FIT Procurement Act

119 HR 4123 EH: Federal Improvement in Technology Procurement Act U.S. House of Representatives text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS2d Session H. R. 4123

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To improve Federal technology procurement, and for other purposes.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Federal Improvement in Technology Procurement Act or the FIT Procurement Act.

2.DefinitionsIn this Act: (1)Acquisition workforceThe term acquisition workforce means employees of an executive agency who are responsible for procurement, contracting, or program or project management that involves the performance of acquisition-related functions or other employees as designated by the Chief Acquisition Officer, senior procurement executive, or head of the contracting activity. (2)AdministratorThe term Administrator means the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy. (3)Chief Acquisition OfficerThe term Chief Acquisition Officer means a Chief Acquisition Officer appointed pursuant to section 1702(a) of title 41, United States Code. (4)Cross-functionalThe term cross-functional means a structure in which individuals with different functional expertise or from different areas of an organization work together as a team. (5)Executive agencyThe term executive agency has the meaning given that term in section 133 of title 41, United States Code. (6)Experiential learningThe term experiential learning means on-the-job experiences or simulations that serve to enhance workforce professional skills. (7)Information and communications technologyThe term information and communications technology— (A)has the meaning given that term in section 4713(k) of title 41, United States Code; and (B)includes information and communications technologies covered by any definition contained in the Federal Acquisition Regulation, including a definition added after the date of the enactment of this Act by the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council pursuant to notice and comment. (8)Relevant committees of CongressThe term relevant committees of Congress means the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives. (9)Senior procurement executiveThe term senior procurement executive means a senior procurement executive designated pursuant to section 1702(c)(1) of title 41, United States Code. (10)Small businessThe term small business has the meaning given the term small business concern in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).

3.Acquisition workforce (a)Experiential learningNot later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute may establish a pilot program to consider the incorporation of experiential learning into the Federal Credentials Program, the Federal Acquisition Certification for Contracting Officer’s Representatives program, the Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers program, or any successor program. (b)Training on information and communications technology acquisition (1)In generalNot later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute, in coordination with the Administrator, the Administrator of General Services, and the Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government, and in consultation with the heads of other executive agencies as determined to be appropriate by the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute, may develop and implement or otherwise provide a cross-functional information and communications technology acquisition training program for members of the acquisition workforce involved in acquiring information and communications technology that shall do the following: (A)Include learning objectives related to the following: (i)Market research. (ii)Communicating with and considering industry perspectives on the procurement process, including how investment decisions are impacted by Government communication and engagement. (iii)Developing requirements, acquisition planning, best practices for developing and executing outcome-based contracts, and source selection strategy. (iv)Evaluating proposals. (v)Awarding and administering contracts for information and communications technology. (B)Include learning objectives that provide a basic understanding of key technologies that executive agencies need, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence and artificial intelligence-enabled applications, and cybersecurity solutions. (C)Include learning objectives that encourage the use of commercial or commercially available off-the-shelf technologies to the greatest extent practicable. (D)Include case studies of lessons learned from Federal information and communications technology procurements and contracts, and related matters as determined to be relevant by the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute. (E)Include experiential learning opportunities and opportunities to practice collaborative acquisition strategies involving team members with varied relevant domain expertise to complete acquisition-related tasks, including tasks with accelerated timelines. (F)Include continuous learning recommendations and resources to keep the skills of members of the acquisition workforce current, including tools that help adopt or adapt the use of innovative acquisition practices or other flexible business practices commonly used in commercial buys. (G)Be made available to members of the acquisition workforce designated by a Chief Acquisition Officer, senior procurement executive, or head of the contracting activity to participate in the training program. (H)Inform executive agencies about streamlined and alternative procurement methods for the procurement of information and communications technology, including the following: (i)Simplified procedures for certain commercial products and commercial services in accordance with subpart 13.5 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, prize competitions under the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–358), competitive programs that encourage businesses to engage in Federal research or research and development with the potential for commercialization, and joint venture partnerships. (ii)Innovative procurement techniques designed to streamline the procurement process and lower barriers to entry, such as the use of oral presentations and product demonstrations instead of lengthy written proposals, appropriately leveraging performance and outcomes-based contracting, and other techniques discussed on the Periodic Table of Acquisition Innovations or other similar successor knowledge management portals. (iii)Information on appropriate use, examples and templates, and any other information determined relevant by the Administrator to assist contracting officers and other members of the acquisition workforce in using the procedures and techniques described in clauses (i) and (ii). (I)Incorporate learning objectives to identify and mitigate waste, fraud, and abuse and ensure the protection of established privacy rights, civil rights, and civil liberties in the procurement process. (2)ReportNot later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute shall provide to the relevant committees of Congress, the Chief Acquisition Officers Council, and the Chief Information Officers Council— (A)a report on the progress of the Director in developing and implementing or otherwise providing the training program described in paragraph (1); and (B)a list of any acquisition training that the Director determines to be outdated or no longer necessary. (3)DurationThe training program described in paragraph (1) may be updated as appropriate (but not less frequently than once every 2 years after implementation), and offered not less than 6 years following the date of implementation of the training program. (c)Acquisition workforce training fundSection 1703(i)(3) of title 41, United States Code, is amended by striking Five percent and inserting Seven and a half percent. (d)Harmonization of acquisition workforce training requirementsSection 2 of the Artificial Intelligence Training for the Acquisition Workforce Act (Public Law 117–207; 41 U.S.C. 1703 note) is amended— (1)in subsection (a)(4), by striking Director.—The term Director means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. and inserting Administrator.—The term Administrator means the Administrator of General Services.; and (2)in subsection (b)— (A)in paragraph (1), by striking Director, in coordination with the Administrator of General Services and any other person determined relevant by the Director and inserting Administrator, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; (B)in paragraph (4), by striking Director and inserting Administrator; (C)in paragraph (5), by striking Director and inserting Administrator; and (D)in paragraph (6), by striking Director and inserting Administrator.

