[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 118 (Monday, July 20, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H4659-H4661]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FEDERAL IMPROVEMENT IN TECHNOLOGY PROCUREMENT ACT
Mr. BURLISON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4123) to improve Federal technology procurement, and for
other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4123
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Improvement in
Technology Procurement Act'' or the ``FIT Procurement Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Acquisition workforce.--The term ``acquisition
workforce'' means employees of an executive agency who are
responsible for procurement, contracting, or program or
project management that involves the performance of
acquisition-related functions or other employees as
designated by the Chief Acquisition Officer, senior
procurement executive, or head of the contracting activity.
(2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy.
(3) Chief acquisition officer.--The term ``Chief
Acquisition Officer'' means a Chief Acquisition Officer
appointed pursuant to section 1702(a) of title 41, United
States Code.
(4) Cross-functional.--The term ``cross-functional'' means
a structure in which individuals with different functional
expertise or from different areas of an organization work
together as a team.
(5) Executive agency.--The term ``executive agency'' has
the meaning given that term in section 133 of title 41,
United States Code.
(6) Experiential learning.--The term ``experiential
learning'' means on-the-job experiences or simulations that
serve to enhance workforce professional skills.
(7) Information and communications technology.--The term
``information and communications technology''--
(A) has the meaning given that term in section 4713(k) of
title 41, United States Code; and
(B) includes information and communications technologies
covered by any definition contained in the Federal
Acquisition Regulation, including a definition added after
the date of the enactment of this Act by the Federal
Acquisition Regulatory Council pursuant to notice and
comment.
(8) Relevant committees of congress.--The term ``relevant
committees of Congress'' means the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of
Representatives.
(9) Senior procurement executive.--The term ``senior
procurement executive'' means a senior procurement executive
designated pursuant to section 1702(c)(1) of title 41, United
States Code.
(10) Small business.--The term ``small business'' has the
meaning given the term ``small business concern'' in section
3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
SEC. 3. ACQUISITION WORKFORCE.
(a) Experiential Learning.--Not later than 18 months after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the
Federal Acquisition Institute may establish a pilot program
to consider the incorporation of experiential learning into
the Federal Credentials Program, the Federal Acquisition
Certification for Contracting Officer's Representatives
program, the Federal Acquisition Certification for Program
and Project Managers program, or any successor program.
(b) Training on Information and Communications Technology
Acquisition.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Federal
Acquisition Institute, in coordination with the
Administrator, the Administrator of General Services, and the
Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government, and in
consultation with the heads of other executive agencies as
determined to be appropriate by the Director of the Federal
Acquisition Institute, may develop and implement or otherwise
provide a cross-functional information and communications
technology acquisition training program for members of the
acquisition workforce involved in acquiring information and
communications technology that shall do the following:
(A) Include learning objectives related to the following:
(i) Market research.
(ii) Communicating with and considering industry
perspectives on the procurement process, including how
investment decisions are impacted by Government communication
and engagement.
(iii) Developing requirements, acquisition planning, best
practices for developing and executing outcome-based
contracts, and source selection strategy.
(iv) Evaluating proposals.
(v) Awarding and administering contracts for information
and communications technology.
(B) Include learning objectives that provide a basic
understanding of key technologies that executive agencies
need, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence and
artificial intelligence-enabled applications, and
cybersecurity solutions.
(C) Include learning objectives that encourage the use of
commercial or commercially available off-the-shelf
technologies to the greatest extent practicable.
(D) Include case studies of lessons learned from Federal
information and communications technology procurements and
contracts, and related matters as determined to be relevant
by the Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute.
(E) Include experiential learning opportunities and
opportunities to practice collaborative acquisition
strategies involving team members with varied relevant domain
expertise to complete acquisition-related tasks, including
tasks with accelerated timelines.
(F) Include continuous learning recommendations and
resources to keep the skills of members of the acquisition
workforce current, including tools that help adopt or adapt
the use of innovative acquisition practices or other flexible
business practices commonly used in commercial buys.
(G) Be made available to members of the acquisition
workforce designated by a Chief Acquisition Officer, senior
procurement executive, or head of the contracting activity to
participate in the training program.
