[20210910]LSB10640_处理联邦合同变更情况的法律机制.pdf

CRS Legal Sidebar Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Legal SidebarLegal Sidebari i Legal Mechanisms for Dealing with Changed Circumstances in Federal Contracting September 10, 2021 The federal government enters into hundreds of billions of dollars in contracts for the acquisition of goods and services every year. The complexity of these acquisitions run the gamut, ranging from the development of propulsion systems to support missions to Mars to the provision of housekeeping services and standard office supplies. Evolving national interests and unforeseen events such as natural disasters, acts of God, acts of war, cyberattacks, and changing executive priorities brought on by new presidential administrations can substantively alter federal acquisition priorities. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic and related mandates and recommendations (i.e., to practice social distancing, work from home, shelter in place, and self-quarantine) impacted government contracts by disrupting supply chains and business operations. These disruptions made it difficult or impossible for some contractors to perform government procurement contracts as originally contemplated and prompted the issu