4.Innovative procurement methods (a)Increase in simplified acquisition thresholdSection 134 of title 41, United States Code, is amended by striking $250,000 and inserting $500,000. (b)Simplified procedures for small purchasesSection 1901(a)(2) of title 41, United States Code, is amended by striking $5,000,000 and inserting $10,000,000. (c)Increase in micro purchase thresholdSection 1902(a)(1) of title 41, United States Code, is amended by striking $10,000 and inserting $25,000. (d)Advances for commercial technology subscriptions and tenancySection 3324(d) of title 31, United States Code, is amended— (1)in paragraph (1)(C), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon; (2)in paragraph (2)— (A)by inserting or commercially available content after publication; and (B)by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and (3)by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (3)charges for information and communications technology subscriptions, reservations, or tenancy, which means the sharing of computing resources in a private or public environment, including cloud environments, for which the ordering agency defines appropriate access and security standards..

5.Adjustments to certain acquisition thresholds (a)Major programSection 109 of title 41, United States Code, is amended— (1)in subsection (b)(1)— (A)by striking $75,000,000 (based on fiscal year 1980 constant dollars) and inserting $275,000,000 (based on fiscal year 2024 dollars); and (B)by striking $300,000,000 (based on fiscal year 1980 constant dollars) and inserting $1,300,000,000 (based on fiscal year 2024 dollars); and (2)in subsection (b)(2), by striking $750,000 (based on fiscal year 1980 constant dollars) and inserting $2,000,000 (based on fiscal year 2024 dollars). (b)Modifications to submissions of cost or pricing dataSection 3502(a) of title 41, United States Code, is amended— (1)in paragraph (1)— (A)by striking 2018 each place it appears and inserting 2026; (B)in subparagraph (A), by striking $2,000,000 and inserting $10,000,000; and (C)in subparagraph (B), by striking $750,000 and inserting $2,000,000; (2)in paragraph (2)— (A)in subparagraph (A), by striking $2,000,000 and inserting $10,000,000; (B)in subparagraph (B), by striking $750,000 and inserting $2,000,000; and (C)in subparagraph (C), by striking $750,000 and inserting $2,000,000; and (3)in paragraph (3), by striking chapter and— and all that follows and inserting the following: chapter and— (A)in the case of a prime contract entered into after June 30, 2026, the price of the subcontract is expected to exceed $10,000,000; or (B)in the case of a prime contract entered into on or before June 30, 2026, the price of the subcontract is expected to exceed $2,000,000..

