Legislation Would Prohibit Reverse Auctions for Construction
The House of Representatives passed a provision that would help prevent federal agencies from procuring construction services through reverse auctions. Representative Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) offered this AGC-supported provision as an amendment—which passed by unanimous voice vote—to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2016. The Defense Act – with the reverse auction ban amendment included – subsequently passed the House on a 269 to 151 vote late last week. The Act funds for the Department of Defense and has passed Congress every year for over 50 consecutive years.
The House-passed defense measure also included provisions that encourage sensible consideration of past performance records in joint ventures and teaming, prevent individual surety fraud in the construction bond marketplace and address the unintended consequences of misinterpretation of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s nonmanufacturer rule. AGC testified on these and other procurement reforms before the House Small Business Committee in February. AGC is working with members of the Senate to add similar construction procurement reform measures to its version of the Defense Act. The Senate is currently scheduled to consider the bill in June.
For more information, please contact Jimmy Christianson at christiansonj@agc.org or (703)-837-5325. Return to Top