By: Cassie Alfheim
As predicted in DCI’s earlier blog post, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced today that the agency will open its Contractor Portal on March 31, 2023. This is the second year of OFCCP’s requirement for covered supply and service federal contractors and subcontractors to annually certify compliance with the agency’s affirmative action program (AAP) requirements.
According to OFCCP’s press release, contractors will be required to provide the start date of their “AAP Coverage Period” (i.e., plan date) when certifying. This is a new component of certification and stems from an approved OFCCP request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in December 2022. Also in its press release, OFCCP doubled-down on its commitment to focusing its future audit scheduling lists on contractors who fail to certify their compliance with AAP requirements.
Existing federal contractors and subcontractors have from March 31 through June 29, 2023, to certify AAP compliance in the Contractor Portal. Contractors with an April 1 plan date should consider certifying compliance on March 31, 2023, to avoid the need to hastily produce 2023 AAPs before the certification deadline of June 29.
Mirroring last year, new contractors will have 120 days (about 4 months) to develop AAPs and must register and certify compliance in the Contractor Portal within 90 days (about 3 months) of developing their AAPs. Registration is currently open for new contractors and those who may have failed to register and certify last year. The Contractor Portal will remain open past the June 29, 2023 deadline to accommodate new federal contractors and subcontractors needing to certify.
The press release also provides several resources:
- A pre-recorded webinar to be posted on OFCCP’s website by March 29
- A support email address (OFCCPAppsSupport@dol.gov) and phone number (OFCCP Help Desk: 1-800-397-6251)
- Various 2022 Contractor Portal resources for registration
DCI will continue keeping its clients and the contractor community apprised as more information regarding the Contractor Portal becomes available. DCI clients should also monitor their emails for additional Contractor Portal resources.