6.Increasing competition in Federal contracting (a)Use of past performance (1)In generalNot later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue guidance, including examples and templates where appropriate, on the following: (A)When a wider range of projects, including commercial, non-government, and Government projects, should be accepted as relevant past performance in order to have increased competition among eligible firms with capability to perform a requirement, such as a requirement without much precedent. (B)A means by which an agency may validate non-government past performance references, such as by requiring an official of an entity that provides past performance references to attest to their authenticity and by providing verifiable contact information for the references. (C)Any use of alternative evaluation methods other than past performance that may be appropriate for a requirement without much precedent, such as demonstrations and testing of technologies as part of the proposal process. (2)Supplement not supplantThe guidance required by paragraph (1) shall supplement existing Federal and agency policy and procedures for consideration of past performance and other evaluation factors and methods. (b)Enhancing competition in Federal procurement (1)Council recommendationsNot later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall convene the Chief Acquisition Officers Council (in this subsection referred to as the Council) to make recommendations to identify and eliminate specific, unnecessary procedural barriers that disproportionately affect the ability of small businesses to compete for Federal contracts, with a focus on streamlining documentation and qualification requirements unrelated to the protection of privacy rights and civil liberties. (2)ConsultationThe Council shall obtain input from the public, including from the APEX Accelerators program (formerly known as Procurement Technical Assistance Center network) and other contractor representatives, to identify Federal procurement policies and regulations that are obsolete, overly burdensome or restrictive, not adequately harmonized, or otherwise serve to create barriers to the participation of small businesses in Federal contracting or unnecessarily increase bid and proposal costs. (3)Examination of actionsThe Council shall consider the input obtained under paragraph (2) and any other information determined relevant by the Council to identify legislative, regulatory, and other actions to increase competition and remove barriers to the participation of small businesses in Federal contracting. (4)ImplementationNot later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council, the Council, and other executive agencies as appropriate, shall implement the regulatory and other non-legislative actions identified under paragraph (3), as determined necessary by the Administrator, to remove barriers to entry for small businesses seeking to participate in Federal contracting. (5)BriefingNot later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall brief the relevant committees of Congress on the legislative actions identified under paragraph (3) and the actions implemented under paragraph (4). (c)Consideration of cost-efficiency and qualityThe Administrator shall advocate for and prioritize contracting policies that ensure that cost-efficiency and quality of goods and services are key determining factors in awarding Federal contracts.

7.Comptroller general assessment of small business participation in Federal procurementNot later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the relevant committees of Congress and make publicly available a report that does the following: (1)Assesses the level of participation by small businesses in Federal procurement. (2)Identifies barriers and opportunities and the impact of policies on the ability of small businesses to compete in Federal procurement. (3)Catalogs and evaluates the effectiveness of programs intended to support the participation of small businesses in Federal procurement. (4)Analyzes trends in the involvement of small businesses in Federal technology projects, including data on contract awards, the diversity of sectors represented, and the geographic distribution of small business contractors.

8.Conflict of interest proceduresThe Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council and the Administrator shall update the Federal Acquisition Regulation as necessary to provide additional guidance to executive agencies to address personal and organizational conflicts of interest involving members of the acquisition workforce.

9.No additional fundingNo additional funds are authorized to be appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this Act. Passed the House of Representatives July 20, 2026.Kevin F. McCumber,Clerk.

119 HR 4123 IH: Federal Improvement in Technology Procurement Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-06-25 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I119th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 4123IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJune 25, 2025Mr. Burlison (for himself, Mr. Subramanyam, Mrs. Luna, and Mr. Lynch) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Small Business, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedA BILLTo improve Federal technology procurement, and for other purposes.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Federal Improvement in Technology Procurement Act or the FIT Procurement Act.

