Contracting Community Welcomes Biden’s Budget Proposal

Contracting Community Welcomes Biden’s Budget Proposal

The federal contracting community is generally pleased with President Biden’s $6 trillion budget request for fiscal 2022 released last Friday, as it sees opportunities with the administration's cybersecurity, climate change and workforce innovation priorities.


Biden is proposing a 16% increase in non-defense discretionary spending from fiscal 2021 ($769 billion) and a 1.7% increase for defense spending ($753 billion). The president’s detailed budget request, sent to Congress late last week, outlines how the administration is “recommitting to good government” and re-empowering the federal workforce to deliver for the American people. 


The Professional Services Council, a trade association that represents over 400 companies that contract with the federal government, “is pleased to see significant investments in infrastructure, IT modernization, climate, total workforce innovation and public health,” said David Broome, executive vice president for government relations, in a statement. “PSC calls on civilian agencies to fully obligate the funds appropriated to them to address our nation’s pressing challenges.” The trade association is continuing to review the proposal and “will work with Congress on the priorities important to our member companies and their government customers,” Broome stated.


He pointed out the $2.1 billion for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, an increase of $110 million from the enacted fiscal 2021 level (in addition to the approximately $650 million it received from the American Rescue Plan) and the $112 billion for research, development, testing and evaluation at the Defense Department, a more than 5% increase. 


“The budget request specifically references leveraging federal contractors to help implement critical programs and meet mission needs,” said PSC’s statement. “Federal contractors will be valuable partners in providing both scale and innovation to the government.” < ..

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