amounts less than the amounts listed in subsection (b)(2)(A)(ii) of that
section.
(3) Contracts entered into under section 36 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 657f),
in amounts less than the amounts listed in subsection (a)(2) of that section.
SEC. 103. MAXIMIZING FIXED-PRICE PROCUREMENT CONTRACTS.
(a) Plans Required- Subject to subsection (c), the head of each executive
agency covered by title III of the Federal Property and Administrative Services
Act of 1949 (41 U.S.C. 251 et seq.) or, in the case of the Department of Defense,
the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics,
shall develop and implement a plan to maximize, to the fullest extent practicable,
the use of fixed-price type contracts for the procurement of goods and services
by the agency or department concerned. The plan shall contain measurable goals
and shall be completed and submitted to the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and the Committees on Appropriations
of the House of Representatives and the Senate and, in the case of the Department
of Defense and the Department of Energy, the Committees on Armed Services
of the Senate and the House of Representatives, with a copy provided to the
Comptroller General, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act.
(b) Comptroller General Review- The Comptroller General shall review the plans
provided under subsection (a) and submit a report to Congress on the plans
not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Requirement Limited to Certain Agencies- The requirement of subsection
(a) shall apply only to those agencies that awarded contracts in a total amount
of at least $1,000,000,000 in the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year in
which the report is submitted.
TITLE II--INCREASING CONTRACT OVERSIGHT
SEC. 201. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL DOCUMENTS FOR
NONCOMPETITIVE CONTRACTS.
(a) Civilian Agency Contracts-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 303 of the Federal Property and Administrative Services
Act of 1949 (41 U.S.C. 253) is amended by adding at the end the following
new subsection:
`(j)(1)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), in the case of a procurement
permitted by subsection (c), the head of an executive agency shall make publicly
available, within 14 days after the award of the contract, the documents containing
the justification and approval required by subsection (f)(1) with respect
to the procurement.
`(B) In the case of a procurement permitted by subsection (c)(2), subparagraph
(A) shall be applied by substituting `30 days' for `14 days'.
`(2) The documents shall be made available on the website of the agency and
through the Federal Procurement Data System.
`(3) This subsection does not require the public availability of information
that is exempt from public disclosure under section 552(b) of title 5, United
States Code.'.
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- Section 303(f) of such Act is amended--
(A) by striking paragraph (4); and
(B) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (4).
(b) Defense Agency Contracts-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 2304 of title 10, United States Code, is amended
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
`(l)(1)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), in the case of a procurement
permitted by subsection (c), the head of an agency shall make publicly available,
within 14 days after the award of the contract, the documents containing the
justification and approval required by subsection (f)(1) with respect to the
procurement.
`(B) In the case of a procurement permitted by subsection (c)(2), subparagraph
(A) shall be applied by substituting `30 days' for `14 days'.
`(2) The documents shall be made available on the website of the agency and
through the Federal Procurement Data System.
`(3) This subsection does not require the public availability of information
that is exempt from public disclosure under section 552(b) of title 5.'.
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- Section 2304(f) of such title is amended--
(A) by striking paragraph (4); and
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as paragraphs (4) and (5),
respectively.
SEC. 202. DISCLOSURE OF GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR AUDIT FINDINGS.
(a) Quarterly Report to Congress-
(1) The head of each Federal agency or department or, in the case of the
Department of Defense, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology,
and Logistics, shall submit to the chairman and ranking member of each committee
specified in paragraph (2) on a quarterly basis a report that includes the
following:
(A) A list of completed audits performed by such agency or department
issued during the applicable quarter that describe contractor costs in
excess of $10,000,000 that have been identified as unjustified, unsupported,
questioned, or unreasonable under any contract, task or delivery order,
or subcontract.
(B) The specific amounts of costs identified as unjustified, unsupported,
questioned, or unreasonable and the percentage of their total value of
the contract, task or delivery order, or subcontract.
(C) A list of completed audits performed by such agency or department
issued during the applicable quarter that identify material deficiencies
in the performance of any contractor or in any business system of any
contractor under any contract, task or delivery order, or subcontract.
(2) The report described in paragraph (1) shall be submitted to--
(A) the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives;
(B) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate;
(C) the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and
the Senate;
(D) in the case of reports from the Department of Defense or the Department
of Energy, the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House
of Representatives; and
(E) the committees of primary jurisdiction over the agency or department
submitting the report.
(3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to an agency or department with respect
to a calendar quarter if no audits described in paragraph (1) were issued
during that quarter.
(b) Submission of Individual Audits-
(1) The head of each Federal agency or department shall provide, within
14 days after a request in writing by the chairman or ranking member of
any committee listed in paragraph (2), a full and unredacted copy of any
audit described in subsection (a)(1). Such copy shall include an identification
of information in the audit exempt from public disclosure under section
552(b) of title 5, United States Code.
(2) The committees listed in this paragraph are the following:
(A) The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives.
(B) The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate.
(C) The Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and
the Senate.
(D) In the case of the Department of Defense or the Department of Energy,
the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives.
(E) The committees of primary jurisdiction over the agency or department
to which the request is made.
SEC. 203. STUDY OF ACQUISITION WORKFORCE.
(a) Requirement for Study- The Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy
shall conduct a study of the composition, scope, and functions of the Government-wide
acquisition workforce and develop a comprehensive definition of, and method
of measuring the size of, such workforce.