2.DefinitionsIn this Act: (1)Acquisition workforceThe term acquisition workforce means employees of an executive agency who are responsible for procurement, contracting, program or project management that involves the performance of acquisition-related functions, or others as designated by the Chief Acquisition Officer, senior procurement executive, or head of the contracting activity. (2)AdministratorThe term Administrator means the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy. (3)Chief Acquisition OfficerThe term Chief Acquisition Officer means a Chief Acquisition Officer appointed pursuant to section 1702 of title 41, United States Code. (4)Cross-functionalThe term cross-functional means a structure in which individuals with different functional expertise or from different areas of an organization work together as a team. (5)Executive agencyThe term executive agency has the meaning given the term in section 133 of title 41, United States Code. (6)Experiential learningThe term experiential learning means on-the-job experiences or simulations that serve to enhance workforce professional skills. (7)Information and communications technologyThe term information and communications technology— (A)has the meaning given the term in section 4713(k) of title 41, United States Code; and (B)includes information and communications technologies covered by any definition contained in the Federal Acquisition Regulation, including a definition added after the date of the enactment of this Act by the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council pursuant to notice and comment. (8)Relevant committees of congressThe term relevant committees of Congress means the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives. (9)Senior procurement executiveThe term senior procurement executive means a senior procurement executive designated pursuant to section 1702(c) of title 41, United States Code. (10)Small businessThe term small business has the meaning given the term small business concern in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).

3.Acquisition workforce (a)Experiential learningNot later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Federal Acquisition Institute shall establish a pilot program to consider the incorporation of experiential learning into the Federal Credentials Program, the Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting Officer’s Representative Program, and the Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers Program, or any successor program. (b)Training on information and communications technology acquisition (1)In generalNot later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute, in coordination with the Administrator, the Administrator of General Services, and the Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government, and in consultation with the heads of other executive agencies as determined to be appropriate by the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute, shall develop and implement or otherwise provide a cross-functional information and communications technology acquisition training program for acquisition workforce members involved in acquiring information and communications technology. The training shall do the following: (A)Include learning objectives related to market research, communicating with industry and industry perspectives on the procurement process, including how investment decisions are impacted by Government communication and engagement, developing requirements, acquisition planning, best practices for developing and executing outcome-based contracts, and source selection strategy, evaluating proposals, and awarding and administering contracts for information and communications technology. (B)Include learning objectives that provide a basic understanding of key technologies executive agencies need, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence and artificial intelligence-enabled applications, and cybersecurity solutions. (C)Include learning objectives that encourage the use of commercial or commercially available off-the-shelf technologies to the greatest extent practicable. (D)Include case studies of lessons learned from Federal information and communications technology procurements and contracts, and related matters as determined to be relevant by the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute. (E)Include experiential learning opportunities, and opportunities to practice acquisition teaming involving collaboration of team members with varied relevant domain expertise to complete acquisition-related tasks, including tasks with accelerated timelines. (F)Include continuous learning recommendations and resources to keep the skills of acquisition workforce members current, including tools that help adopt or adapt the use of innovative acquisition practices or other flexible business practices commonly used in commercial buys. (G)Be made available to acquisition workforce members designated by a Chief Acquisition Officer, senior procurement executive, or head of the contracting activity to participate in the training program. (H)Inform executive agencies about streamlined and alternative procurement methods for procurement of information and communications technology, including— (i)simplified procedures for certain commercial products and commercial services in accordance with subpart 13.5 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, prize competitions under the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–358), competitive programs that encourage businesses to engage in Federal research or research and development with the potential for commercialization, and joint venture partnerships; (ii)innovative procurement techniques designed to streamline the procurement process and lower barriers to entry, such as use of oral presentations and product demonstrations instead of lengthy written proposals, appropriately leveraging performance and outcomes-based contracting, and other techniques discussed on the Periodic Table of Acquisition Innovations or other similar successor knowledge management portals; and (iii)information on appropriate use, examples and templates, and any other information determined relevant by the Administrator to assist contracting officers and other members of the acquisition workforce in using the procedures described in clauses (i) and (ii). (I)Incorporate learning objectives to identify and mitigate waste, fraud, and abuse and ensure the protection of established privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties in the procurement process. (2)ReportNot later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute shall provide to the relevant committees of Congress, the Chief Acquisition Officers Council, and the Chief Information Officers Council— (A)a report on the progress of the Director in developing and implementing or otherwise providing the information and communications technology acquisition training described in paragraph (1); and (B)a list of any acquisition training that the Director determines to be outdated or no longer necessary. (3)DurationThe training program shall be updated as appropriate, but at least every 2 years after implementation, and offered for a minimum of 6 years following the date of implementation of the training program. (c)Acquisition workforce training fundSection 1703(i)(3) of title 41, United States Code, is amended by striking Five percent and inserting Seven and a half percent. (d)Harmonization of acquisition workforce training requirementsSection 2 of the Artificial Intelligence Training for the Acquisition Workforce Act (Public Law 117–207; 41 U.S.C. 1703 note) is amended— (1)in subsection (a)(4), by striking Director.—The term Director means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. and inserting Administrator.—The term Administrator means the Administrator of General Services.. (2)in subsection (b)— (A)in paragraph (1), by striking Director, in coordination with the Administrator of General Services and any other person determined relevant by the Director and inserting Administrator, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; (B)in paragraph (4), by striking Director and inserting Administrator; (C)in paragraph (5), by striking Director and inserting Administrator; and (D)in paragraph (6), by striking Director and inserting Administrator.

