OMB, DOL Ask Federal Agencies to Designate Contract Labor Advisers

Office of Management and Budget and Department of Labor heads issued a joint memorandum to guide federal agencies following recommendations made by the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment to bolster contract labor and employment practices.

The Jan. 10 memo from OMB Director Shalanda Young and DOL Secretary Martin Walsh emphasizes the importance of labor advisors in helping the federal acquisition workforce to ensure that government contractors abide by laws and policies.

One of the provisions in the memo is directed at the agencies’ chief financial officers, who are tasked with the designation of the labor adviser and submission of the appointee’s information to the DOL.

While the adviser should be knowledgeable of contract labor and government acquisition laws, DOL will provide training and technical assistance to new recruits, the task force stated.

Another initiative is the establishment of a contract labor adviser group under DOL and OMB’s Office of Federal Procurement Policy.

The working group will include representatives from the Chief Acquisition Officers Council and the Small Business Procurement Advisory Council, who will meet at least once every quarter to share ideas on effective practices and monitor lines of communication between industry and government.

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