(H) Inform executive agencies about streamlined and
alternative procurement methods for the procurement of
information and communications technology, including the
following:
(i) Simplified procedures for certain commercial products
and commercial services in accordance with subpart 13.5 of
the Federal Acquisition Regulation, prize competitions under
the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Public Law
111-358), competitive programs that encourage businesses to
engage in Federal research or research and development with
the potential for commercialization, and joint venture
partnerships.
(ii) Innovative procurement techniques designed to
streamline the procurement process and lower barriers to
entry, such as the use of oral presentations and product
demonstrations instead of lengthy written proposals,
appropriately leveraging performance and outcomes-based
contracting, and other techniques discussed on the Periodic
Table of Acquisition Innovations or other similar successor
knowledge management portals.
[[Page H4660]]
(iii) Information on appropriate use, examples and
templates, and any other information determined relevant by
the Administrator to assist contracting officers and other
members of the acquisition workforce in using the procedures
and techniques described in clauses (i) and (ii).
(I) Incorporate learning objectives to identify and
mitigate waste, fraud, and abuse and ensure the protection of
established privacy rights, civil rights, and civil liberties
in the procurement process.
(2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Federal
Acquisition Institute shall provide to the relevant
committees of Congress, the Chief Acquisition Officers
Council, and the Chief Information Officers Council--
(A) a report on the progress of the Director in developing
and implementing or otherwise providing the training program
described in paragraph (1); and
(B) a list of any acquisition training that the Director
determines to be outdated or no longer necessary.
(3) Duration.--The training program described in paragraph
(1) may be updated as appropriate (but not less frequently
than once every 2 years after implementation), and offered
not less than 6 years following the date of implementation of
the training program.
(c) Acquisition Workforce Training Fund.--Section
1703(i)(3) of title 41, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``Five percent'' and inserting ``Seven and a half
percent''.
(d) Harmonization of Acquisition Workforce Training
Requirements.--Section 2 of the Artificial Intelligence
Training for the Acquisition Workforce Act (Public Law 117-
207; 41 U.S.C. 1703 note) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(4), by striking ``Director.--The term
`Director' means the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget.'' and inserting ``Administrator.--The term
`Administrator' means the Administrator of General
Services.''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Director, in
coordination with the Administrator of General Services and
any other person determined relevant by the Director'' and
inserting ``Administrator, in coordination with the Director
of the Office of Management and Budget'';
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``Director'' and
inserting ``Administrator'';
(C) in paragraph (5), by striking ``Director'' and
inserting ``Administrator''; and
(D) in paragraph (6), by striking ``Director'' and
inserting ``Administrator''.
SEC. 4. INNOVATIVE PROCUREMENT METHODS.
(a) Increase in Simplified Acquisition Threshold.--Section
134 of title 41, United States Code, is amended by striking
``$250,000'' and inserting ``$500,000''.
(b) Simplified Procedures for Small Purchases.--Section
1901(a)(2) of title 41, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``$5,000,000'' and inserting ``$10,000,000''.
(c) Increase in Micro Purchase Threshold.--Section
1902(a)(1) of title 41, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``$10,000'' and inserting ``$25,000''.
(d) Advances for Commercial Technology Subscriptions and
Tenancy.--Section 3324(d) of title 31, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(C), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by inserting ``or commercially available content''
after ``publication''; and
(B) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``;
and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) charges for information and communications technology
subscriptions, reservations, or tenancy, which means the
sharing of computing resources in a private or public
environment, including cloud environments, for which the
ordering agency defines appropriate access and security
standards.''.
SEC. 5. ADJUSTMENTS TO CERTAIN ACQUISITION THRESHOLDS.
(a) Major Program.--Section 109 of title 41, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(1)--
(A) by striking ``$75,000,000 (based on fiscal year 1980
constant dollars)'' and inserting ``$275,000,000 (based on
fiscal year 2024 dollars)''; and
(B) by striking ``$300,000,000 (based on fiscal year 1980
constant dollars)'' and inserting ``$1,300,000,000 (based on
fiscal year 2024 dollars)''; and
(2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``$750,000 (based on
fiscal year 1980 constant dollars)'' and inserting
``$2,000,000 (based on fiscal year 2024 dollars)''.
