'Blacklisting' comment period expanded

FAR Council's Federal Register notice

The Federal Acquisition Regulation Council is making sure everyone has plenty of time to comment on a controversial rule that would require agency contracting officers to consider vendors' ethics when making awards.

The council published a Federal Register notice today extending the due date for comments on a proposal to revoke the rule to July 6 and announcing an open meeting on the proposed rule on June 18.

The council published the final contractor responsibility rule — known by vendors as the "blacklisting" rule — Dec. 20, 2000, and agencies started incorporating it into their contracts Jan. 19. But the council put the rule on hold and requested further comment in March due to continued objections from industry and agencies that the rule would create more work than any benefit the agencies would receive, and signs that the White House would revoke the rule.