The American Subcontractors Association (ASA), Alexandria, Va., is asking Congress to take a groundbreaking step to improve federal construction quality by ensuring construction contractors are not unethically pressured to cut corners on federal construction work.
ASA supports legislation introduced on March 16, 2000 in the U.S. House of Representatives that would ensure subcontractors' bid prices for work on federal projects are respected when the government makes a final decision on who will manage a project. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa., is the sponsor of H.R. 4012, the Construction Quality Assurance Act of 2000.
The purpose of the legislation is "to assure quality construction and prevent certain abusive contracting practices by requiring each bidder for a federal construction contract to identify the subcontractors that the contractor intends to use to perform the contract."
Kanjorski says: "The federal government is being deceived by an existing practice known as bid shopping, which results in reduced quality and safety on federal construction projects. The Construction Quality Assurance Act of 2000 would end bid shopping by requiring that general contractors list their subcontractors on bid day and use those subcontractors on the project. H.R. 4012 will help guarantee the federal government will get the quality of construction it pays for, and the subcontractors will not be coerced to cut prices and quality for the fear of losing work."
To find out how to support this legislation, contact ASA Director of Government & Industry Relations Matt Wald at (703) 684-3450, at extension 333, or e-mail mwald@asa-hq.com.