(b) Modifications to Submissions of Cost or Pricing Data.--
Section 3502(a) of title 41, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by striking ``2018'' each place it appears and
inserting ``2026'';
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``$2,000,000'' and
inserting ``$10,000,000''; and
(C) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``$750,000'' and
inserting ``$2,000,000'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``$2,000,000'' and
inserting ``$10,000,000'';
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``$750,000'' and
inserting ``$2,000,000''; and
(C) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``$750,000'' and
inserting ``$2,000,000''; and
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``chapter and--'' and all
that follows and inserting the following: ``chapter and--
``(A) in the case of a prime contract entered into after
June 30, 2026, the price of the subcontract is expected to
exceed $10,000,000; or
``(B) in the case of a prime contract entered into on or
before June 30, 2026, the price of the subcontract is
expected to exceed $2,000,000.''.
SEC. 6. INCREASING COMPETITION IN FEDERAL CONTRACTING.
(a) Use of Past Performance.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue
guidance, including examples and templates where appropriate,
on the following:
(A) When a wider range of projects, including commercial,
non-government, and Government projects, should be accepted
as relevant past performance in order to have increased
competition among eligible firms with capability to perform a
requirement, such as a requirement without much precedent.
(B) A means by which an agency may validate non-government
past performance references, such as by requiring an official
of an entity that provides past performance references to
attest to their authenticity and by providing verifiable
contact information for the references.
(C) Any use of alternative evaluation methods other than
past performance that may be appropriate for a requirement
without much precedent, such as demonstrations and testing of
technologies as part of the proposal process.
(2) Supplement not supplant.--The guidance required by
paragraph (1) shall supplement existing Federal and agency
policy and procedures for consideration of past performance
and other evaluation factors and methods.
(b) Enhancing Competition in Federal Procurement.--
(1) Council recommendations.--Not later than 90 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator
shall convene the Chief Acquisition Officers Council (in this
subsection referred to as the ``Council'') to make
recommendations to identify and eliminate specific,
unnecessary procedural barriers that disproportionately
affect the ability of small businesses to compete for Federal
contracts, with a focus on streamlining documentation and
qualification requirements unrelated to the protection of
privacy rights and civil liberties.
(2) Consultation.--The Council shall obtain input from the
public, including from the APEX Accelerators program
(formerly known as Procurement Technical Assistance Center
network) and other contractor representatives, to identify
Federal procurement policies and regulations that are
obsolete, overly burdensome or restrictive, not adequately
harmonized, or otherwise serve to create barriers to the
participation of small businesses in Federal contracting or
unnecessarily increase bid and proposal costs.
(3) Examination of actions.--The Council shall consider the
input obtained under paragraph (2) and any other information
determined relevant by the Council to identify legislative,
regulatory, and other actions to increase competition and
remove barriers to the participation of small businesses in
Federal contracting.
(4) Implementation.--Not later than 2 years after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in
consultation with the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council,
the Council, and other executive agencies as appropriate,
shall implement the regulatory and other non-legislative
actions identified under paragraph (3), as determined
necessary by the Administrator, to remove barriers to entry
for small businesses seeking to participate in Federal
contracting.
(5) Briefing.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall brief the
relevant committees of Congress on the legislative actions
identified under paragraph (3) and the actions implemented
under paragraph (4).
(c) Consideration of Cost-efficiency and Quality.--The
Administrator shall advocate for and prioritize contracting
policies that ensure that cost-efficiency and quality of
goods and services are key determining factors in awarding
Federal contracts.
SEC. 7. COMPTROLLER GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF SMALL BUSINESS
PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL PROCUREMENT.
Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall
submit to the relevant committees of Congress and make
publicly available a report that does the following:
(1) Assesses the level of participation by small businesses
in Federal procurement.
(2) Identifies barriers and opportunities and the impact of
policies on the ability of small businesses to compete in
Federal procurement.
(3) Catalogs and evaluates the effectiveness of programs
intended to support the participation of small businesses in
Federal procurement.
