Service contractors now required to identify themselves

"Hi, I’m a service contractor."

The Defense Department now requires service contractors to identify themselves as contractors and also wear badges that distinguish their status, as officials attempt to clearly point out who is a contractor employee and who is a fed.

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Contractors must identify themselves as such in in-person conversations, while on the phone, and in formal and informal correspondence, according to a notice in today’s Federal Register.

DOD acquisition officials issued the interim rule today, and it goes into effect immediately. They instituted the rule without prior comment because they believe there are urgent and compelling reasons, the notice states. They will accept comments through Nov. 8, however.

Regulators amended the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement regarding the requirements in personal services contracts from now on. A contract must include a provision that obligates contractors to identify themselves as contractors and wear the badges or another visible identification for meetings with government employees, the notice states.

Officials reviewed guidance from various defense agencies and formed this rule based on their best practices, according to the notice.

Congress ordered defense officials to make contractors distinguish themselves in the fiscal 2009 National Defense Authorization Act, which became law in October 2008.