Procurement List: Proposed Additions and Deletions of Products and Services for Nonprofit Disability Employers
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
The Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (AbilityOne Program) is proposing modifications to its Procurement List, which mandates that certain U.S. federal government purchases be sourced exclusively from qualified nonprofit agencies employing people who are blind or have other severe disabilities. The proposed changes include adding new services to the Procurement List, meaning federal agencies would be required to procure those specific services from designated nonprofit disability-employment organizations rather than through open-market competition. Simultaneously, the Committee is proposing to remove certain products and services previously on the list, which would open those items back up to standard federal competitive procurement processes and potentially end the exclusive contracts held by disability-focused nonprofits for those items. This notice invites public comment before final decisions are made, giving affected parties — including current vendors, nonprofits, and federal agencies — the opportunity to weigh in on the proposed additions and deletions.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- New services are proposed for addition to the AbilityOne Procurement List, mandating federal agencies source them from disability-employing nonprofits
- Certain existing products are proposed for deletion from the Procurement List, ending their set-aside status
- Certain existing services are proposed for deletion, returning them to open federal competitive bidding
+ 2 more changes with Pro
Obligations
What this law requires
Federal agencies must procure newly added services exclusively from designated nonprofit agencies employing people who are blind or have other severe disabilities, rather than through open-market competition
The Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled must formally propose modifications to the Procurement List, including specific products and services to be added and deleted
The Committee must publish notice of proposed Procurement List additions and deletions to invite public comment before finalizing decisions
Federal agencies must cease exclusive procurement requirements for products and services that are deleted from the Procurement List and revert to standard competitive procurement processes
Nonprofit agencies designated on the Procurement List must employ persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities to furnish the required products and services