The large industry association is asking Senators to oppose House bill provisions that would automatically debar contractors with unpaid tax debts or criminal convictions.
Companies should be held accountable when they violate federal laws, Professional Services Council President Stan Soloway wrote in a June 28 letter sent to members of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
However, federal suspension and debarment officials are required by federal regulations to consider if the company took remedial actions, such as whether the contractor voluntarily reported the activity to the government and took appropriate disciplinary action against the responsible individuals.
Automatically debarring contractors ignores their due process rights, Soloway said in his letter.
The PSC represents around 350 businesses that contract with federal agencies.
Sections of the Defense Department’s appropriations bill (H.R. 2219) and the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill (H.R. 2055) would prohibit covered agencies from contracting with corporations that have unpaid tax debts or have been convicted of federal criminal violations.
Soloway asked Senators to oppose the inclusion of language similar to the House bills’ provisions in any appropriations legislation.
