Contractors: Begin Shutdown Prep Now – By Frank Konkel (Next Gov) / Nov 13 2019
Lessons learned from the 2018 shutdown suggest government contractors should prepare all they can for a potential 2019 shutdown.
Now is a good time for government contractors to begin preparing for another potential government shutdown, according to the Professional Services Council, which represents close to 400 such companies.
Lawmakers Wednesday announced a second stopgap spending bill that would extend government funding another month, buying lawmakers more time to negotiate full-year appropriations. If the House votes to approve the continuing resolution, it would fund the government from Nov. 21 to Dec. 20.
That is almost one year to the day from the start of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, a fact not lost on contractors, many of whom experienced lost revenue and layoffs as a result.
“We hope this continuing resolution goes into effect. I think it’s valuable for member companies to have not just 8 days to prepare for the risk of a shutdown, but 5 weeks between now and Dec. 20,” said Alan Chvotkin, executive vice president and counsel for PSC, speaking on a webinar hosted by the organization.
In his presentation, Chvotkin outlined steps contractors ought to take based on lessons learned from previous shutdowns, though he warned there is no “one size fits all” approach. Those lessons included nuanced information regarding stop-work orders, appropriate engagement with federal employees, contract and invoice statuses, compensation and remediation, shutdown recovery and other subjects.
Continue to article: https://www.nextgov.com/cio-briefing/2019/11/contractors-beginning-shutdown-prep-now/161292/
