Affirmative Action in Procurement

The Government imposes a variety of socio-economic programs on its contractors as part of long-standing federal efforts to further affirmative action through federal contracting. Affirmative action regulations apply not only to minorities and women but to handicapped individuals, special disabled veterans, and veterans of the Vietnam era (FAR 52.22-35 and -36). For almost fifty years Former President Lyndon B. Johnson’s answer to “balance the opportunities” for minorities and women, affirmative action has attempted to eradicate America’s historical discrimination against minorities, women and individuals with disabilities. Affirmative action began as a plan to enable the disadvantaged and the disenfranchised (minorities, women and disabled individuals) with the same opportunities given to their white male counterparts with regard to education, employment and contracting. Executive Order 11246 was conceived during the civil rights era, born as the civil rights act of 1964, and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. Affirmative action and procurement will be discussed as separates before demonstrating the symbiotic relationship of these two entities via the organization which administers and enforces the federally mandated contracting and affirmative action policy. Therefore, the intent of this paper is to provide information regarding affirmative action, its role in the procurement process and illustrate how the federal government enforces affirmative action through procurement/contracting.
Several definitions will usher our entrance into this discussion and ensure ease of comprehension as affirmative action in procurement is examined. Please note the theme will be reiterated repeatedly throughout this document in an attempt to ensure a thorough understanding by the reader as two very complex topics are merged. I’ll begin with my personal definition of affirmative action; legislature passed that attempts to established