PSC Calls on Congress to Extend Key Contractor Reimbursement Program Before September 30th 



Arlington, Va. (Sept. 14, 2020) The Professional Services Council (PSC) called on Congress to extend a critical contractor reimbursement program, Section 3610 of the CARES Act (P. L. 116-136), past its September 30, 2020, end date. In a September 10 letter to Congressional Leaders, PSC urged Congress to include an extension of the Section 3610 authority in the first Continuing Resolution or other bill that will be enacted this month. 

“Contractors continue to play a critical role in supporting federal government operations during a time when the impact of COVID-19 has no clear end date. Extending Section 3610 would require no additional funding, and it would help maintain access to skilled contractors government-wide as work plans, including safety and distancing procedures, continue to evolve,” said David Berteau, PSC President and CEO.  “Today, it is obvious that COVID-19’s impact will extend beyond September 30, 2020. The federal government needs this authority until the crisis is over.” 

Under Section 3610, federal agencies can reimburse certain company expenses for keeping skilled personnel and key employees in a ready state when they are unable to perform work either on site or remotely due to closures or other government-imposed restrictions. 

The PSC letter also noted a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, “Observations on Contractor Paid Leave Reimbursement Guidance and Use” (GAO-20-662), which addressed the government’s implementation guidance and the extent to which selected federal agencies reported use of Section 3610 authority through July 20, 2020.  

“The GAO report does not include key civilian departments or agencies in the Intelligence Community where Section 3610 reimbursements are heavily utilized.  PSC data show that federal agencies are using this authority to retain key personnel,” said Berteau. “Most importantly, the GAO report confirms that Section 3610 is having an impact across government agencies and therefore supports its extension. With the ever-changing impact of COVID-19 affecting different areas of the country and with varying severity, Congress must extend Section 3610 to provide federal agencies with needed flexibility to meet mission needs.”

Click here to view a PDF of this release.
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Media Contact:
Pheniece Jones
Director, Media Relations 
703.875.8974
media@pscouncil.org 


About PSC: PSC is the voice of the government technology and professional services industry. PSC’s more than 400 member companies represent small, medium and large businesses that provide federal agencies with services of all kinds, including information technology, engineering, logistics, facilities management, operations and maintenance, consulting, international development, scientific, social, environmental services, and more. Together, the trade association’s members employ hundreds of thousands of Americans in all 50 states. Follow PSC on Twitter @PSCSpeaks. To learn more, visit www.pscouncil.org.