E-Verify federal contractor rule delayed until September 8, 2009

For the fourth time, the federal government has delayed the effective date of a rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to require that certain federal contractors and subcontractors use the federal government's E-Verify program, announced the US Chamber of Commerce, one of the litigants in the case challenging the legality of the rule. The parties have agreed to delay the effective date of the rule to September 8, 2009. The rule has been delayed in order to allow the Obama Administration more time to complete its review of the rule. The decision to delay was reached by agreement between the parties to the lawsuit. Therefore, as it stands now, on or after September 8, contracting officers must include the new E-Verify clause in affected contracts. In addition, contracting officers should modify, on a bilateral basis, existing contracts to include the clause on or after that date. the Federal Acquisitions Regulatory Councils will publish a notice of delay in the Federal Register on June 5.