GSA Orders Review of AbilityOne Program Over Foreign-Made Products Labeled as American

The General Services Administration (GSA) has initiated a review of the AbilityOne program, which provides employment opportunities for individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities, after discovering that some products labeled as 'Made in USA' were actually manufactured in China. GSA Administrator Edward Forst stated that federal tax dollars should support American jobs rather than foreign competitors. The GSA has directed the U.S. AbilityOne Commission to verify the country of origin for all products on its Mandatory Procurement List and to conduct a comprehensive audit of pricing, sourcing, and compliance with federal procurement policies. The audit follows a directive from President Donald Trump aimed at ensuring truthful 'Made in America' advertising in federal procurement. The GSA's findings indicate that several AbilityOne-associated technology products were misrepresented in procurement platforms. The AbilityOne program has until November 12 to address these concerns and provide accurate country-of-origin information. The GSA also raised issues regarding pricing and executive compensation at nonprofits involved in the program, noting significant disparities between executive salaries and the wages of blind workers. The National Council on Disability expressed concerns that the AbilityOne program is not meeting the needs of Americans with disabilities.