OMB cuts back small biz reports

      The White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is doing away with a number of reports agencies are required to submit regarding small business, acquisition, performance and other functions.

     Some of the previous requirements clearly are no longer needed, such as the requirement to continue reporting on the Year 2000 cyber threats.

      Other reports being eliminated were current, affecting small business contracting and other programs.

Accelerated pay to small firms

      For example, the OMB is eliminating the requirement for federal agencies to report accelerated payments to small businesses. Agencies have been reporting that information continuously since 2012.

      “Agencies are encouraged to continue to accelerate payments, to the best of their ability,” but reporting those payments is no longer required, Mick Mulvaney, director of OMB, wrote in a June 15 memo outlining the changes.

Other changes

     Other changes include:

• Eliminating the 2013 requirement to collect and use contractor past performance information. Specifically, OMB got rid of the 100% target for reporting past performance for awards over the simplified acquisition threshold. The OMB memo said good outcomes can be ensured while avoiding “rigid compliance with meeting a goal.” OMB plans to review use of past performance with agencies.
• Quarterly Reporting of agency Priority Goals to Performance.gov is discontinued through Sept. 30. The Trump Administration is setting new Priority Goals for release with the president’s fiscal 2019 budget request, the OMB memo indicated.
• A 2008 requirement to conduct internal control reviews of acquisition is suspended until 2020. The stated intent is to reduce tasks so as to make more time for agencies to focus on reorganizing, including planning and implementation.
• OMB outlined new guidance to justify new multiple-award contracts.

More information: OMB memo: http://goo.gl/EwTbbT

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