4.Innovative procurement methods (a)Increase in simplified acquisition thresholdSection 134 of title 41, United States Code, is amended by striking $250,000 and inserting $500,000. (b)Increase in micro purchase thresholdSection 1902(a)(1) of title 41, United States Code, is amended by striking $10,000 and inserting $25,000.. (c)Advances for commercial technology subscriptions and tenancySection 3324(d) of title 31, United States Code, is amended— (1)in paragraph (1)(C), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon; (2)in paragraph (2)— (A)by inserting or commercially available content after publication; and (B)by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and (3)by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (3)charges for information and communications technology subscriptions, reservations, or tenancy, which means the sharing of computing resources in a private or public environment, including cloud environments, for which the ordering agency defines appropriate access and security standards..

5.Increasing competition in Federal contracting (a)Use of past performance (1)In generalNot later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue guidance, including examples and templates where appropriate, on— (A)when a wider range of projects, such as commercial or non-government, as well as Government projects, should be accepted as relevant past performance, in order to have increased competition among eligible firms with capability to perform a requirement, such as a requirement without much precedent; (B)a means by which an agency may validate non-government past performance references, such as by requiring an official of an entity providing past performance references to attest to their authenticity and by providing verifiable contact information for the references; and (C)use of alternative evaluation methods other than past performance that may be appropriate for a requirement without much precedent, such as demonstrations and testing of technologies as part of the proposal process. (2)Supplement not supplantThe guidance issued under paragraph (1) shall supplement existing Federal and agency policy and procedures for consideration of past performance and other evaluation factors and methods. (b)Enhancing competition in Federal procurement (1)Council recommendationsNot later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall convene the Chief Acquisition Officers Council (in this section referred to as the Council), to make recommendations to identify and eliminate specific, unnecessary procedural barriers that disproportionately affect the ability of small businesses to compete for Federal contracts, with a focus on streamlining documentation and qualification requirements unrelated to the protection of privacy and civil liberties. (2)ConsultationThe Council shall obtain input from the public, including from the APEX Accelerators program (formerly known as Procurement Technical Assistance Center network) and other contractor representatives, to identify Federal procurement policies and regulations that are obsolete, overly burdensome or restrictive, not adequately harmonized, or otherwise serve to create barriers to small business participation in Federal contracting or unnecessarily increase bid and proposal costs. (3)Examination of actionsThe Council shall consider the input obtained under paragraph (2) and any other information determined to be relevant by the Council to identify legislative, regulatory, and other actions to increase competition and remove barriers to small business participation in the procurement process. (4)ImplementationNot later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council, the Chief Acquisition Officers Council, and other executive agencies as appropriate, shall implement the regulatory and other non-legislative actions identified under paragraph (3), as determined necessary by the Administrator, to remove barriers to entry for small businesses seeking to participate in Federal Government procurement. (5)BriefingNot later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall brief the relevant committees of Congress on the legislative actions identified under paragraph (3), and the actions implemented under paragraph (4). (c)Consideration of cost-Efficiency and qualityThe Administrator shall advocate for and prioritize contracting policies that ensure that cost-efficiency and quality of goods and services are key determining factors in awarding Federal contracts.

