So FAR Away

The Federal Acquisition Regulation Council March 9 suspended until May
11 so-called blacklisting rules that required federal agencies to consider criteria such as compliance with labor, tax, employment, antitrust, environmental and consumer protection laws when awarding government contracts.

The action was taken "to give agency officials the opportunity for further review and consideration of new regulations," according to the Federal Register.

The FAR Council is "staying implementation of the rule, and apparently opening a FAR case to review the rule as a whole. I think both are important and positive," said Stan Soloway, president of the Professional Services Council, an industry group in Arlington, Va.

The FAR Council issues the Federal Acquisition Regulation, which sets
the standards for government procurement.