The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”) has announced that it has launched a new resource for federal government contractors called the “Contracting Officer Corner.” OFCCP touts the new website as constituting “a central repository of resources, including a new pre-award process guide and downloadable workplace posters, for both federal agency contracting officials and federal contractors.” The aim of the website is to “assist and ensur[e] that federal contractors meet their equal employment opportunity obligations,” and to “enhance compliance assistance.”
The new website includes:
- a “Pre-Award Process Guide” providing guidance on the process for requesting Equal Employment Opportunity clearance from OFCCP;
- information about subcontractor notifications required to be provided to OFCCP by construction contractors;
- links to OFCCP’s Equal Employment Opportunity posters required to be posted by federal contractors;
- links to the Federal Acquisition Regulations; and
- a training presentation for federal procurement officers on Equal Employment Opportunity.
Key Takeway: the new website appears to be part of OFCCP’s Town Hall Action Plan, which aims to enhance contractor compliance assistance and increase transparency and communication. As reported here, one of the issues raised by contractors at the OFCCP’s Town Halls held last year was the desire for improved online resources. The Contracting Officer Corner appears to be a concrete step taken by the agency to respond to contractors’ concerns, although its offerings at this time are limited. Time will tell whether the Contracting Officer Corner is the beginning of a go-to resource for contractors, or simply a gesture.