Four associations are asking President Barack Obama not to issue any more executive orders relating to government contracting, saying the orders he has already issued have increased the costs of doing business with the government.

In a letter to the White House, the four groups noted Obama has issued 12 executive orders concerning government contracting, creating 16 new regulations in the process. While the groups acknowledged they supported some of the orders, the net result has been to drive up costs for government contractors.

"At a time when government budgets are under siege, cost efficiency is essential, and there is a broad agreement about the need for the government to open its aperture to enable access to the full marketplace of capabilities, this rapid growth in compliance requirements is becoming untenable," the groups stated in the letter.

Signatories are the National Defense Industrial Association, Aerospace Industries Association, Professional Services Council and IT Alliance for Public Sector, a division of the Information Technology Council.

Obama currently is drafting an executive order to require contractors to provide paid sick leave to employees, according to the New York Times. However, the groups say any new orders could have unintended consequences, and as such "the interests of the American taxpayer are being significantly and negatively impacted."

"This is not just an issue for companies that already operate in the government market," the group said. "As efforts continue across the administration, and within our member companies, to expand the broad diversity of firms willing and able to support the government and to bring real innovation to bear for our nation, these unique and costly government-unique regulations simply raise an already substantial barrier between the commercial and government marketplaces." http://bit.ly/1HIDfTi

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