“… Despite the history of inconsistencies, vendors are calling on the Office of Management and Budget to take the reins of this 111-agency horse drawn wagon and ensure some consistency in how agencies implement a specific section of the stimulus bill.”
“Section 3610 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARE Act) lets agencies pay contractors to keep them in a ‘state of ready’ if they can’t work because of the pandemic. The provision is not a mandate nor does it guarantee payment, but it gives agencies broad latitude to count paid leave as a reimbursable cost…”
“’The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) has developed guidance to help agencies make rational business decisions that balance the need for contractor resiliency with the need for good stewardship,’ OFPP Administrator Michael Wooten said in a statement.”
“In the guidance, OMB details several guiding principles for contracting officers, including the starting date of when agencies can start reimbursing vendors’ costs — March 27 — to ensuring funding is available before committing to payments to paying the actual amount but not more than the minimum applicable contract billing rates for up to an average of 40 hours per week…”
“OMB’s guidance comes after both the Defense Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released their own guidance to implement 3610.”
“And this is where vendors begin to get stressed. For example, both the DoD and ODNI guidances say military services and agencies and intelligence community agencies can reimburse contractors, if they deem it to be necessary, for lost time starting Jan. 31…”
“This is one of those inconsistencies that vendors believe need to be addressed…” Read the full article here.
Source: Vendors who can’t work due to coronavirus asking for more clarity, consistency – By Jason Miller, April 21, 2020. Federal News Network.
