Encouraging Contractor Policies To Ban Text Messaging While Driving

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (the Councils) are issuing an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement Executive Order 13513, issued on October 1, 2009, entitled ''Federal Leadership on Reducing Text Messaging while Driving."

This Executive Order was issued to demonstrate Federal leadership in improving safety on the nation's roads and highways, and to enhance the efficiency of Federal contracting. The purpose of this policy is to prevent the unsafe practice of text messaging by Federal contractors while driving in connection with Government business. This policy further promotes economy and efficiency in Federal procurement, and seeks to prohibit the disruption of Government business and Federal procurement, as a result of unsafe text messaging practices.
Effective Date: September 29, 2010.