***\*\*\*This order was only published electronically\*\*\****

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION\
Washington, DC 20405

OGP 2800.1\
January 1, 2004

GSA ORDER

SUBJECT: Acquisition planning

1\. [Purpose]{.underline}. This order establishes operating procedures
and assigns responsibilities for acquisition planning for the General
Services Administration (GSA).

2\. [Cancellation and Replacement]{.underline}. APD 2800.13B is canceled
on the effective date of this order. This order also replaces GSAM
sections 507.101, 507.102, and 507.104 - 507.107 as well as GSAM
Appendix 507A on the effective date of this order.

3\. [Effective Date]{.underline}. This order applies to all applicable
acquisitions (see paragraph 7) where the solicitation is issued on or
after January 31, 2004.

4\. [Background]{.underline}.

a\. Successful program management delivers the right solutions at best
value, on time and within budget. Acquisition planning is critical to
successful program management. By improving our acquisition planning
process and discipline we will improve the value delivered for the
taxpayer\'s dollar. Adequate planning at the time the requirement
becomes known can eliminate problems at the time of award and during
contract administration, thereby shortening procurement lead-time and
improving customer satisfaction.

b\. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 7 implements the statutory
requirement for acquisition planning.

c\. Although this order and the requirement for *written* acquisition
plans apply to acquisitions that exceed the simplified acquisition
threshold (SAT) as defined at FAR section 2.101, FAR section 7.102
requires planning on all acquisitions. Each contracting activity is
responsible for ensuring compliance with this requirement.

d\. The FAR may be found online at <http://www.acqnet.gov/far>. The
General Services Administration Acquisition Manual (GSAM) is available
at [http://www.gsa.gov](http://www.gsa.gov/) under the Office of
Governmentwide Policy\'s Acquisition Policy link.

5\. [Explanation of changes]{.underline}. This revision:

a\. Establishes additional coordination and concurrence requirements for
acquisitions estimated to exceed the SAT.

b\. Requires a comprehensive acquisition plan for an information
technology (IT) services or supply action estimated to exceed \$20
million, including options.

c\. Clarifies that, with the advice and assistance of the contracting
officer and, when appropriate, a planning team, the requiring office
(see paragraph 6f) is responsible for preparing acquisition plans when
GSA is the funding agency.

d\. Draws more attention to the IT Capital Planning requirements of the
Clinger-Cohen Act (40 U.S.C. 1422).

e\. Requires more deliberation by acquisition planners prior to placing
an order against a Federal Supply Schedule contract or a single or
multiple award indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity contract.

f\. Authorizes the Head of the Contracting Activity (HCA) to delegate
certain approval authorities to an appropriate level below the Assistant
Commissioner or Assistant Regional Administrator after coordination with
the Senior Procurement Executive (SPE).

6\. [Definitions]{.underline}.

a\. [Competition Advocate]{.underline}, per GSAM subpart 502.1, means
the GSA Competition Advocate in the Office of Acquisition Policy or the
contracting activity competition advocate with the duties and
responsibilities outlined in FAR section 6.502.

b\. [Contracting Director]{.underline} means -

\(1\) Except for the Federal Supply Service (FSS), a Director of a
Central Office or Regional Office Division responsible for performing
contracting or contract administration.

\(2\) In FSS, a Director of a Contracting Division or FSS Bureau.

> c\. [Head of Contracting Activity (HCA)]{.underline} means -

\(1\) For GSA Central Office Staff Offices - the Deputy Associate
Administrator for Acquisition Policy (MV).

\(2\) For the Federal Technology Service (FTS), Federal Supply Service
(FSS), or Public Buildings Service (PBS) Central Office functions -- the
respective service Commissioner.

\(3\) For Regional Offices -- the respective Regional Administrators.

d\. [Planner]{.underline}, at GSA, means the person residing in the
requiring office (see paragraph f below) that initiates, coordinates and
prepares the written acquisition plan. The person may be in an
individual program office or have responsibility for a number of such
offices.

e\. [Planning team]{.underline} means a team of individuals formed to
prepare the individual elements of a comprehensive acquisition plan. The
team must be composed of representatives from contracting, budget,
legal, appropriate technical offices (including requiring office or
customer), and small business technical advisors. The team may include
representatives from other areas as well. The planning team may be
pre-selected or formed on an ad hoc basis.

f\. [Requiring Office or Requirement(s) Office]{.underline} means the
internal GSA office that establishes and funds the agency need. If an
organization outside GSA establishes and funds the need, then the
requiring office will be the GSA office that is managing the acquisition
for that outside organization.

g\. [Senior Procurement Executive (SPE)]{.underline} means the Deputy
Associate Administrator for Acquisition Policy (MV).

h\. [Senior Program Official (SPO)]{.underline} means a person reporting
to, and designated by, the HCA to have overall program responsibility
for determining how the agency will meet its needs. The official should
have a position of authority over the offices participating in the
planning. Some examples are:

\(1\) Regions - the Assistant Regional Administrators for the Federal
Technology Service, Public Buildings Service, and Federal Supply
Service.

