Feds warn contractors to turn in IDs or lose cash

The federal acquisition councils are preparing to tighten rules on return of federal contractor employees’ government-issued identification cards once the job is done.

The councils today released a proposed rule that would amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to strengthen requirements about collecting the ID cards from contractors once the cards are no longer needed for work-site access.

Under the rule, the cards must be returned at the earliest of the following events: when no longer needed for contract performance, on completion of employment, or on completion or termination of a contract.

A contracting officer might delay final payment if those requirements are not met, the proposed rule states.

The rule was prompted by an audit of Defense Department Common Access Cards granted to contractors that showed that the cards were not adequately accounted for once the contract was finished, the notice states.

The rule will be published in the Federal Register on May 24, and comments are due within 60 days of publication.

The rule would apply to all forms of government identification cards given to contractor employees.