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LOBBYING REPORT |
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Section 5) - All Filers Are Required to Complete This Page
2. Address
Address1 | 678 Front Ave. NW, Suite 150 |
Address2 |
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City | Grand Rapids |
State | MI |
Zip Code | 49504-5368 |
Country | USA |
3. Principal place of business (if different than line 2)
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5. Senate ID# 6198-12
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6. House ID# 317900000
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TYPE OF REPORT | 8. Year | 2019 |
Q1 (1/1 - 3/31) | Q2 (4/1 - 6/30) | Q3 (7/1 - 9/30) | Q4 (10/1 - 12/31) |
9. Check if this filing amends a previously filed version of this report
10. Check if this is a Termination Report | Termination Date |
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11. No Lobbying Issue Activity |
INCOME OR EXPENSES - YOU MUST complete either Line 12 or Line 13 | |||||||||
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12. Lobbying | 13. Organizations | ||||||||
INCOME relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period was: | EXPENSE relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period were: | ||||||||
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Provide a good faith estimate, rounded to the nearest $10,000, of all lobbying related income for the client (including all payments to the registrant by any other entity for lobbying activities on behalf of the client). | 14. REPORTING Check box to indicate expense accounting method. See instructions for description of options. | ||||||||
Method A.
Reporting amounts using LDA definitions only
Method B. Reporting amounts under section 6033(b)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code Method C. Reporting amounts under section 162(e) of the Internal Revenue Code |
Signature | Digitally Signed By: BRADLEY P. MILLER |
Date | 11/7/2019 12:27:33 PM |
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code ENV
16. Specific lobbying issues
Presented July 18 briefing and August 14 webinar to General Services Administration's IWAC staff on the ANSI/BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard and the LEVEL Certification Program.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
General Services Administration (GSA)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Brad |
Miller |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code TRD
16. Specific lobbying issues
Contacted Senator Gary Peters' office for information on China tariff exemption process. Urged an end to tariffs.
Conference call with Mexico Desk of ITA on 8/20/19 for information on new certifications required by that country for imported products with electrical components.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, Intl Trade Administration (ITA)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Brad |
Miller |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code GOV
16. Specific lobbying issues
Advocated for GSA adherence to American National Standards in all purchasing systems. BIFMA, ANSI, and NIST representatives discussed the eCommerce pilot (Commercial Platforms Initiative) and procurement vehicles with micro-purchase thresholds using government credit cards on a 9/11/19 conference call. BIFMA argued that ANSI standards should never be waived, in any scenario. Safety and performance of products used by the federal workforce should be the highest priority and the technology should be powerful enough to assure that as opposed to not being able to factor it in as a basic requirement.
Participated in a Coalition for Government Procurement meeting with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on July 15. GAO is preparing a report for Congress on Federal Prison Industries (FPI) and had asked for input from the Coalition's Furniture Committee in preparing the report. BIFMA supports the report and determination of all negative affects of FPI on the economy or private sector jobs as well as getting a true picture of the program's impact on recidivism. It has never been factually established that the program reduces the return of paroled individuals to prison solely because they worked in the prison industries program. Those selected to work in FPI are the least likely to return to prison anyway. It is a flawed data sample and the GAO should compare those numbers with recidivism rates for those who worked in libraries, kitchens, or elsewhere. It isn't even "work" that results in less recidivism. A very interesting study would look at those who would normally be chosen for a work program in a facility without a work program to track their recidivism rates. Our hunch is that it would still be less than for others in the same facility, while doing no work whatsoever, making the recidivism claims of FPI and others baseless. A more important evaluation of the program would be how many paroled participants get jobs upon release due to their training.
Contacted US Senator Debbie Stabenow's office for information on Buy American Act and Presidential Executive Order that would make changes to domestic materials content levels of products purchased by the US Government.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
General Services Administration (GSA), Natl Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST), Government Accountability Office (GAO), U.S. SENATE
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Brad |
Miller |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code CSP
16. Specific lobbying issues
Urged US Rep. Fred Upton to support HR 2647, The Safer Occupancy Furniture Flammability Act. The bill would make California's Technical Bulletin 117-2013 a national flammability standard.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Brad |
Miller |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
Information Update Page - Complete ONLY where registration information has changed.
20. Client new address
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21. Client new principal place of business (if different than line 20)
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22. New General description of client’s business or activities
LOBBYIST UPDATE
23. Name of each previously reported individual who is no longer expected to act as a lobbyist for the client
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ISSUE UPDATE
24. General lobbying issue that no longer pertains
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AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS
25. Add the following affiliated organization(s)
Internet Address:
Name | Address |
Principal Place of Business (city and state or country) |
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26. Name of each previously reported organization that is no longer affiliated with the registrant or client
1 | 2 | 3 |
FOREIGN ENTITIES
27. Add the following foreign entities:
Name | Address |
Principal place of business (city and state or country) |
Amount of contribution for lobbying activities | Ownership percentage in client | ||||||||||
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28. Name of each previously reported foreign entity that no longer owns, or controls, or is affiliated with the registrant, client or affiliated organization
1 | 3 | 5 |
2 | 4 | 6 |
CONVICTIONS DISCLOSURE
29. Have any of the lobbyists listed on this report been convicted in a Federal or State Court of an offense involving bribery,
extortion, embezzlement, an illegal kickback, tax evasion, fraud, a conflict of interest, making a false statement, perjury, or money laundering?
Lobbyist Name | Description of Offense(s) |