\(2\) Central Office - the Assistant Commissioners for the Federal
Technology Service, Public Buildings Service, and Federal Supply
Service.

7\. [Applicability]{.underline}.

This order applies to all acquisitions exceeding the SAT, including the
following:

a\. New definitive contracts (including contracts for supplies,
services, construction, repair and alteration, and deregulated
utilities.)

b\. Letter contracts.

> c\. An award exercising an un-priced or unevaluated option.

d\. Task or delivery order against:

\(1\) Federal Supply Schedule contracts.

\(2\) Blanket purchase agreements (BPA).

\(3\) Single or multiple award indefinite delivery indefinite quantity
contracts.

e\. Establishing a Federal Supply Schedule program (such as Schedule
70), but not to individual contracts awarded under such a schedule.

f\. Leaseshold interests in real property.

8\. [Policy and the kinds of plans GSA requires]{.underline}.

a\. All acquisitions, regardless of dollar value, require acquisition
planning. Acquisitions over the SAT must have a written acquisition plan
before a solicitation is issued, unless the requirement for a written
plan is waived (see paragraphs 8d and 11). Failure to do acquisition
planning or concerns about funding availability are not justification
for entering into a contract without full and open competition.

b\. Contracting officers must submit an electronic copy of each written
acquisition plan or summary of an oral plan to the Office of Acquisition
Policy, Office of Governmentwide Policy at:\<acquisitionplans@gsa.gov\>
within 7 days of its approval.

c\. Written plans.

\(1\) [Comprehensive acquisition plan]{.underline}. This plan covers the
acquisition process from the identification of the need or advance
notice of need, through contract or order closeout. It is the most
detailed plan and required for:

\(a\) IT acquisitions in excess of \$20 million, including options.

\(b\) All other types of acquisitions in excess of \$50 million,
including options.

\(c\) Any dollar value acquisition that meets one or more of the
following:

\(i\) Complex, critical to agency strategic objectives and mission,
highly visible or politically sensitive.

\(ii\) An acquisition with which GSA has little or no experience that
may result in a need for greater oversight or risk management.

\(iii\) Actions using significantly changed methods (e.g., methods of
procurement such as lease versus purchase, or methods of performance
such as contractor versus Government personnel).

\(iv\) New construction, or repair and alteration prospectus budget line
items.

\(v\) Any acquisition that requires contract bundling (See FAR section
7.107).

\(2\) [Limited acquisition plan]{.underline}. If the acquisition is in
excess of the SAT For leases, the threshold is the Simplified Lease
Acquisition Threshold (SLAT) as defined in GSAM section 570.102.
including options, and does not meet any of the criteria for a
comprehensive acquisition plan, a written limited acquisition plan is
required. The plan covers the acquisition from purchase request or
advance notice of need through contract award or order placement.

d\. Oral plan. Even if the requirement for a written plan is waived, the
planner must still obtain approval for the plan. The planner also must
write a summary of the oral plan, including the name of the approver,
and the nature of the urgency if that was the reason for the waiver. The
summary must be included in any justification for using other than full
and open competition required by FAR 6.302-2(c), or in the basis for
using an exception to the fair opportunity process required by FAR
16.505(b)(4). The summary may be prepared after award if preparation
before award would unreasonably delay the acquisition.

9\. [Responsibilities]{.underline}. In addition to the responsibilities
identified in paragraphs 10 and 11, the following applies:

a\. [Senior Procurement Executive (SPE)]{.underline}. The SPE has
overall responsibility for the GSA acquisition system, including
prescribing agency-wide procedures for acquisition planning. The SPE:

\(1\) Coordinates with the HCA when the HCA proposes to delegate
approval authority under this order to a level lower than the SPO
defined in paragraph 6h.

\(2\) Has the authority to waive the requirements of this order for IT
supplies and services that exceed \$20 million.