(4) Analyzes trends in the involvement of small businesses
in Federal technology projects, including data on contract
awards, the diversity of sectors represented, and the
geographic distribution of small business contractors.
[[Page H4661]]
SEC. 8. CONFLICT OF INTEREST PROCEDURES.
The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council and the
Administrator shall update the Federal Acquisition Regulation
as necessary to provide additional guidance to executive
agencies to address personal and organizational conflicts of
interest involving members of the acquisition workforce.
SEC. 9. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated for
the purpose of carrying out this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Burlison) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.
General Leave
Mr. BURLISON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
Mr. BURLISON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the FIT
Procurement Act.
Hardworking taxpayers expect the Federal Government to be a
responsible steward of their hard-earned dollars. They make tough
financial decisions every day, and they rightly expect Washington to
exercise the same discipline and restraint.
Too often, however, our Federal procurement system does the opposite.
It rewards inefficiency, layers on unnecessary administrative burdens,
and slows down agency operations, all at the expense of the taxpayer.
These inefficiencies drive up costs and limit agencies in their ability
to deliver timely and effective results.
My bill, the FIT Procurement Act, addresses these challenges through
targeted, commonsense reforms in the Federal procurement process. The
legislation focuses on reducing unnecessary administrative burdens,
improving coordination across agencies, and strengthening the
acquisition workforce through better training and clearer guidance.
To improve workforce capability, the bill requires the Director of
Federal Acquisition Institute to develop and implement cross-functional
information and communications technology training for acquisition
professionals. This ensures those responsible for purchasing
information and communication technology have the tools and knowledge
needed to make smart, cost-effective decisions.
The FIT Procurement Act also increases efficiency by expanding the
use of simplified, commercial-style purchasing. It raises the micro-
purchase threshold from $10,000 to $25,000 and the simplified
acquisition threshold from $250,000 to $500,000.
Purchases under the micro-purchase threshold require no contracting
officer involvement and significantly reduce the administrative
overhead. Raising this threshold alone is estimated to save more than
$40 million annually while allowing contracting officers to focus on
larger, higher-risk acquisitions where oversight matters the most.
Increasing the simplified acquisition threshold further reduces
administrative costs and improves economic efficiency for small
businesses that are competing for Federal contracts.
In addition, the FIT Procurement Act authorizes advanced payments for
cloud computing services, allowing Federal agencies to access the same
upfront payment discounts that are commonly available in the private
sector, delivering additional savings to our taxpayers.
Taken together, these reforms streamline procurement, reduce wasteful
spending, and improve accountability without expanding government or
creating new bureaucracy, ultimately leading to disciplined acquisition
practices and real savings for the American taxpayer.
I thank Chairman Comer for his leadership and commitment to advancing
this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4123, the Federal
Improvement in Technology Procurement Act of 2025. I am proud to be co-
leading this legislation with the gentleman, and I thank him for his
leadership. I am glad this bill is bipartisan.
Madam Speaker, one of the things we focused on in the Oversight and
Government Reform Committee is improving government efficiency and
modernization, and the FIT Procurement Act delivers on that goal. It
raises the micro-purchasing threshold and the simplified acquisition
threshold.
These thresholds have not been updated in a very long time. They
don't reflect how much things cost these days, and these changes will
finally allow agencies to move faster to purchase innovative
technologies.
The bill also allows Federal agencies to prepay for information
technology subscriptions, including cloud computing. Prepaying for IT
subscriptions will make a huge difference in government access to
cutting-edge tools.
The bill will also open the door for more small businesses to
participate in Federal contracting, and, most importantly, it is
estimated to save taxpayers millions and millions of dollars.
This is common sense, and everyone wins. I urge my colleagues to join
me and Representative Burlison in supporting this bill, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. BURLISON. Madam Speaker, I couldn't have said it better than my
colleague Representative Subramanyam.
I urge my colleagues to support this long-overdue governmentwide
procurement reform bill that will help the Federal Government to more
efficiently obtain the systems and services that it needs to support
our critical missions, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Madam Speaker, I also urge my colleagues to join me
and Representative Burlison in supporting this bill, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Burlison) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 4123, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________