List Of Exempt Steel Products Issued For 2022

On February 19, 2022, the Pennsylvania Department of General Services (DGS) issued the list of machinery and equipment steel products which are exempt for calendar year 2022 under the PA Steel Products Procurement Act. The list was published in the Pa. Bulletin can be found here. The list for 2022 contains no new steel products but does contain one steel product that was inadvertently omitted from the 2020 and 2021 Exempt Machinery and Equipment Steel Products lists. The DGS’s 30-day comment period ends on March 21, 2022. Read more

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Christopher I. McCabe, Esq. in DGS, Steel Products Act Comments Off

List Of Exempt Steel Products Issued For 2019

The Pennsylvania Department of General Services (DGS) has finally issued the list of machinery and equipment steel products which will be exempt for calendar year 2019 under the PA Steel Products Procurement Act. The list was published in the Pa. Bulletin on Saturday, April 27, 2019, and can be found here. The 30-day comment period expired on May 27, 2018. There were only two new steel products added to the exempt list – Drip Pan ELL and Wall Mounted Boiler. Read more

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Christopher I. McCabe, Esq. in DGS, Steel Products Act Comments Off

List Of Exempt Steel Products For 2018 Is Unchanged From 2017

The Pennsylvania Department of General Services (DGS) has finally issued the list of machinery and equipment steel products which will be exempt for calendar year 2018 under the PA Steel Products Procurement Act. The list was published in the Pa. Bulletin on Saturday, April 14, 2018, and can be found here. There were no new steel products added to the list. The 30-day comment period expires on May 14, 2018. Read more

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Christopher I. McCabe, Esq. in DGS, Steel Products Act Comments Off

Pennsylvania Initiates Disparity Study For Small Diverse Business Program

In June 2017, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania initiated a disparity study that will provide information to help the Department of General Services (DGS) implement the Pennsylvania’s Small Diverse Business Program. The expected completion date for the disparity study is September 2018.

The study will include analyses of the participation of minority-, women-, disabled-, veteran-, and LGBT-owned businesses in prime contracts and subcontracts awarded by DGS during the period from July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2016.

DGS has created a webpage highlighting the disparity study, with materials and a description of study team members.

The materials presented at the disparity study’s kickoff meeting can be found here.

An FAQ on the disparity study can be found here.

Posted on August 17, 2017 by Christopher I. McCabe, Esq. in Com. of Pa., DBE/MBE/WBE, DGS Comments Off

DGS Issues List Of Exempt Steel Products For 2017

The Pennsylvania Department of General Services (DGS) has finally issued the list of machinery and equipment steel products which will be exempt for calendar year 2017 under the PA Steel Products Procurement Act. The list was published in the Pa. Bulletin on Saturday, May 13, 2017, and can be found here. New items on the list are noted. The 30-day comment period has now expired. Read more

Posted on June 27, 2017 by Christopher I. McCabe, Esq. in DGS, Steel Products Act Comments Off

E-Verify, Revisited

The Pennsylvania Public Works Employment Verification – Act 127 of 2012 but better known as E-verify – has now been the law in Pennsylvania for more than four years, since January 1, 2013.

E-verify requires that all public works contractors and subcontractors must utilize the federal government’s E-Verify system to ensure that all employees performing work on public works projects are authorized to work in the United States.

Prime contractors are cautioned that the Pa. Department of General Services continues to enforce the requirements of E-verify, as is evident from the formal notices posted on the DGS E-verify webpage. For example, in 2016, more than 50 contractors received warning letters concerning violations of E-verify.

Prime contractors are also cautioned that they must inform their subcontractors of their duty to comply with E-verify. If they do this, then prime contractors will not liable for a subcontractor’s failure to comply with E-verify.

DGS has also posted an FAQ for E-verify. This can be found here. My original post on E-verify can be found here.

If you need assistance on an E-verify issue, call or email me for a no-cost consultation. I’ll be happy to assist in anyway possible.

Posted on April 27, 2017 by Christopher I. McCabe, Esq. in DGS, E-Verify Comments Off

Commonwealth Court Affirms Dismissal Of Late-Filed Claim With The Board Of Claims

In a recent, unreported decision, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania affirmed the dismissal by the Board of Claims (Board) of a late-filed contractor claim. Under the Board’s jurisdictional statute, 62 Pa. C.S. § 1712.1(e), a formal statement of claim must be filed with the Board, either within 15 days of the mailing date of a final determination denying a claim, or within 135 days of the filing of a claim, whichever occurs first. Read more

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Christopher I. McCabe, Esq. in Board of Claims, DGS Comments Off

Executive Order Prohibits Discrimination On The Basis Of Sexual Orientation Or Gender Identity Or Expression By Contractors Doing Business With State

On April 7, 2016, Pa. Governor Tom Wolf signed a new Executive Order establishing that future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania contracts must ensure that contractors doing business with the state will not discriminate in the award of subcontracts or supply contracts, or in hiring, promotion, or other labor matters, on the basis of sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. The Executive Order also mandates that contractors receiving state funds must have, as a condition of payment, a written sexual harassment policy and that employees of the contractor are aware of the policy. Read more

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Christopher I. McCabe, Esq. in Com. of Pa., DGS Comments Off

DGS Issues Preliminary List Of Exempt Steel Products For 2016

The Pennsylvania Department of General Services (DGS) has issued a preliminary and updated list of machinery and equipment steel products which will be exempt under the Pa. Steel Products Procurement Act for 2016. The list was published in the Pa. Bulletin on Saturday, February 6, 2016, and can be found here.

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Christopher I. McCabe, Esq. in DGS, Steel Products Act Comments Off

Gov. Tom Wolf Signs Executive Order To Improve Participation Of Small & Diverse Businesses

On September 23, 2015, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed an Executive Order solidifying his commitment to improving the participation of minority-owned, women-owned, LGBT-owned, veteran-owned, and disabled-owned businesses in state government contracting.

According to the official press release, Executive Order 2015-11, entitled “Diversity, Inclusion, and Small Business Opportunities in State Contracting and Pennsylvania’s Economy,”

directs a consistent and coordinated effort to ensure diversity and inclusion in all contracting opportunities for small and diverse businesses throughout agencies under the governor’s jurisdiction and promotes the creation of programs to better prepare those businesses to compete and succeed in Pennsylvania’s economy.