By Susan Schoenfeld, JD
In what could be construed as an “under the radar” move, in late 2015, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) quietly changed federal contractors’ contract threshold amounts for coverage under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 503).
The new monetary threshold amounts, which took effect October 1, 2015, are as follows:
- Section 503’s coverage threshold was increased from $10,000 to $15,000 for “basic coverage” (the threshold amount for a written affirmative action program remains at $50,000).
- VEVRAA’s coverage threshold was increased from $100,000 to $150,000 (for both “basic coverage” and the written affirmative action program).
The increases were explained as being the result of an inflationary adjustment statute that authorizes the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council to review and adjust acquisition-related threshold amounts in statutes that apply to federal procurement.