The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council and the U.S. Department of Labor issued a second extension for submitting comments on the proposal implementing President Obama’s Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order 13673, commonly referred to as the “blacklisting” executive order, by 15 days to Aug. 26. The extension comes as a result of Republican leaders of three congressional committees requesting an extension of the comment period.

ABC has serious concerns with the proposal, which may result in quality federal contractors being arbitrarily and unfairly blacklisted from future federal contracts by newly designated bureaucrats. The proposal creates a sweeping regulatory scheme on federal contractors that will disrupt the federal procurement process, significantly increase red tape and costs for both government and industry and serve as a barrier to federal contracting for many businesses.

Learn what ABC is doing to fight the blacklisting proposal at www.abc.org/blacklisting. To learn more about the proposal itself, including a list of the 14 federal laws covered by the proposal; covered violations; and parameters of what are considered “serious,” “willful,” “repeated,” or “pervasive” violations, review this Littler Mendelson memo provided by ABC General Counsel Maury Baskin.

ABC will be sending out an action alert requesting ABC members submit formal comments into the official rulemaking record.