Regulatory rush at FY2016’s end

WOSB sole-sourcing Oct. 14;
DOL sick leave rule Nov. 29

Sole-source authority for women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) becomes official on Oct. 14.

The final rule for required sick leave for federal contractor employees goes into effect Nov. 29.

Those are just two of the nearly dozen regulations pertaining to small business federal contracting that were made final in the last few weeks of fiscal 2016.

Here’s a quick rundown of the new regulations:

WOSB Sole Sourcing: Sole Source Contracts for WOSBs (FAR Case 2015-032); Gives contracting officers authority to award sole-source contracts to WOSBs and economically-disadvantaged WOSBs. Limit is $6.5 million for manufacturing and $4 million for other.
Effective: Oct. 14
Details: http://goo.gl/JF5ncM
Sick Leave: Establishing paid sick leave for federal contractors; Certain parties that contract with the Federal Government must provide their employees with up to 7 days (56 hours) of paid sick leave annually, among other provisions.
Effective: Nov. 29
Details: http://goo.gl/CdvhG7
Delinquent corporations: The government is not allowed to contract with corporations that have delinquent taxes or a felony conviction in federal court (FAR Case 2015-011).
Effective: Sept. 30
Details: http://goo.gl/KTNQID
Veterans Employment: Updating Federal Contractor Reporting of Veterans’ Employment (FAR Case 2015-036); Contractors must use the VETS-4212 form to report veterans’ employment and hiring instead of VETS-100 and VETS-100a.
Effective: Sept. 30
Details: http://goo.gl/PuLqpV
Compensation information: Non-Retaliation for Disclosure of Compensation Information (FAR Case 2016-007) (interim); Contracts must include a clause prohibiting discrimination against employees and applicants who disclose compensation. Contractors and subcontractors must include the clause in their handbooks, etc.
Effective: Sept. 30
Details: http://goo.gl/I6w8RM
Consolidation and Bundling: Before conducting a consolidated acquisition exceeding $2 million, the senior procurement executive or chief acquisition officer must make a written determination that the consolidation is necessary and justified.
Effective date: Oct. 31
Details: http://goo.gl/egBMuw
Multi-year contracts for supplies: The head of an agency may enter into a multi-year contract for supplies, if the use of such a contract will result in significant savings. Applies to the Defense Dept., NASA, and the Coast Guard. This final rule is not required to be published for public comment, because it addresses an internal decision by the contracting officer.
Effective date: N/A
Details: http://goo.gl/0Lf8Xv
DUNS numbers: Unique Identification of Entities Receiving Federal Awards. Final rule to redesignate the terminology for unique identification of entities receiving Federal awards. DUNS numbers still will be used in the short term.
Effective date: Oct. 31
Details: http://goo.gl/ZQt2mi
Allowable Compensation: Revises the allowable compensation cost limit for contractor and subcontractor employees to $487,000, adjusted annually.
Effective Date: N/A
Details: http://goo.gl/0Lf8Xv