Six member associations of the Council of Defense and Space Industry Associations have asked the Obama administration to delay the implementation of a final rule that aims to ensure federal contractors’ compliance with labor laws.The industry groups wrote in a letter to the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council that the federal government should postpone the enforcement of the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces rule on Oct. 25 due to legislative uncertainty over the regulation and lack of systems to report violations, the Professional Services Council reported Tuesday.
PSC signed the letter with the Aerospace Industries Association, American Council of Engineering Companies, Information Technology Alliance for Public Sector, National Defense Industrial Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The six CODSIA member organizations asked the FAR Council to release a new guidance that would extend the phase-in process in order to provide federal contractors and contract holders time to comply with the final rule.
The organizations requested the federal government to move the start of the phase-in period for contracts over $50 million to Oct. 25, 2017 as well as the phase-in for contracts over $500,000 to April 25, 2018.
“We also recommend that the look-back period begin with a one-year period from Oct. 25, 2017 until Oct. 25, 2020, after which the full three-year look-back could be implemented,†the associations added.
The General Services Administration, NASA and the Defense Department introduced the final rule in August as an amendment to the Federal Acquisition Regulation in order to implement the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces executive order.
