Supporters
Purport 'High Road' Contracting Policy Will Improve Federal
Contracting, Save Money for Taxpayers and Help Small Business. (Hmmm!)
Okay, we've been through this before, but for everyone that missed it, here's the scenario.
A
D.C. based think tank headed by a former White House official proposes
to include in federal contracting evaluation criteria, a policy that
gives preference to federal contractors with the best employee salary
packages and benefit structures, and the idea has traction with the
current Administration and unions.
Small Businesses in the lower
tiers of the NAICS Code size standards (especially those standards
measured by revenues) and pretty much every mid-tier company should be
very afraid of this policy coming into fruition.
Earlier this year, GovExec reporter Rob Brodsky's article Proposed benefit for certain contractors draws fire started with "A panel of federal acquisition experts on Thursday panned a plan
reportedly under consideration by the Obama administration that would
give a leg up in the bidding process to contractors who pay their
employees higher wages and benefits, suggesting that the proposal would
make the procurement system more costly and inefficient."
Another industry article cites "...positive weight in the source
selection process would be given to bidders based on the labor standards
for their workforce. The criteria would include whether the bidder pays
a livable wage, provides "quality, affordable health insurance," an
employer-funded retirement plan and paid sick leave."
Can you sense the agenda here? Those companies who have not
been severely hurt by the current economic downturn and can afford the
skyrocketing cost of employee medical coverages will enjoy life under
this plan.
It all comes down to who can spend the most money, again.
It's sort of like when a bigger company can outspend another company in the area of marketing or lobbying activities.
So,
I guess the plan is to implement senseless policies like this which
squeeze the life out of the small business community by completely
closing entry to the federal marketplace to new small businesses.
Wonder how much the American Worker Project's corporate sponsors will benefit from this policy?
Hopefully, this ill-conceived plan will get lost in traffic. Peace!
Guy
Timberlake Chief Visionary and CEO
"The
person who says it cannot be
done should not interrupt the person doing it."
Identify, Qualify, Pursue and Capture B2G Business
Opportunities.
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Okay, we've been through this before, but for everyone that missed it, here's the scenario. 