6.Comptroller general assessment of small business participation in Federal procurementNot later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress and make publicly available a report that— (1)assesses the current level of small business participation in Federal procurement, identifying barriers, opportunities, and the impact of existing policies on the ability of small businesses to compete in Federal procurement; (2)catalogs and evaluates the effectiveness of programs intended to support small business participation in Federal procurement; and (3)analyzes trends in small business involvement in Federal technology projects, including data on contract awards, the diversity of sectors represented, and the geographic distribution of small business contractors.

7.Conflict of interest proceduresThe Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council and the Administrator shall update the Federal Acquisition Regulation as necessary to provide additional guidance to executive agencies to address personal and organizational conflicts of interest involving members of the acquisition workforce.

8.No additional fundingNo additional funds are authorized to be appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this Act.

117 HR 4123 : Federal Improvement in Technology Procurement Act U.S. House of Representatives 2026-07-21 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. IIB119th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 4123IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJuly 21, 2026Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsAN ACTTo improve Federal technology procurement, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Federal Improvement in Technology Procurement Act or the FIT Procurement Act.2.DefinitionsIn this Act:(1)Acquisition workforceThe term acquisition workforce means employees of an executive agency who are responsible for procurement, contracting, or program or project management that involves the performance of acquisition-related functions or other employees as designated by the Chief Acquisition Officer, senior procurement executive, or head of the contracting activity.(2)AdministratorThe term Administrator means the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy.(3)Chief Acquisition OfficerThe term Chief Acquisition Officer means a Chief Acquisition Officer appointed pursuant to section 1702(a) of title 41, United States Code.(4)Cross-functionalThe term cross-functional means a structure in which individuals with different functional expertise or from different areas of an organization work together as a team.(5)Executive agencyThe term executive agency has the meaning given that term in section 133 of title 41, United States Code.(6)Experiential learningThe term experiential learning means on-the-job experiences or simulations that serve to enhance workforce professional skills.(7)Information and communications technologyThe term information and communications technology—(A)has the meaning given that term in section 4713(k) of title 41, United States Code; and(B)includes information and communications technologies covered by any definition contained in the Federal Acquisition Regulation, including a definition added after the date of the enactment of this Act by the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council pursuant to notice and comment.(8)Relevant committees of CongressThe term relevant committees of Congress means the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives.(9)Senior procurement executiveThe term senior procurement executive means a senior procurement executive designated pursuant to section 1702(c)(1) of title 41, United States Code.(10)Small businessThe term small business has the meaning given the term small business concern in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).3.Acquisition workforce(a)Experiential learningNot later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute may establish a pilot program to consider the incorporation of experiential learning into the Federal Credentials Program, the Federal Acquisition Certification for Contracting Officer’s Representatives program, the Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers program, or any successor program.(b)Training on information and communications technology acquisition(1)In generalNot later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute, in coordination with the Administrator, the Administrator of General Services, and the Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government, and in consultation with the heads of other executive agencies as determined to be appropriate by the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute, may develop and implement or otherwise provide a cross-functional information and communications technology acquisition training program for members of the acquisition workforce involved in acquiring information and communications technology that shall do the following:(A)Include learning objectives related to the following:(i)Market research.(ii)Communicating with and considering industry perspectives on the procurement process, including how investment decisions are impacted by Government communication and engagement.(iii)Developing requirements, acquisition planning, best practices for developing and executing outcome-based contracts, and source selection strategy.(iv)Evaluating proposals.(v)Awarding and administering contracts for information and communications technology.(B)Include learning objectives that provide a basic understanding of key technologies that executive agencies need, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence and artificial intelligence-enabled applications, and cybersecurity solutions.(C)Include learning objectives that encourage the use of commercial or commercially available off-the-shelf technologies to the greatest extent practicable.