Bacon bill would bring transparency to federal contracting

U.S. Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) on Wednesday introduced legislation that will help U.S. businesses contracting with the federal government get paid faster so that they can better compete and boost economic growth in their communities.

The Change Order Transparency for Federal Contractors Act, H.R. 4754, would ensure that prospective bidders on federal construction projects get adequate information on the contracting agency’s contract change order history for planning purposes before they submit a proposal.

“Across the United States and in Nebraska, many small contractors and subcontractors will now have the opportunity to compete on a level playing field and achieve greater financial health for their companies,” Bacon said.

According to Bacon’s office, the federal government often receives requests for contract adjustments, also known as change orders, and contractor payments are held up while waiting for change order requests to be finalized. Because bidders have no window into an agency’s change order history, it is hard to plan for a project’s life cycle when submitting their proposal.

But Bacon’s bill would require contracting federal agencies to release their change order details and historical performance data along with contract solicitations, giving businesses a better idea of contracting experiences with a given agency.

“Small business contractors deserve to know all relevant information before entering into a contract with a federal agency,” added Rep. Bacon.

The bipartisan bill has three cosponsors, including Rep. Steve Knight (R-CA) and Reps. Al Lawson and Stephanie Murphy, Democrats from Florida. The bill is awaiting consideration by the House Small Business Committee.