An act to amend the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act, and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-83 · S. 756 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 10, 1979 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Sen. Lawton Chiles (D-FL)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(Senate agreed to House amendments with an amendment)
Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act Amendments of 1979 - Amends the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act to change the duties and authority of the Administrator of such Office. Directs the Administrator to: (1) provide leadership in the development of Federal procurement policy; (2) coordinate programs to improve the quality and performance of procurement personnel; (3) develop a uniform procurement system which includes uniform policies, regulations, procedures, and forms to be used for the procurement of property and services by executive agencies and by recipients of Federal grants or assistance; and (4) develop a central management system consisting of the Office of Management and Budget, the General Services Administration, and the procurement offices of executive agencies to implement such procurement system.
Lists other functions of the Administrator which include: (1) determining whether recommendations of the Commission on Government Procurement (CGP) should be completed, amended, or rejected; (2) establishing, through a Federal Procurement Data Center, a computer-based information system for collecting, developing, and disseminating procurement data; (3) developing standard contracts and contract language for Government procurements; and (4) directing formulation of executive branch positions on legislation relating to procurement.
Establishes, within the Office, the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI) through which the Administrator shall: (1) promote and conduct research in procurement policies; and (2) promote and recommend programs of the Office of Personnel Management and executive agencies for recruitment, training, and evaluation of procurement personnel.
Authorizes the Administrator, until the uniform procurement system is implemented, to issue policy directives promoting its implementation and promoting specified policies of such Act. Directs the Administrator to deny or rescind the promulgation of any agency rule or regulation which is inconsistent with such a directive or policy.
Declares that nothing in this Act is to: (1) affect the authorities or responsibilities under the Federal Property and Administration Services Act of 1949 for procurement of automatic data processing and telecommunications equipment and services, or of real property; or (2) limit the authority or responsibilities of the Director.
Requires the Administrator to submit to Congress within one year of the enactment of this Act: (1) a proposal for such procurement system; (2) a report on the recommendations of the CGP; (3) recommended changes in procurement legislation; and (4) a proposal for the central management system.
Authorizes the appropriation of $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1980, 1981, 1982, and 1983 to carry out the provisions of this Act. Stipulates that one-third of the funds appropriated for each fiscal year be made available to the FAI.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.
- Oct 10, 1979Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-83.
- Sep 29, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Sep 28, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Sep 27, 1979Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments with an amendment.
- Sep 10, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 3763.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- May 21, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- May 15, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Mar 26, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.