PETALUMA,Calif., Aug. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new policy NASA isproposing could dramatically slash the volume of federal contract dollars goingto small businesses in Florida. The proposed policy could have a significantnegative impact on the states middle class economy. The aerospace industry is amajor source of jobs and federal contracts in Florida but that could change ifthe new NASA policy is adopted.

Oneof the nation's leading experts on federal contracting law, Professor Charles Tieferhas issued an ominous legal opinion onthe proposed NASA Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative policy. ProfessorTiefer served as a Commissioner on the Congressionally chartered, independentCommission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thetitle of Tiefer's legal opinion is, "Proposed Regulations IllegallyAuthorize 'Strategic Sourcing" to Massively Reduce the Breadth ofContracting with Small Businesses".

Thelegal opinion on the proposed NASA policy states, "The proposedregulations would reduce the breadth of small business contracting by up to 80%or even 90% in lines of business where small business contracting is currentlycommon. This proposal is blatant and undeniably illegal; indeed, the proposalimpliedly admits the key facts underlying the illegality".

Inhis Conclusion Professor Tiefer states, "The proposal should be junked. Itwould have an overwhelming bad impact on the breadth of small businesscontracting, contrary to the intent of the small business laws".

Ifadopted, the NASA policy could force thousands of Florida small business out ofthe federal marketplace and possibly out of business. The dramatic reduction inthe volume of federal contracting dollars flowing to Florida small businessescould cost the state millions of jobs.

TheAmerican Small Business League (ASBL) has launched anational campaign to oppose the policy proposed by NASA, the Pentagon and theGeneral Services Administration (GSA).

In2007 the ASBLsuccessfully sued NASA under the Freedom of Information Act andforced the agency to release documents that uncovered NASA had cheated smallbusinesses out of millions in contracts.

TheASBL has fileda lawsuit in Federal District Court in San Francisco asking thecourt to grant an injunction to stop federal agencies from diverting federalsmall business contracts to Fortune 500 firms. ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, CNBC, Fox News have allreported on the fraud. The Miami Herald has closely followed the issue forthirteen years and has published a dozen stories on the fraud and corruption in federal small businesscontracting programs beginning in2003.

TheASBL is advising allthose opposing the NASA policy to contact their Congressmen, Senators and theGovernor's office to express their concerns. The public only has until August19 to submit comments to the federal government opposing the policy. Commentscan be submitted to:

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/06/20/2016-14412/federal-acquisition-regulation-strategic-sourcing-documentation

To view full press release,click here: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-policy-could-slash-federal-funds-to-florida-small-businesses-asbl-reports-300313909.html