Last week the Coalition hosted a Regulatory Compliance Training Forum, Labor Contract Compliances: The world according the Department of Labor. The training event covered the Service Contract Act, the Davis Bacon Act, Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Plans and the latest information regarding the proposed Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order and implementing regulations. The content, presentation and overall instruction were outstanding!! The Coalition thanks Jennifer Flickinger and Jeff Clayton, Principals at Baker Tilly and Trina Fairley Barlow, Partner at Crowell & Moring LLP, who served as our instructors. I would also like to thank Baker Tilly for hosting the event at the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce offices in Tysons.
Given the positive reaction from the attendees and the highly complex nature of the topic, the Coalition is making this training part of our regular training series joining our MAS Basic Training and GSA Schedule Contracting for In-House Counsel courses. These training events reflect a key component of the Coalition’s mission: our commitment to provide member firms with the latest information, and highest quality training on procurement programs, policies and initiatives. Much of this work is done through our committees where we focus on operational initiatives and issues as well as key procurement programs. Over the last year alone committee meetings have addressed strategic sourcing, Evergreen contracting, MAS pricing policy cycle times for mods and offers, Professional Services Schedule Consolidation, OASIS and Alliant 2. In addition, member working groups have developed white papers on MAS pricing and are currently finalizing a paper on VA MAS pricing.
The new Pricing and Regulatory Compliance Oversight (PRCO) Committee is designed to address cross-cutting pricing, audit and regulatory compliance issues that have arisen throughout our committees. The PRCO will be a forum to address compliance best practices, update members on changes in compliance requirements and pricing regulations and audits. It is also not limited to purely commercial item contracting. We look forward to expanding our of member services to include guidance and information, as appropriate, on cost-reimbursement contracting related issues. We also look forward to reaching out to the oversight community to engage in a Myth-Busters dialogue on key compliance challenges across the procurement system. The PRCO will meet quarterly, with the first regular meeting tentatively scheduled for November 2015. Over the next month the Coalition will be reaching out to you with a survey seeking your input on the PRCO including issues, topics and speakers. Respondents to the survey will be added to the email list for committee communications.
In addition, members can contact Jason Baccus at (202) 331-0975 or jasonbaccus@thecgp.org to be added to the PRCO list. All are welcome! Especially in-house counsel, compliance officers, financial officers, and, of course, contract managers! We look forward to serving your compliance needs through the PRCO!