Civilian anti-bias training rules still MIA
By
Nick Wakeman
Defense procurement officials have released their class deviation that adds language to contracts banning certain anti-bias training, but where is the civilian version of those rules enforcing the president's executive order?
Still in waiting apparently is the civilian version of the class deviation to add requirements banning certain anti-bias and discrimination training to new federal contracts.
The Defense Department issued its requirements shortly after the Nov. 20 due date, but so far nothing from the civilian side. Both sets of requirements will likely be virtually identical.
The deviations will add requirements to all new contract solicitations released after Nov. 20 and insert language into contracts awarded after Nov. 21.
President Trump issued an executive order on Sept. 22 banning certain anti-bias and discrimination training that the administration determined was detrimental to American culture. But what that exactly means has been hard to define.
That executive order is one that is expected to be rescinded by President-elect Joe Biden shortly after he is inaugurated on Jan. 20. But that doesn’t automatically remove the requirements from the contracts. That will take more time and attention.
How the delay of the release of the civilian version of the class deviation impacts all of this isn’t clear.
The executive order is clear that the ban took effect Nov. 21. But without the language to be inserted into the contracts, the question is how will it be enforced?
In the meantime, the DOD requirements are in place.
The Labor Department also continues to man a hotline where anyone can email or call in a complaint that a contractor or a government agency is offering training that violates the executive order.
Tuesday, Dec. 1 is the deadline for contractors to provide the Labor Department with copies of any anti-bias and discrimination training that they offer.
As I said in an earlier blog post, contractors need to be paying attention.