S. 2438: A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to provide Federal Government employees with bid protest rights in actions under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76, and for other purposes.

S. 2438: A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to provide Federal Government employees with bid protest rights in actions under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76, and for other purposes.

108th Congress · introduced 2004-05-19 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2004-05-19 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to provide Federal Government employees with bid protest rights in actions under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

Amends Federal law relating to the procurement protest system to modify the term "interested party" to mean, with respect to a public private competition conducted under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76 regarding performance of an activity or function of a Federal agency, that such term includes: (1) any official who submitted the agency tender in such competition; and (2) any one person who, for the purpose of representing them in a protest that relates to such competition, has been designated as their agent by a majority of the employees of such agency who are engaged in the performance of such activity or function. Directs the Comptroller General, for protests in cases of public-private competitions under such Circular regarding performance of an activity or function of a Federal agency, to administer provisions relating to such system in a manner best suited for expediting final resolution of such protests and final action in such competitions. States that, if a private sector interested party commences an action objecting to a solicitation by a Federal agency for bids or proposals for a proposed contract or to a proposed award or the award of a contract or any alleged violation of statute or regulation in connection with a procurement or a proposed procurement, in a public-private competition conducted under such Circular regarding performance of an activity or function of a Federal agency, then an official or person described as an interested party under this Act shall be entitled to intervene in that action. Applies paragraphs one and three to: (1) protests and civil actions that challenge final selections of sources of performance of an activity or function of a Federal agency that are made pursuant to studies initiated under such Circular on or after January 2004; and (2) any other protests and civil actions that relate to public-private competitions initiated under such Circular on or after this Act's enactment.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to provide Federal Government employees with bid protest rights in actions under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] · 7 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] reported raising $22.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108s2438.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/s>

Record fed-us-cong108-s2438 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108