(b) Report- Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Administrator shall submit to the relevant congressional committees
a report on the results of the study required by subsection (a), with such
findings and recommendations as the Administrator determines appropriate.
SEC. 204. REPEAL OF SUNSET OF TRAINING FUND.
Subparagraph (H) of section 37(h)(3) of the Office of Federal Procurement
Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 433(h)(3)) is repealed.
SEC. 205. NOTICE TO CONGRESS OF NONCOMPETITIVE CONTRACTS AWARDED TO FOREIGN-OWNED
COMPANIES IN COUNTRIES SPONSORING TERRORISM.
(a) Notice to Congress Required- If a contract is expected to be awarded by
a department or agency of the Federal Government without the use of competitive
procedures to a foreign-owned company that is based or has majority operations
in a country described in subsection (b), the department or agency shall notify
the appropriate congressional committees at least 30 days before awarding
the contract, for purposes of providing Congress time to review the proposed
contract and provide comments to the department or agency.
(b) Foreign Countries Described- A country described in this subsection is
a country the government of which the Secretary of State has determined, for
purposes of section 6(j) of Export Administration Act of 1979, section 620A
of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, section 40 of the Arms Export Control
Act, or any other provision of law, is a government that has repeatedly provided
support for acts of international terrorism.
SEC. 206. PROHIBITION ON CONTRACTS TO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS NOT SUPPORTING
U.S. DEFENSE EFFORTS.
An executive agency may not award a contract to an institution of higher education
(including any subelement of such institution) if that institution (or any
subelement of that institution) has a policy or practice (regardless of when
implemented) that either prohibits, or in effect prevents, the Secretary of
a military department or the Secretary of Homeland Security from gaining access
to campuses of the institution, or access to students (who are 17 years of
age or older) on campuses, for purposes of military recruiting, in a manner
that is at least equal in quality and scope to the access to campuses and
to students that is provided to any other employer. For purposes of this section,
the term `institution of higher education' has the meaning provided in section
101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). The prohibition
in this section shall not apply to an institution of higher education (or
any subelement of that institution) if the Secretary of Defense determines
that the institution of higher education involved has a longstanding policy
of pacifism based on historical religious affiliation.
TITLE III--PROMOTING INTEGRITY IN CONTRACTING
SEC. 301. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO PROCUREMENT OFFICIALS.
(a) Elimination of Loopholes That Allow Former Federal Officials to Accept
Compensation From Contractors or Related Entities- Section 27(d) of the Office
of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 423(d)) is amended--
(A) by striking `or consultant' and inserting `consultant, lawyer, or
lobbyist'; and
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking `Federal agency--' and inserting
`Federal agency or participated personally and substantially at a senior
personnel level in--'; and
(2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
`(2) Paragraph (1) shall not prohibit a former official of a Federal agency
from accepting compensation from any division or affiliate of a contractor
that does not produce the same or similar products or services as the entity
of the contractor that is responsible for the contract referred to in subparagraph
(A), (B), or (C) of such paragraph if the agency's designated ethics officer
determines that the former official's acceptance of compensation would not
damage public confidence in the integrity of the procurement process.'.
(b) Requirement for Federal Procurement Officers to Disclose Job Offers Made
on Behalf of Relatives- Section 27(c)(1) of such Act (41 U.S.C. 423(c)(1))
is amended by inserting after `that official' the following: `or for a relative
of that official (as defined in section 3110 of title 5, United States Code)'.
(c) Requirement on Award of Government Contracts to Former Employers- Section
27 of such Act (41 U.S.C. 423) is amended by adding at the end the following
new subsection:
`(i) Prohibition on Involvement by Certain Former Contractor Employees in
Procurements- An employee of the Federal Government who is a former employee
of a contractor with the Federal Government shall not be personally and substantially
involved with any award of a contract to the employee's former employer, or
in the administration of such contract at a senior personnel level, for the
one-year period beginning on the date on which the employee leaves the employment
of the contractor unless the employee has received a waiver from the agency's
designated ethics officer. In determining whether to issue a waiver, the designated
ethics officer shall take into account the agency's need for the involvement
of the employee and the impact a waiver would have on public confidence in
the integrity of the procurement process.'.
(d) Regulations- Section 27 of such Act (41 U.S.C. 423) is further amended
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
`(j) Regulations- The Administrator, in consultation with the Director of
the Office of Government Ethics, shall--
`(1) promulgate regulations to carry out and ensure the enforcement of this
section; and
`(2) monitor and investigate individual and agency compliance with this
section.'.
(e) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall take effect
on the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 302. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
(a) Report- Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Director of the Office of Government Ethics shall submit a report
to Congress that contains the Director's recommendations on requiring Government
contractors that advise one or more Federal agencies on procurement policy,
and requiring federally funded research and development centers, to comply
with restrictions relating to personal financial interests, such as those
that apply to Federal employees.
(b) Definition- In this section--
(1) The term `Government contractor' means any person (other than a Federal
agency) with which a Federal agency has entered into a contract to acquire
goods or services.
(2) The term `Federal agency' means--
(A) any executive department or independent establishment in the executive
branch of the Government, including any wholly owned Government corporation;
and
(B) any establishment in the legislative or judicial branch of the Government
(except the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Architect of
the Capitol and any activities under the Architect's direction).
(3) The term `federally funded research and development center' means a
federally funded research and development center as identified by the National
Science Foundation in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation.
Passed the House of Representatives March 15, 2007.
Attest:
KAREN L. HAAS,
Clerk.
END