(D)Include case studies of lessons learned from Federal information and communications technology procurements and contracts, and related matters as determined to be relevant by the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute.(E)Include experiential learning opportunities and opportunities to practice collaborative acquisition strategies involving team members with varied relevant domain expertise to complete acquisition-related tasks, including tasks with accelerated timelines.(F)Include continuous learning recommendations and resources to keep the skills of members of the acquisition workforce current, including tools that help adopt or adapt the use of innovative acquisition practices or other flexible business practices commonly used in commercial buys.(G)Be made available to members of the acquisition workforce designated by a Chief Acquisition Officer, senior procurement executive, or head of the contracting activity to participate in the training program.(H)Inform executive agencies about streamlined and alternative procurement methods for the procurement of information and communications technology, including the following:(i)Simplified procedures for certain commercial products and commercial services in accordance with subpart 13.5 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, prize competitions under the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–358), competitive programs that encourage businesses to engage in Federal research or research and development with the potential for commercialization, and joint venture partnerships.(ii)Innovative procurement techniques designed to streamline the procurement process and lower barriers to entry, such as the use of oral presentations and product demonstrations instead of lengthy written proposals, appropriately leveraging performance and outcomes-based contracting, and other techniques discussed on the Periodic Table of Acquisition Innovations or other similar successor knowledge management portals.(iii)Information on appropriate use, examples and templates, and any other information determined relevant by the Administrator to assist contracting officers and other members of the acquisition workforce in using the procedures and techniques described in clauses (i) and (ii).(I)Incorporate learning objectives to identify and mitigate waste, fraud, and abuse and ensure the protection of established privacy rights, civil rights, and civil liberties in the procurement process.(2)ReportNot later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute shall provide to the relevant committees of Congress, the Chief Acquisition Officers Council, and the Chief Information Officers Council—(A)a report on the progress of the Director in developing and implementing or otherwise providing the training program described in paragraph (1); and(B)a list of any acquisition training that the Director determines to be outdated or no longer necessary.(3)DurationThe training program described in paragraph (1) may be updated as appropriate (but not less frequently than once every 2 years after implementation), and offered not less than 6 years following the date of implementation of the training program.(c)Acquisition workforce training fundSection 1703(i)(3) of title 41, United States Code, is amended by striking Five percent and inserting Seven and a half percent.(d)Harmonization of acquisition workforce training requirementsSection 2 of the Artificial Intelligence Training for the Acquisition Workforce Act (Public Law 117–207; 41 U.S.C. 1703 note) is amended—(1)in subsection (a)(4), by striking Director.—The term Director means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. and inserting Administrator.—The term Administrator means the Administrator of General Services.; and(2)in subsection (b)—(A)in paragraph (1), by striking Director, in coordination with the Administrator of General Services and any other person determined relevant by the Director and inserting Administrator, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;(B)in paragraph (4), by striking Director and inserting Administrator;(C)in paragraph (5), by striking Director and inserting Administrator; and(D)in paragraph (6), by striking Director and inserting Administrator.4.Innovative procurement methods(a)Increase in simplified acquisition thresholdSection 134 of title 41, United States Code, is amended by striking $250,000 and inserting $500,000.(b)Simplified procedures for small purchasesSection 1901(a)(2) of title 41, United States Code, is amended by striking $5,000,000 and inserting $10,000,000.(c)Increase in micro purchase thresholdSection 1902(a)(1) of title 41, United States Code, is amended by striking $10,000 and inserting $25,000.(d)Advances for commercial technology subscriptions and tenancySection 3324(d) of title 31, United States Code, is amended—(1)in paragraph (1)(C), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon;(2)in paragraph (2)—(A)by inserting or commercially available content after publication; and(B)by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and(3)by adding at the end the following new paragraph:(3)charges for information and communications technology subscriptions, reservations, or tenancy, which means the sharing of computing resources in a private or public environment, including cloud environments, for which the ordering agency defines appropriate access and security standards..5.Adjustments to certain acquisition thresholds(a)Major programSection 109 of title 41, United States Code, is amended—(1)in subsection (b)(1)—(A)by striking $75,000,000 (based on fiscal year 1980 constant dollars) and inserting $275,000,000 (based on fiscal year 2024 dollars); and(B)by striking $300,000,000 (based on fiscal year 1980 constant dollars) and inserting $1,300,000,000 (based on fiscal year 2024 dollars); and(2)in subsection (b)(2), by striking $750,000 (based on fiscal year 1980 constant dollars) and inserting $2,000,000 (based on fiscal year 2024 dollars).