PSC urges OMB to issue teleworking guidance for contractors

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Professional Services Council is calling on the Office of Management and Budget to release guidance to federal contracting officers that addresses teleworking for contractors.

In a March 18 letter to Russell Vought, acting director of OMB, David Berteau, PSC's chief executive, says recent guidance from the Office of Personnel Management only addresses federal civilian employees and uniformed personnel -- not government contractors.

"We recognize that contractors are governed by the terms of each specific contract, under the purview of government contracting officers," Berteau writes. "However, too often for our member companies and other contractors, those contracting officers have responded to the direction to provide for maximum telework by doing the opposite of what is needed. When federal employees are sent home to telework, contractors are often also sent home as well but may not be given the authority to telework."

Berteau adds that sending "contractors home without authorizing telework effectively ends the important work being done for the government by those contractors and undermines the intent of guidance from the President and senior government officials."

"Companies are ready to work remotely to support their agency missions and functions, but if their contracting officers force them to cease supporting their government customers, this will jeopardize important agency missions," he continues. "Furthermore, companies may have to lay off workers at this perilous time for the overall economy."

Berteau says the solution is "to provide overarching guidance to federal contracting officers that integrates with the teleworking guidance provided to the rest of the government workforce, and it can be implemented quickly by a memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget."