Feds force-buy stuff from blind workers' nonprofits: New list drops

2026-08392, Revising Central Nonprofit Agencies' Requirements To Charge Fees and Clarifying the Permissibility of Subcontracting Within the AbilityOne Program

The AbilityOne Program is updating rules so central nonprofit agencies must get written approval before charging fees, making things clearer and easier when subcontracting work. These changes help nonprofits save time and reduce paperwork, affecting agencies involved in AbilityOne starting soon. Comments on these updates are open until June 1, 2026, so jump in and share your thoughts!

2026-20252, Public Meeting

The Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled is hosting a virtual public meeting on October 28, 2026, to share updates and discuss ways to break down job barriers for people with disabilities. Anyone interested can join via Zoom, register by October 27, and even speak if they register by October 20. This meeting helps shape federal contracts that create jobs for people who are blind or have significant disabilities, with no cost to attend.

2026-20090, Procurement List; Deletions

Starting November 1, 2026, the government will stop buying certain products and services from nonprofit groups that employ people who are blind or severely disabled. This change removes a remanufactured toner cartridge and a stamp packaging service from the official Procurement List. No big money or paperwork changes are expected, and small businesses might get new chances to supply these items.

2026-20089, Procurement List; Proposed Additions and Deletions

The government wants to add new first aid kits to the list of products made by nonprofits that employ people who are blind or severely disabled, especially for the Department of Defense. At the same time, some older products will be removed from this list. If you have thoughts, you’ve got until October 31, 2026, to share them—these changes could impact who supplies important gear and how money flows in defense contracts.

2026-19551, Procurement List; Proposed Deletions

The government plans to remove several products from a special list that supports nonprofits employing people who are blind or severely disabled. This change affects items like survival food packets, USB drives, and forest fire rakes, mostly used by the Department of Defense. If you want to share your thoughts, you have until October 24, 2026, to speak up before these deletions take effect.

2026-19552, Procurement List; Additions and Deletions

Starting October 25, 2026, some products and services will be added to or removed from the government’s special Procurement List. This list supports nonprofit agencies that employ people who are blind or have severe disabilities, helping them get government contracts. These changes mean certain federal purchases will now come from these nonprofits, boosting their opportunities without extra cost to the government.

Previous: 2025-02914, Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Approval of Application From the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities dba QUAD A for Continued CMS-Approval of Its Outpatient Physical Therapy (OPT) Accreditation Program

The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, also known as QUAD A, got the green light to keep accrediting outpatient physical therapy programs for Medicare and Medicaid from April 2025 to April 2030. This means outpatient therapy centers can continue using QUAD A’s stamp of approval to join these government health programs. Providers and patients can expect smooth, trusted access to quality physical therapy services without any hiccups or extra costs.

Next: 2025-02916, Notice of the Establishment of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council

The government just set up a new FEMA Review Council to check how well FEMA handles disasters and to suggest ways to make it better and fairer. This affects anyone who relies on FEMA during emergencies, aiming to fix problems like political bias and slow responses. The council will review FEMA’s work quickly to help protect Americans and improve disaster aid, which has involved nearly $30 billion yearly but hasn’t always reached those in need.