As your constituent, I am writing to express my deep concern that the General Services Administration’s (GSA) proposed changes to the System Award Management (SAM) will harm nonprofits and other federal grantees in our community, and around the nation.
The GSA has proposed requiring all federal grantees, including nonprofits, state, local, and Tribal government, and other entities to sign new certifications under the threat of civil and criminal penalties as a prerequisite before applying for or receiving federal resources, including grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance.
The proposed changes would create significant legal and financial risks to grantees. The new certifications are vague and complex, making it nearly impossible for grantees to know whether they are in compliance. Moreover, it exposes grantees to possible legal harassment, which would force them to spend time and resources defending themselves in audits, investigations, and court. Grantees may decide that it is not worth the risk and will forgo applying for federal resources altogether, leading to service disruptions in communities and states nationwide, impacting housing, community development, health, education, food, shelter, community services, disaster recovery, and more. Ultimately, the proposed rule will harm the people and communities that rely on nonprofits and other federal grantees, and the essential services they provide.
We urge you to work with your colleagues in Congress to protect nonprofits and communities from the harmful changes proposed to the SAM.
