Uncle Sam Adds Spices to Blind-Makers' Shopping Cart

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: 2026-09609, Information Collection; Acquisition 360 Voluntary Survey

The government teams from OFPP, DoD, GSA, and NASA want to keep using the Acquisition 360 Voluntary Survey for three more years to help improve how they buy stuff. They’re asking people to share their thoughts by July 13, 2026, to make sure the survey is useful and not too much work. This won’t cost anyone money but helps make buying smarter and smoother.

Next: 2026-09611, Procurement List; Deletions

The government is removing some products and services from the special list that supports people who are blind or severely disabled. Starting June 13, 2026, items like carrying cases and fire hoses will no longer be bought through this program, mainly affecting nonprofit agencies that supplied them. This change won’t cause extra costs or paperwork but opens the door for other suppliers to step in.