ADVOCACY UPDATE

FEDERAL

ASA National is monitoring the Department of Defense Authorization Bill for FY '26 since it contains provisions that impact subcontractors and others in construction. This bill will hopefully improve change orders by:

• Allowing small businesses to request an equitable adjustment to the contracting officer if the contracting officer places a change order without the agreement of the small business.
• Requiring the federal government to pay at least 50% of the cost from the change order upon receipt of the equitable adjustment.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

The D.C. in session and your ASAMW Legislative Committee will be researching the best legislation to protect subcontractor’s payment on work performed.  Your help is needed to show evidence of slow payment for work you completed and properly billed for but did not get paid timely.      

MARYLAND

ASA of Baltimore and ASAMW are moving forward on legislation similar to that which we are working on in DC. 

VIRGINIA

No report. 

Have You Experienced Non-Payment? We Need Your Help

Are you currently awaiting payment for work you have completed and properly invoiced for? There is a problem with non-payment that might be addressed by legislation, and we’re looking for real-world examples of this. Some states allow contractors and their subcontractors to stop work if they have not been paid on a timely basis, but in the DMV, most owners require a clause in the subcontract stating that you are in breach if you stop work. According to Siteline, the average subcontractor waits 96 days for payment. The same study noted that 74 percent of subcontractors were floating their businesses with retirement savings. That number was just 30 percent in 2019. Email us at [email protected] if you want to share your non-payment story.