Small Business Advocacy

The Independent Office Products & Furniture Dealers Association (IOPFDA) has served as the voice of the independent dealer for (INSERT years in existence).  IOPFDA has worked hand-in-hand with independent dealers to ensure they have a seat at the policy-making table in Washington, our State Capitals, and in our local communities.

Today small businesses play an increasingly more important role in our economy.  No longer are we just local suppliers. Today with the continuing advances in technology, we are part of the global economic engine that drives our economy. According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses created 64% of all new private sector jobs between 2005-2019.[1]  We are the job creators today and thanks to IOPFDA’s experience legislative team, we have a recognized and respected voice on Capitol Hill.  The issues facing independent dealers continues to grow. Although we are the job creators, we don’t enjoy the same treatment when it comes to support from our Nation’s leaders. This is why IOPFDA is so important to the industry.  IOPFDA and its dedicated grassroots leadership works tirelessly on behalf of independent dealers.  In good time and during crisis like we saw in 202 with cOVID-19.  It was IOPFDA who ensured we were considered essential.  It was IOPFDA who worked hard to ensure Congress provided critical stimulus funds to our businesses.

As we continue to grow and as the way the private sector and federal, state, and local governments do business, we need to ensure we are all focused on those critical issues that directly impact our bottom-line.  To help us achieve our goals, we have an industry Government Affairs Committee within IOPFDA that helps monitor the issues directly impacting our businesses.  We have a seasoned lobbying team working for us on Capitol Hill focused on the following issues:

• Healthcare – Today healthcare continues to be the number one bottom-line expense for small businesses.  Even with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which was supposed to bring healthcare costs down, we continue to see premiums rise.

To counter these escalating costs, IOPFDA continues to support Association Health Plans (AHP’s).  From 2016-2020 we saw a real effort in Congress and the Trump Administration to push for implementation of these plans.  Although we have made great strides to allow AHP’s into the marketplace, we are still in limbo.  AHP’s would help drive small business healthcare costs down by roughly 20%. This is a significant savings, especially as the job market tightens.

• IOPFDA position paper
• President Trump Executive Order
• AHP’s hit roadblock under President Biden
• S. 896, the Association Health Plans Act – Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA)
• H.R. 742, The FLEX Act – Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) 

• Anti-Trust – A 16-month congressional investigation into Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook has found that the tech giants hold "monopoly power" in key business segments and have abused their dominance in the marketplace, in a full-throated condemnation of the giants.

The findings set the stage for possible future legislation designed to rein in Big Tech, even as antitrust enforcers at the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission gear up for potential litigation against some of the companies.

• 2021 House Judiciary Committee Majority Report: Investigation of Competition in Digital Markets.
• House Judiciary Committee Minority Report: The Third Way

• GSA Online Marketplace - On May 18, 2017, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, introduced legislation H.R. 2511, the Defense Acquisition Streamlining and Transparency Act.  The bill was intended to empower the Pentagon to use E-Commerce for commercial-off-the-shelf items, as well as reforming the defense contract audit process and the acquisition of services. 

• IOPFDA position paper
• Studies/Reports
• 2018 Booksellers Report
• 2019 Booksellers Report
• GAO Report 2018: Buying Commercial Products – Assessment of the E-Commerce Portal Implementation Plan
• GSA Phase 1 Report
• GSA Phase 2 Report
• DoD Report 2018: Improved Information Sharing Could Help DoD Determine Whether Items Are Commercial and Reasonably Priced
• GSA Platform Overview Presentation
• State-By-State Impacts of Amazon on Small Businesses

• Counterfeit Products – The office products industry continues to see an increase in counterfeit products being offered through online portals. These counterfeits have been rapidly rising in the federal government market as well.  Today, small businesses are put at risk by online portals, lax product verifications, and new efforts to allow a wild-wild west style selling platform through federal government market. 

• GAO Report 2018: Agencies Can Improve Efforts to Address Risks Posed by changes in Counterfeits Market

• Legislative Fly-in – IOPFDA has served as the voice of independent dealers for over 100-years.  Having this voice in Washington is critical today and why IOPFDA’s annual legislative fly-in event is critical to ensuring independent dealers have a seat at the policy-making table.  Its critical that members of Congress hear from small businesses on the impacts their actions are having on their businesses and ability to grow.  IOPFDA’s fly-in offers independent dealers the opportunity to be heard on a national level.

IOPFDA Outstanding Leaders Awards: https://jwp.io/s/NETlmTDW

Opening Comments and Keynote Speakers: https://jwp.io/s/AiMnHIN3

COVID-19 Relief: Past, Present, and Future: https://jwp.io/s/Q1asYSCi

ISSA Track Tariffs & Trade: https://jwp.io/s/uJR6HIrZ

IOPFDA Track General Services Administration Online Platform – Selling to the Federal Government: https://jwp.io/s/4vfXnLSx

Day 2 Opening Remarks and Keynote Speakers: https://jwp.io/s/wbv19KuY

OSHA Cleaning Standards and Hazard Communications: https://jwp.io/s/wh41DWal

IOPFDA Track Amazon and Anti-Trust Dilemma For Small Businesses: https://jwp.io/s/6Ah6HTkt

Closing Ceremonies IOPFDA Outstanding Leaders Awards and ISSA Advocates of the Year Awards: https://jwp.io/s/CxpiHlDe

Industry Leaders Roundtable: https://jwp.io/s/2GcxhJNM