(b)Modifications to submissions of cost or pricing dataSection 3502(a) of title 41, United States Code, is amended—(1)in paragraph (1)—(A)by striking 2018 each place it appears and inserting 2026;(B)in subparagraph (A), by striking $2,000,000 and inserting $10,000,000; and(C)in subparagraph (B), by striking $750,000 and inserting $2,000,000;(2)in paragraph (2)—(A)in subparagraph (A), by striking $2,000,000 and inserting $10,000,000;(B)in subparagraph (B), by striking $750,000 and inserting $2,000,000; and(C)in subparagraph (C), by striking $750,000 and inserting $2,000,000; and (3)in paragraph (3), by striking chapter and— and all that follows and inserting the following: chapter and—(A)in the case of a prime contract entered into after June 30, 2026, the price of the subcontract is expected to exceed $10,000,000; or(B)in the case of a prime contract entered into on or before June 30, 2026, the price of the subcontract is expected to exceed $2,000,000..6.Increasing competition in Federal contracting(a)Use of past performance(1)In generalNot later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue guidance, including examples and templates where appropriate, on the following:(A)When a wider range of projects, including commercial, non-government, and Government projects, should be accepted as relevant past performance in order to have increased competition among eligible firms with capability to perform a requirement, such as a requirement without much precedent.(B)A means by which an agency may validate non-government past performance references, such as by requiring an official of an entity that provides past performance references to attest to their authenticity and by providing verifiable contact information for the references.(C)Any use of alternative evaluation methods other than past performance that may be appropriate for a requirement without much precedent, such as demonstrations and testing of technologies as part of the proposal process.(2)Supplement not supplantThe guidance required by paragraph (1) shall supplement existing Federal and agency policy and procedures for consideration of past performance and other evaluation factors and methods.(b)Enhancing competition in Federal procurement(1)Council recommendationsNot later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall convene the Chief Acquisition Officers Council (in this subsection referred to as the Council) to make recommendations to identify and eliminate specific, unnecessary procedural barriers that disproportionately affect the ability of small businesses to compete for Federal contracts, with a focus on streamlining documentation and qualification requirements unrelated to the protection of privacy rights and civil liberties.(2)ConsultationThe Council shall obtain input from the public, including from the APEX Accelerators program (formerly known as Procurement Technical Assistance Center network) and other contractor representatives, to identify Federal procurement policies and regulations that are obsolete, overly burdensome or restrictive, not adequately harmonized, or otherwise serve to create barriers to the participation of small businesses in Federal contracting or unnecessarily increase bid and proposal costs.(3)Examination of actionsThe Council shall consider the input obtained under paragraph (2) and any other information determined relevant by the Council to identify legislative, regulatory, and other actions to increase competition and remove barriers to the participation of small businesses in Federal contracting.(4)ImplementationNot later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council, the Council, and other executive agencies as appropriate, shall implement the regulatory and other non-legislative actions identified under paragraph (3), as determined necessary by the Administrator, to remove barriers to entry for small businesses seeking to participate in Federal contracting.(5)BriefingNot later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall brief the relevant committees of Congress on the legislative actions identified under paragraph (3) and the actions implemented under paragraph (4).(c)Consideration of cost-efficiency and qualityThe Administrator shall advocate for and prioritize contracting policies that ensure that cost-efficiency and quality of goods and services are key determining factors in awarding Federal contracts.7.Comptroller general assessment of small business participation in Federal procurementNot later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the relevant committees of Congress and make publicly available a report that does the following:(1)Assesses the level of participation by small businesses in Federal procurement.(2)Identifies barriers and opportunities and the impact of policies on the ability of small businesses to compete in Federal procurement.(3)Catalogs and evaluates the effectiveness of programs intended to support the participation of small businesses in Federal procurement.(4)Analyzes trends in the involvement of small businesses in Federal technology projects, including data on contract awards, the diversity of sectors represented, and the geographic distribution of small business contractors.8.Conflict of interest proceduresThe Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council and the Administrator shall update the Federal Acquisition Regulation as necessary to provide additional guidance to executive agencies to address personal and organizational conflicts of interest involving members of the acquisition workforce.9.No additional fundingNo additional funds are authorized to be appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this Act.Passed the House of Representatives July 20, 2026.Kevin F. McCumber,Clerk.