H.R. 4363, DHS Contract Reporting Act of 2021

Congressional Budget Office

Cost Estimate

January 26, 2022

H.R. 4363, DHS Contract Reporting Act of 2021

As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on November 3, 2021

By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

2022

2022-2026

2022-2031

Direct Spending (Outlays)

0

0

0

Revenues

0

0

0

Increase or Decrease (-)

0

0

0

in the Deficit

Spending Subject to

*

5

not estimated

Appropriation (Outlays)

Statutory pay-as-you-go

No

Mandate Effects

procedures apply?

Contains intergovernmental mandate?

No

Increases on-budget deficits in any

No

of the four consecutive 10-year

periods beginning in 2032?

Contains private-sector mandate?

No

* = between zero and $500,000.

H.R. 4363 would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to report daily on most department contract awards that have a value of more than $4 million, beginning six months after the bill's enactment. The reports would need to include information about each contract award, including the contract value, timeline, and description. The bill would require DHS to maintain this information on a public website and make updates no later than five business days after a new contract is authorized or an existing contract is modified.

Based on information provided by DHS, CBO expects the agency would need two new employees to compile contract information and produce the reports and approximately $750,000 each year for technology costs to maintain the website. Using historical patterns of spending for similar programs, CBO estimates the agency would spend about $1 million each year to implement the bill for a total of $5 million over the 2022-2026 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Lindsay Wylie. The estimate was reviewed by Leo Lex, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

See also CBO's Cost Estimates Explained,www.cbo.gov/publication/54437;

How CBO Prepares Cost Estimates, www.cbo.gov/publication/53519; and Glossary, www.cbo.gov/publication/42904.