A bill to increase competition in Defense contracting, and for other purposes.
Sponsored By: Senator Gary Peters
Introduced
Summary
Expand competition in Department of Defense contracting. This bill would let DoD treat a wider range of past performance as relevant, cut procedural barriers that block small and nontraditional firms, and push award decisions to favor cost efficiency and quality.
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- Small businesses and nontraditional defense contractors: Would lower entry hurdles by directing the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council to identify and remove obsolete or burdensome rules and streamline documentation. The council must start work within 90 days and the Secretary would implement non-legislative fixes within 2 years.
- Contract evaluation and vendors: Would require DoD guidance within 1 year to allow past performance to include commercial and non-government work, require ways to validate non-government references, and authorize alternatives like demonstrations or testing when appropriate.
- Procurement priorities and oversight: Would direct the Secretary to prioritize cost efficiency and quality in award decisions and to brief the congressional Armed Services Committees on recommended legislative actions.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Make Defense contracting easier for small firms
This bill would require the Secretary of Defense to review and remove procedural barriers that make it costly for small and nontraditional firms to bid. Not later than 90 days after enactment, the bill would start a public review (including input from APEX Accelerators) to find paperwork and rules to streamline. The Secretary would issue guidance within 1 year to allow wider kinds of past performance (including commercial work) and say how to validate those references, like official attestations and contact information. The Secretary would implement non‑legislative fixes within 2 years and brief the House and Senate Armed Services Committees on what was identified and done.
Cost and quality emphasized for contractors
This bill would direct the Secretary of Defense to push contracting policies that make cost efficiency and quality key factors in award decisions. The change would be an advocacy and priority instruction, not a new payment formula or funding change. If enacted, this could lower prices for taxpayers but also raise competitive pressure on some contractors.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Gary Peters
MI • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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