American Procurement Improvement Act of 2026

Section 3(a)(3)(B)(iv) requires qualified non-profit agencies to pay each participating employee at a rate consistent with that paid to nondisabled peers doing the same job or similar work. This is positive because it ensures fair and equal pay for workers who are blind or have significant disabilities.

Section 3(a)(3)(B)(iii) requires qualified non-profit agencies to provide employee professional development for participating employees. This benefits individuals by supporting upskilling, career growth, and individualized employee plans.

Section 3(a) adds Section 8503(a)(2)(E), which gives purchasing priority to products produced and offered for sale by qualified nonprofit agencies for blind individuals. This directly supports the employment mission for blind individuals within the federal procurement system.

Section 3(c) and Section 8504(c) require federal entities that procured products or services from the procurement list to make publicly available an annual report detailing the percentage of funds obligated for those purchases. This ensures transparency and holds elected officials and government agencies accountable for supporting employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Section 3(a) adds Section 8503(a)(3)(B)(ii), which requires an entity to employ participating employees for at least 51 percent of the hours of direct labor performed under the chapter during the fiscal year. This could place a heavy administrative or operational burden on non-profit agencies that struggle to maintain these exact staffing thresholds due to fluctuating workforce numbers.

Section 3(a) adds Section 8503(a)(4), which mandates that if an agency head determines a qualified nonprofit agency has unsatisfactorily provided a product or service, they must document that unsatisfactory performance in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System. This could negatively impact a non-profit agency's reputation and threaten its ability to secure future federal contracts.