\(3\) Coordinates with the HCA on waivers described in paragraph 9b(2).

b\. [Head of the Contracting Activity (HCA)]{.underline}. The HCA has
overall responsibility for implementing and maintaining acquisition
planning to ensure adherence to this order and GSAM 507.103(a). In
addition, the HCA:

\(1\) May require higher-level review and approval or additional
concurrences within their organization for either limited or
comprehensive acquisition plans.

\(2\) May waive the requirements of this order, except for IT supplies
and services that exceed \$20 million, for programs and classes of
contracts or orders if the HCA determines that the service or staff
office already has a detailed system in place that addresses the
elements of the written acquisition plan. All waivers must be
coordinated in advance with the SPE.

\(3\) May issue guidance to identify types of acquisitions (programs,
classes of contracts or orders) appropriate, within the requirements and
thresholds of this order, for either limited or comprehensive
acquisition plans.

\(4\) May re-delegate the authority to make the determination that
bundling is necessary and justified in FAR 7.107(b). If the results of a
market survey support a determination that bundling is necessary and
justified, the contracting officer may approve the justification. If the
contracting officer assisted in the market survey, the justification
must be approved at least one level above the contracting officer.

\(5\) May authorize the development of standard outlines for use in
programs or classes of contracts or orders that are repetitive and
noncomplex.

\(6\) May delegate approval authority (paragraph 10) under this order to
the SPO or may redelegate to a level lower than the SPO after
coordination with the SPE.

\(7\) Determines, on either an individual contract, program, or class
basis, appropriate coordinations and concurrences for acquisition plans
when an organization outside GSA establishes and funds the need (see
paragraph 9c(1)).

c\. [Planner]{.underline}.

\(1\) Duties. The planner, with the advice and assistance of the
contracting officer, is responsible for the preparation and maintenance
of plans, and for obtaining and documenting all necessary concurrences
and coordinations. For comprehensive acquisition plans, the planner must
also have the advice and assistance of a planning team. If an
organization outside GSA establishes and funds the need, the HCA
determines appropriate coordinations and concurrences and the planner
will reside in the GSA office that is managing the acquisition for that
outside organization; if there is no such GSA office, then the
contracting officer will perform the planner duties.

\(2\) The planner must:

\(a\) Comply with the requirements at GSAM 507.103(a).

\(b\) Coordinate with the Small Business Technical Advisor (SBTA). When
substantial bundling is contemplated (see FAR 7.107(e)), coordination
with the Office of Small Business Utilization is also required.

\(c\) Coordinate with local representatives of the Chief Financial
Office/Budget Officer. (Not required for establishing a Federal Supply
Schedule program.)

\(d\) Coordinate with local representatives of the Chief Information
Officer if the action involves IT services or supplies for use by GSA to
ensure compliance with the requirements of GSA Order CIO 2135.1, GSA
Information Technology (IT) Capital Planning and Investment Control.
(Not required for establishing a Federal Supply Schedule program.)

\(e\) Obtain concurrence of contracting director. For limited
acquisition plans, concurrence is required only when the requirement is
received in the last month of the fiscal year and award is anticipated
before the end of the current fiscal year.

\(f\) Obtain concurrence of contracting officer.

\(g\) Coordinate with the Office of General Counsel (for comprehensive
acquisition plans).

\(3\) The planner must review the plan at least annually as well as
update the plan for major changes, both before and after contract award,
obtaining new coordinations, concurrences, and approval. Examples of
major changes are those that affect competition or the ability of small
businesses to effectively compete, significant changes to the
acquisition strategy, budget, milestones, contract administration, or
scope of the contract.

10\. [Approvals]{.underline}. All calculations include options. The HCA
may require higher-level approvals than those shown. If the acquisition
plan calls for an exception to the fair opportunity process required by
FAR 16.505(b)(1), the acquisition plan must be approved at a level no
lower than the SPO.

+----------+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+
| ![](m    | **Non-co | **Leases, | *        | **Const   | **Con     |
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| ge1.png) | item     | C         | and      |           | *(over    |
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+----------+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+
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| *Limited |          | manager   |          | manager   |           |
| acq      | Note 1 & | in the    | Note 1 & | in the    | Note 1 &  |
| uisition | 3        | req       | 3        | req       | 3         |
| plan**   |          | uirements |          | uirements |           |
|          |          | office    |          | office    |           |
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|          |          | 4         |          | 4         |           |
+----------+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+
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| limited  | tracting | ntracting | tracting | ntracting | ntracting |
| acq      | director | director  | director | director  |           |
| uisition |          |           |          |           | director  |
| plan**   |          |           |          |           |           |
+----------+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+
| **Compre | HCA      | HCA       | HCA      | HCA       | HCA       |
| -hensive |          |           |          |           |           |
| acq      | Note 1   | Note 1    | Note 1   | Note 1    | Note 1    |
| uisition |          |           |          |           |           |
| plan**   |          |           |          |           |           |
+----------+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+
| **Oral   | SPO      | SPO       | SPO      | SPO       | SPO       |
| compre   |          |           |          |           |           |
| -hensive |          |           |          |           |           |
| acq      |          |           |          |           |           |
| uisition |          |           |          |           |           |
| plan**   |          |           |          |           |           |
+----------+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+

