ACEC Urges Delay of Looming 889 (B) Deadline

ACEC News / Advocacy

July 31, 2020

ACEC Urges Delay of Looming 889 (B) Deadline

ACEC has urged Hill leaders to delay the implementation of a regulation banning several telecommunications items that is scheduled to take effect on August 13.

Section 889(a)(1)(B) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 bans numerous Chinese-made telecommunications products and services and would prevent engineers from working on federal contracts if their firms cannot comply with the ban.

ACEC understands the national and economic security goals underlying Section 889, including the need to take action to limit the presence of covered suppliers in the digital infrastructure of companies supporting federal agencies.

ACEC is concerned, however, that the inability of engineering firms and other federal contractors to achieve compliance by the implementation date will have a detrimental impact on the ability of our agency clients to procure critical products and services. 

In a letter to Hill leaders, ACEC urged that the deadline for compliance be extended, giving us time to work with our agency clients to achieve the goals envisioned in the law while also ensuring that critical services on behalf of the taxpayer may continue.

Click here to read the letter.

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