The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs recently launched a new resource to assist contractors in understanding their equal employment opportunity obligations. Contracting Officer Corner is a new page on the OFCCP’s website that is designed to be a central repository of information to guide contractors through the federal procurement process.

The site includes a step-by-step guide and timeline for contractors beginning the pre-award process. It also provides a description of what must be included in a notification to the OFCCP when a contractor is awarded a contract in excess of $10,000, triggering OFCCP jurisdiction. 

Contracting Officer Corner contains several search mechanisms that can be used to determine a particular contractor’s standing. For example, the site provides a link to the National Pre-Award Registry, which is a searchable database of contractors that have been reviewed by the OFCCP and found to be in compliance with EEO regulations. The registry contains information for the past two years and can be used to see whether a particular contractor establishment is exempt from the pre-award clearance process. Additionally, the website includes a search function that reveals contractors who have been debarred by the OFCCP from receiving federal contracts.

The site provides a presentation about the general responsibilities of federal contracting officers, a link to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (“FAR”), and contact information for the key personnel in each OFCCP regional office. Contractors can also find a link to the most updated OFCCP equal opportunity posters.

The OFCCP’s new site certainly doesn’t answer all questions about the OFCCP and its regulations, but it may be a helpful place to get a basic overview of the award process. If you are a contractor and have additional questions about the OFCCP or your obligations as a federal contractor, please subscribe to our newsletters, and feel free to contact anyone in our Affirmative Action/OFCCP Compliance practice group.