Analyst Brief March 25, 2026

H.R. 5235 — Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act, as amended

Current Status

Introduced

Executive Summary

H.R. 5235, the Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act of 2025, seeks to amend Title 41 of the United States Code to prohibit minimum educational requirements for contractor personnel in certain solicitations. The bill aims to promote skills-based hiring in federal contracting. It requires justifications for educational requirements and encourages alternatives. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives and referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Bill Data

Primary Sponsor

Ms. Mace (R-SC)

Bill Number

H. R. 5235

Session

119th

Co-Sponsors

Mr. Krishnamoorthi
View on Congress.gov ↗

Arguments For

  • Argument 1: Promotes skills-based hiring, potentially leading to a more diverse and qualified workforce by removing unnecessary educational barriers.
  • Argument 2: Reduces bureaucratic hurdles and costs associated with enforcing strict educational requirements in federal contracting.
  • Argument 3: Could be framed as a bipartisan effort to modernize federal hiring practices and improve government efficiency.
  • Argument 4: Addresses concerns that current requirements may exclude qualified candidates with valuable experience but without formal degrees.

Likely Supporters

Skills-based advocacy groupsSmall business associations

Arguments Against

  • Argument 1: May face opposition from unions or professional organizations that prioritize formal education and certifications.
  • Argument 2: Concerns that removing educational requirements could lead to a decline in the quality of contractor services.
  • Argument 3: Implementation challenges in defining and assessing skills-based qualifications consistently across different agencies and contracts.
  • Argument 4: Risk of unintended consequences, such as increased lobbying efforts to influence the definition of 'skills' or 'experience' in specific sectors.

Likely Opponents

Labor unionsProfessional certification organizations

📋 Key Provisions

  • Prohibits minimum educational requirements for proposed contractor personnel in certain contract solicitations unless justified.
  • Requires contracting officers to include written justification explaining why the needs of the executive agency cannot be met without the educational requirement.
  • Directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue guidance to executive agencies for implementing the amendment.
  • Repeals Section 813 of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001.
  • Requires the Comptroller General to submit an evaluation of executive agency compliance to Congress.
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Claim Analysis Page 1, Line 4

The bill amends title 41 of the United States Code.

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"To amend title 41, United States Code"

Claim Analysis Page 2, Line 13

A justification is required to include minimum education requirements.

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"solicitation a written justification that explains"

Claim Analysis Page 2, Line 24

OMB must issue guidance within 180 days.

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"Not later than 180 days after"

Claim Analysis Page 3, Line 24

GAO must report within 3 years.

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"Not later than 3 years after"

Claim Analysis Page 4, Line 5

The term 'education' is defined.

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"(1) EDUCATION.—The term “education” means"