Federal Acquisition Reform Act of 1995

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

18 May 1995

Last action

10 February 1996 · Committee

Status

For Further Action See S.1124.

Summary

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Competition Title II: Commercial Items Title III: Additional Reform Provisions Title IV: Streamlining of Dispute Resolution Title V: Effective Dates and Implementation Federal Acquisition Reform Act of 1995 - Title I: Competition - Amends Federal law to require Federal agency heads to obtain a maximum practicable number of competitors when procuring property and services for the armed forces or an executive agency. Revises requirements for the use of other than competitive procedures to allow them only when use of competitive procedures is not feasible or appropriate. (Sec. 101) Mandates the creation of simplified procedures for procurements valued below a certain amount ("simplified acquisition threshold"). Amends OFPPA to revise public notice requirements for all Government contracts valued between $10,000 and $25,000. (Sec. 104) Entitles an excluded offeror, who has submitted a competitive proposal, to request in writing and receive a debriefing about such proposal's merits from the contracting officer prior to award, unless it is not in the Government's best interests to conduct a debriefing at that time. (Sec. 105) Repeals the small business set-aside requirements with respect to the award of architectural and engineering contracts for military construction, family housing project, or other Department of Defense or military department purposes. Subjects such awards to the Brooks Architect-Engineers Act. (Sec. 106) Requires the creation of a contractor verification system of competitive procedures to verify the eligibility of an executive agency's repetitive contractors. Title II: Commercial Items - Amends Federal law with respect to exceptions to the requirement that certain offerors, contractors, and subcontractors submit cost or pricing data. Specifies that such submissions shall not be required for the acquisition of a commercial item (currently, any contract for which the price agreed upon is based on established catalog or market prices of commercial items sold in substantial quantities to the general public). (Sec. 201) Limits the collection of information used to determine the fairness of a price by eliminating the Government's authority to: (1) audit books and records related to cost and pricing; and (2) demand data other than certified cost or pricing data. Repeals the requirement that cost and pricing data be sought from the offeror, contractor, or other sources when competition is not practicable. (Sec. 202) Requires the Federal Acquisition Regulation to provide for special simplified procedures for the purchase of commercial items. (Sec. 204) Repeals the requirement that mandatory cost accounting methods be used in Federal acquisition of commercial goods. Title III: Additional Reform Provisions - Eliminates certain certification requirements for Government suppliers and prohibits future creation of such certification requirements unless: (1) specifically imposed by statute; or (2) approved by the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy. (Sec. 303) Permits Federal agency testing of alternative and innovative procurement policies for five years. (Sec. 304) Repeals mandatory charges for research, development, and production costs of U.S. defense products in sales abroad. (Sec. 305) Establishes civil and criminal penalties for unauthorized disclosures or acquisitions of bid, proposal, or source selection information regarding a government procurement. Eliminates: (1) anti-bribery provisions; (2) requirements for reports by defense contractors; (3) restrictions on private employment of former Federal employees by private entities to assist in obtaining Government contracts; and (4) criminal penalties for retired military officers who within two years after release from active duty receive compensation for representation in the sale of anything to the United States through the military department in which the officer is retired. (Sec. 306) Eliminates the requirement that the Office of Federal Procurement Policy report to the Congress annually and before the effective date of any policy or regulation. Title IV: Streamlining of Dispute Resolution - Replaces the various executive agency boards of contract appeals with a single United States Board of Contract Appeals ("Board"). Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 421) Requires the Board to provide voluntary alternative dispute resolution services upon request of all parties in conflict over specific granted or prospective Government contracts for the procurement of commercial and non-commercial property and services. (Sec. 424) Requires the Board, upon the request of an interested party, to review: (1) a decision of an executive agency head that allegedly violates a statute or regulation; and (2) the consistency of such a regulation with applicable statutes. Requires that, unless a contract significantly affects the interests of the United States, the Board suspend an executive agency's authority to award it, or to fulfill a contract already awarded, when the related procurement is to be reviewed by the Board. Limits the parties' discovery and creates a time-frame for certain specified Board procedures. Requires that specified simplified procedures be followed in disputes over contracts valued below $1 million. Requires the dismissal of frivolous protests and, in specified circumstances, the payment of costs by a protesting party. Permits the Board to implement specified corrective actions deemed necessary and appropriate to arrest the violation of a regulation or statute. Permits: (1) the granting of relief authorized by regulation or statute in addition to those specified; (2) the filing of a protest or an action in a specified alternative forum; and (3) appeal of the Board's judgement according to specified procedures. (Sec. 425) Limits the authority of the Boards to contracts for the procurement of commercial items. (Sec. 443) Amends the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 and other Federal law to conform to this Act. Title V: Effective Dates and Implementation - Establishes the effective date of this Act and a schedule for implementing regulations.

