Circular Letters

Circular Letter No. 1167

September 29, 2025

TO: Printing and Publishing Officials of the Federal Government

SUBJECT: Planning for Agency Procurement Services Operations during a Lapse in Appropriations.

In the event of a government-wide funding lapse, the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) is prepared to help you plan in advance for support of your agency’s known mission-essential excepted publishing functions. We encourage you to contact your APS Publishing and Print Procurement team prior to the potential COB on Tuesday (September 30, 2025) shutdown to discuss your anticipated specific needs. The operations of GPO Agency Procurement Services will be impacted should a shutdown take effect beginning October 1, 2025.

If you are a funded (excepted) agency* you may continue to use your GPO Term Contracts, GPO’s SPA Program, and your GPOExpress account to meet immediate printing, publishing, and duplicating needs that are excepted activities under the Antideficiency Act based on your agency’s authority and approval.

If emergency printing or publishing requirements that are excepted activities under the Antideficiency Act arise during the shutdown with needs that cannot be met through these programs, contact your GPO Government Publishing & Print Procurement team email address listed on https://www.gpo.gov/how-to-work-with-us/agency/services-for-agencies/procurement-services-team for assistance. An excepted GPO employee will then contact you shortly.

GPO Government Publishing & Print Procurement encourages you to contact your Government Publishing & Print Procurement team today to make the necessary plans to ensure your agency’s publishing needs are met. During a shutdown, contractors should continue performance on contracts already awarded. Alternative delivery instructions or proofing requirements, if applicable, may need to be made prior to the shutdown and should be conveyed to the GPO procurement team that awarded the contract. GPO will need to issue a contract modification for any changes, and additional costs may be incurred.

Sincerely,

JAMIE FOWLER
Managing Director,
Government Publishing & Print Procurement

*Agencies should refer to relevant legal opinions issued by the Attorney General and the Office of Legal Counsel of the Department of Justice, which set forth the legal requirements imposed by the Antideficiency Act (Act) during a lapse in appropriations and the guiding standards agencies should use in making decisions under the Act during a lapse in appropriations - OMB Memorandum M-13-22. Dated September 17. 2013.

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