CHANTILLY, VA — The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) believes there should be a federal policy ensuring federal contractors will meet high ethical standards, and voiced its opinions in a letter to President Bush.

Specifically, SMACNA urged the Bush administration to “oppose any efforts to repeal or reform the recently implemented rules.”

Currently, the rules require federal contract bidders to disclose whether they have certain specified legal violations and convictions within the past three years when bidding on a contract. Some in the business community have urged the president to repeal these rules.

However, SMACNA representatives asserted that it is of critical importance to the public, taxpayers, and the government to preserve “these long overdue, quality-driven procurement reform initiatives.”

“Companies that repeatedly break the law should not be awarded federal contracts,” they emphasized.

For more information, visit www. smacna.org (website).

Publication date: 03/19/2001