On September 11, 2018, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced that it has proposed changes regarding functional affirmative action programs (FAAPs). These changes would establish more relaxed policies and procedures for contractors requesting and maintaining FAAP agreements.

A FAAP established under Directive 2013-01 is an affirmative action program (AAP) based on a business function or business unit rather than a contractor establishment. OFCCP touts functional AAPs as beneficial because they allow federal contractors to organize AAPs “to reflect how the company operates functionally and not where its facilities and people are physically located.”

According to OFCCP, the proposed directive would change the process by which contractors can request approval for a FAAP agreement so that it is “simple, fluid, and collaborative.”

OFCCP is seeking comments on the new proposal until November 13, 2018.