Dive Brief:

• Federal construction contracts that were to be funded by Fiscal 2014 budget money cannot get started while Congress cannot pass a spending bill for the year that began Tuesday.
• Contractors who are working under Fiscal Year 2013 appropriations should be able to continue to work.
• One problem will be if federal inspectors or other site workers have been furloughed and cannot open work sites or workers who approve and process payments have been sent home.

Dive Insight:

The salaries of the people who process payments for 2013 contracts are part of the 2014 budget appropriations, so they may not be allowed to work. If that's the case, contractors will find delays in payments if the dispute goes on long enough.