# Senate Sends Skills-Based Contracting Act to Trump

The Senate passed the Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act (H.R. 5235) by unanimous consent on September 30, 2026, and sent it to President Trump for consideration; the signals report that presidential action is still pending. If enacted, the bill would bar federal agencies from imposing minimum education credentials in contract solicitations unless a contracting officer provides a written, mission-based justification. It would not automatically remove every credential requirement, but could change how agencies justify solicitation criteria and how contractors present qualified staff. One report also cited more than 100 federal opportunities open for bid in South Carolina at the time of reporting, including activity relevant to the state’s defense, technology, and cybersecurity markets.

- Agencies may need to document the mission-based rationale for education requirements in solicitations if the bill becomes law; contractors should distinguish justified requirements from blanket credential criteria when assessing bids.
- Contractors can review how their proposals describe skills and experience alongside formal education, and evaluate whether broader candidate pools could support staffing for federal work.
- The reported South Carolina opportunities provide local market context, but the signals do not identify individual solicitations or establish that the reported openings remain available.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military, Information Technology
**Topics:** Policy
**Published:** October 04, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Senate (Senate)
- U.S. House of Representatives (House)
- Federal agencies
- Executive Office of the President

### Vendors
- IBM ()

### Key Quotes
> It is a very big deal and the thing that I'm most proud of in my work in Congress before I retire [giving] the opportunity to give some guy or some gal a chance when someone told them ‘no’ because they didn't have a piece of paper.
> — Nancy Mace, U.S. Representative

> Federal agencies tend to require educational degrees despite the reality that many roles can be staffed by individuals without degrees when they have the right skills and experience.
> — Timi Hadra, IBM executive

### Sources
- [Bill to scrap education requirements in federal contracting jobs heads to Trump’s desk | FedScoop](https://fedscoop.com/senate-passes-skills-based-federal-contracting-act) - FedScoop
- [Mace’s Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act clears Senate and goes to Trump’s desk](https://abcnews4.com/news/local/maces-skills-based-federal-contracting-act-clears-senate-and-goes-to-trumps-desk) - WCIV
- [SC Rep. Nancy Mace, set to depart at the end of this year, passed a bill eliminating education mandates from federal contracts without a rationale. It could prove big for the Lowcountry defense industry. https://t.co/ZM5EDmsf7Q](https://x.com/postandcourier/status/2106107475367710862) - twitter-defense