ACEC, Defense Contractors Request Extension of Sec. 3610 Authority

ACEC News / Advocacy

March 4, 2021

ACEC, Defense Contractors Request Extension of Sec. 3610 Authority

ACEC and others in the defense contracting community wrote Congress in support of an extension of Section 3610. The provision, which was included in the CARES Act, provides the authority for agencies to cover certain contractor costs from existing funds and to keep key personnel and skilled workers in a “ready state” during COVID-19. This authority continues to be used by many federal agencies to maintain the capabilities and workforce necessary to meet mission needs and protect our national security and other vital programs.

The authority has been helpful to a number of firms that have had to make arrangements when many of their employees were unable to access federal job sites. While engineering has been deemed an essential service, sites such as laboratories and other testing facilities have remained closed or limited due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Extending Sec. 3610 authorization will continue to provide the federal government with a tool that the government can employ to maintain their contractor workforce while facilities remain shuttered, social distancing measures are required, and staggered shift work is needed for those who are physically in the workplace. Unless Congress acts, the authority expires on March 31, 2021.

See our letter here.

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