The Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”) has now opened its Contractor Portal for the 2024 Affirmative Action Program (“AAP”) certification period with a deadline of July 1, 2024.

As previously discussed on this blog, a recent OFCCP policy requires supply and service contractors and subcontractors to use the Contactor Portal to register and certify their AAP compliance.  OFCCP’s Directive 2018-07, which sets forth OFCCP’s plans and objectives for the AAP verification process, states that the certification will allow OFCCP to incorporate AAP certification information as a criterion in its methodology for scheduling compliance evaluations, such that entities that have not developed and maintained AAPs are more likely to be scheduled for compliance reviews.  The Directive also forecasts that the annual certification requirements “could later take the form of annual submission of AAPs to OFCCP for review.”

At this time, federal contractors and subcontractors that meet the OFCCP’s jurisdictional thresholds are required to register and annually certify that they have developed and maintained an AAP in accordance with all applicable OFCCP requirements.  The deadline to complete the 2024 certification is July 1, 2024.

For covered contractors and subcontractors that have not yet made their AAP certification, OFCCP has made a number of resources available, including a user guide, webinar, and FAQ — as well as a help desk and hotline (1-800-397-6251).  The Covington team is similarly available to discuss whether these requirements are applicable to your entity, and to assist with the certification process more generally.

Photo of Jennifer Plitsch Jennifer Plitsch

Jennifer Plitsch leads the firm’s Government Contracts Practice Group, where she works with clients on a broad range of issues arising from both defense and civilian contracts including contract proposal, performance, and compliance questions as well as litigation, transactional, and legislative issues.

She…

Jennifer Plitsch leads the firm’s Government Contracts Practice Group, where she works with clients on a broad range of issues arising from both defense and civilian contracts including contract proposal, performance, and compliance questions as well as litigation, transactional, and legislative issues.

She has particular expertise in advising clients on intellectual property and data rights issues under the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and obligations imposed by the Bayh-Dole Act, including march-in and substantial domestic manufacturing. Jen also has significant experience in negotiation and compliance under non-traditional government agreements including Other Transaction Authority agreements (OTAs), Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), Cooperative Agreements, Grants, and Small Business Innovation Research agreements.

For over 20 years, Jen’s practice has focused on advising clients in the pharmaceutical, biologics and medical device industry on all aspects of both commercial and non-commercial agreements with various government agencies including:

  • the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA);
  • the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC);
  • the Department of Defense (DoD), including the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical Biological Defense (JPEO-CBRN); and
  • the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

She regularly advises on the development, production, and supply to the government of vaccines and other medical countermeasures addressing threats such as COVID-19, Ebola, Zika, MERS-CoV, Smallpox, seasonal and pandemic influenza, tropical diseases, botulinum toxin, nerve agents, and radiation events. In addition, for commercial drugs, biologics, and medical devices, Jen advises on Federal Supply Schedule contracts, including the complex pricing requirements imposed on products under the Veterans Health Care Act, as well as on the obligations imposed by participation in the 340B Drug Pricing program.

Jen also has significant experience in domestic sourcing compliance under the Buy American Act (BAA) and the Trade Agreements Act (TAA), including regulatory analysis and comments, certifications, investigations, and disclosures (including under the Acetris decision and Biden Administration Executive Orders). She also advises on prevailing wage requirements, including those imposed through the Davis-Bacon Act and the Service Contract Labor Standards.

Photo of Andrew Guy Andrew Guy

Andrew Guy advises clients across a broad range of government contracting issues — including regularly representing contractors in bid protests before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the U.S. Government Accountability Office (“GAO”).

Andrew also has extensive investigations and False Claims Act…

Andrew Guy advises clients across a broad range of government contracting issues — including regularly representing contractors in bid protests before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the U.S. Government Accountability Office (“GAO”).

Andrew also has extensive investigations and False Claims Act experience. He routinely assists clients in responding to Civil Investigative Demands and other government inquiries.

Before joining the firm, Andrew clerked for the Honorable Kenneth F. Ripple of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.