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Timeline

18 May 1995
Introduced
Referred to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, and in addition to the Committees on National Security, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Source: IntroReferral
18 May 1995
Introduced
Referred to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, and in addition to the Committees on National Security, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Source: IntroReferral
18 May 1995
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
18 May 1995
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
19 May 1995
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1077-1079)
Source: IntroReferral
22 May 1995
Committee
Executive Comment Requested from DOD.
Source: Committee
25 May 1995
Committee
Joint Hearings Held by the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight and by the Committee on National Security.
Source: Committee
18 July 1995
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law.
Source: Committee
27 July 1995
Reported
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Source: Committee
27 July 1995
Committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
1 August 1995
Introduced
House Committee on Judiciary Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Aug. 2, 1995.
Source: IntroReferral
1 August 1995
Reported
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Government Reform. H. Rept. 104-222, Part I.
Source: Committee
1 August 1995
Reported
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Government Reform. H. Rept. 104-222, Part I.
Source: Committee
1 August 1995
Passed
Mr. Clinger asked unanimous consent that the Committee on Government Operations have until midnight on Aug. 1 to file a report on H.R. 1670. Agreed to without objection.
Source: Committee
2 August 1995
Introduced
House Committee on National Security Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Oct. 2, 1995.
Source: IntroReferral
12 September 1995
Discharge
Committee on Small Business discharged.
Source: Discharge
12 September 1995
Committee
Committee on Small Business discharged.
Source: Committee
12 September 1995
Introduced
Referred sequentially to the House Committee on Small Business for a period ending not later than Sept. 12, 1995 for consideration of such portions of sections 101(d) and 102(b) of the bill as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee pursuant to clause 1(o), rule X.
Source: IntroReferral
12 September 1995
Reported
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 219 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1670 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Measure will be read by section. Bill is open to amendments. It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. The amendment shall be considered by title rather than by section. The first two sections and each title shall be considered as read. Points of order against the amendment shall be waived. The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may postpone votes until a time during further consideration of the bill in the Committee of the Whole.
Source: Floor
13 September 1995
Passed
Rule H. Res. 219 passed House.
Source: Floor
13 September 1995
Floor
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 1670 as unfinished business.
Source: Floor
13 September 1995
Floor
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1670 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Measure will be read by section. Bill is open to amendments. It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. The amendment shall be considered by title rather than by section. The first two sections and each title shall be considered as read. Points of order against the amendment shall be waived. The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may postpone votes until a time during further consideration of the bill in the Committee of the Whole.
Source: Floor
13 September 1995
Floor
The Speaker designated the Honorable Jerry Weller to act as Chairman of the Committee.
Source: Floor
13 September 1995
Floor
House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 219 and Rule XXIII.
Source: Floor
13 September 1995
Floor
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 219. (consideration: CR H8857-8887)
Source: Floor
14 September 1995
Passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Source: Floor
14 September 1995
Vote
On passage Passed by recorded vote: 423 - 0 (Roll no. 663).
Source: Floor
14 September 1995
Vote
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 423 - 0 (Roll no. 663).
Source: Floor
14 September 1995
Floor
The previous question was ordered without objection.
Source: Floor
14 September 1995
Passed
The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
Source: Floor
14 September 1995
Floor
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H8915-8937)
Source: Floor
18 September 1995
Introduced
Received in the Senate and read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
Source: IntroReferral
10 February 1996
Committee
For Further Action See S.1124.
Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Referred in Senate · 18 September 1995 · Download file
Engrossed in House · 14 September 1995 · Download file
Referral Instructions House · 2 August 1995 · Download file
Introduced in House · 18 May 1995 · Download file

Documents

11 official files

Referred in Senate (text)

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Referred in Senate (text)
Referred in Senate · EN · 18 September 1995
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Referred in Senate (PDF)
Referred in Senate · EN · 18 September 1995
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Engrossed in House (text)
Engrossed in House · EN · 14 September 1995
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Engrossed in House (PDF)
Engrossed in House · EN · 14 September 1995
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Passed House amended
summary · EN · 14 September 1995
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Referral Instructions House (text)
Referral Instructions House · EN · 2 August 1995
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Referral Instructions House (PDF)
Referral Instructions House · EN · 2 August 1995
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Reported to House amended, Part I
summary · EN · 1 August 1995
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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 18 May 1995
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Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 18 May 1995
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 18 May 1995
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Related records

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/house-bill/1670
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/104/hr/1670
us · 104-hr-1670 · source updated 6 June 2025