Administration officials meanwhile said they still are not ready to announce the results of another contracting-related review, a redefinition of what work is "inherently governmental" and thus off-limits to contracting out.
In announcing the review earlier this year, officials noted that various laws have crafted definitions that sometimes conflict with each other and with the general definition used for purposes of OMB Circular A-76. Federal unions have been pushing for greater clarity—and more restrictive language—for years, but as the process continued, the contractor community weighed in as well, and the result is that a resolution of the issue is still weeks if not months away.
Under the recently enacted budget omnibus measure for the rest of the current fiscal year, agencies are barred from starting any new A-76 studies although they may continue studies previously started. That measure also contains new reporting and other requirements that in sum could stall or bar new studies for longer into the future. Long-run, however, employee organizations believe the best way to have their concerns addressed is to get a tighter definition of "inherently governmental" written into law, or at least into a revised A-76.