Sponsors (32)
The bill protects firearm‑industry businesses from exclusion and creates more predictable rules for non‑sole‑source federal contracting, but it shifts compliance risk and administrative burdens onto prime contractors and small subcontractors, may narrow contractor pools and raise costs or delays, and limits agency discretion.
Government contractors and subcontractors in the firearm and ammunition industries (and firms that rely on them) will not be excluded from competing for non‑sole‑source federal contracts solely for having a firearm‑related business, reducing business uncertainty when bidding.
Taxpayers and federal procurement staff gain a uniform, predictable rule applied across agencies for non‑sole‑source procurements, simplifying contracting requirements and reducing administrative variability after enactment.
Prime contractors face heightened legal and compliance risk — including contract termination for default, suspension, or debarment — if a subcontractor's firearm‑related policies are later found noncompliant, increasing costs and liability for primes.
Smaller subcontractors must provide written certifications and evidence about their policies, imposing administrative burdens that disadvantage small firms and may reduce their ability to win federal subcontracts.
Prime contractors may narrow or restructure subcontractor selection to manage compliance risk, shrinking the bidder pool and potentially raising procurement costs or causing delays for government projects and taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Bars executive agencies from awarding non‑sole‑source contracts unless primes and large first‑tier subs certify they do not discriminate against firearm entities or trade associations.
Prohibits executive agencies from awarding non–sole‑source federal contracts unless the prime contractor certifies it and any first‑tier subcontractor with more than 10% of the contract have no policy, practice, guidance, or directive that discriminates against "firearm entities" or "firearm trade associations" and will not adopt such discriminatory measures during the contract term. Violations can lead to termination for default and suspension or debarment; the rule does not apply to sole‑source contracts and applies to contracts awarded on or after enactment. Defines key terms by cross‑reference to existing federal statutes, bars structuring subcontract tiers to evade the 10% threshold, and adds the new provision into the Title 41 chapter and table of sections.
Official title: Amend title 41, United States Code, to prohibit the Federal Government from entering into contracts with an entity that discriminates against firearm or ammunition industries, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 16, 2025 by Steve Daines · Last progress January 16, 2025