Note 1. May be delegated to the SPO. May be delegated to an appropriate
level below the SPO after coordination with the SPE.

Note 2. Unless designated at a higher level by the HCA.

Note 3. When GSA is not the funding agency, the contracting director may
approve.

Note 4. When GSA is not the funding agency, the contracting officer may
approve.

11\. [Waivers]{.underline}.

a\. When the requirement for a written acquisition plan is waived, an
oral acquisition plan is still required. See paragraph 8d for oral plan
requirements.

b\. Except for HCA authority under paragraph 9b, only the following may
be waived:

+--------------------+---------------+--------------+----------------+
| ![](media/image1.  | **Recurring   | **Cases of   | **IT over \$20 |
| png){width="1.0416 | annual        | unusual and  | million        |
| 666666666666e-2in" | a             | compelling   | (including     |
| height="1.04166    | cquisitions** | urgency**    | options)**     |
| 66666666666e-2in"} |               |              |                |
+--------------------+---------------+--------------+----------------+
| **Limited          | Contracting   | Contracting  | (Not           |
| acquisition plan** | director      | director     | applicable)    |
|                    |               |              |                |
|                    | Note 1 & 2    | Note1 & 3    |                |
+--------------------+---------------+--------------+----------------+
| **Comprehensive    | !             | SPO          | SPE            |
| acquisition plan** | [](media/imag |              |                |
|                    | e1.png){width | Note 4       |                |
|                    | ="1.041666666 |              |                |
|                    | 6666666e-2in" |              |                |
|                    | height=       |              |                |
|                    | "1.0416666666 |              |                |
|                    | 666666e-2in"} |              |                |
+--------------------+---------------+--------------+----------------+

Note 1. For acquisitions funded by other agencies this also applies. In
either case, the HCA may designate a higher level than the contracting
director.

Note 2. Does not apply to acquisitions of IT supplies and services over
\$20 million, including options.

Note 3. If the acquisition plan calls for an exception to the fair
opportunity process required by FAR 16.505(b)(1), only the SPO may
waive.

Note 4. Except for acquisitions of IT supplies and services over \$20
million, including options.

12\. [Plan content]{.underline}.

a\. FAR Part 7 prescribes the content of the comprehensive acquisition
plan. The plan shall cover each item in FAR section 7.105 (and 7.106 and
7.107 if applicable). Where a particular element is not applicable,
state so. See also paragraph 12c.

b\. Limited Acquisition Plans. The following is prescribed:

\(1\) Acquisition background and objectives, including a statement of
need, applicable conditions, cost, capability or performance, and
delivery or performance-period requirements. (See FAR 7.105(a)(1) - (5).

\(2\) Plan of action, including sources, competition, source selection
procedures, contracting considerations, budgeting and funding, product
or service descriptions, environmental and energy conservation
objectives, contract administration, acquisition milestones, and
individuals preparing the plan. (See FAR 7.105(b)(1) - (6), (16), (18),
(20) and (21)).

c\. In addition, GSA prescribes the following for both limited and
comprehensive acquisition plans:

\(1\) For performance based contracting methods when using a services
contract, as defined at FAR section 37.101. The plan must include:

\(a\) A discussion of the performance based contracting elements that
will be used and whether these will be sufficient to report the award as
performance based in the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS).

\(b\) Identification of the office (and individual(s) if known at the
time of acquisition planning) responsible for quality assurance
surveillance (e.g., monitoring the contractor\'s compliance with the
quality assurance plan).

\(c\) If performance based contracting methods will not be used, discuss
the rationale for why such methods are not suitable (not required if GSA
is not the funding agency).

\(2\) The basis for the Justification for Other Than Full and Open
Competition, if applicable and reference the following:

\(a\) Justification document.

\(b\) Synopsis requirements or the exception to synopsis that applies.

\(c\) Approving official (see FAR section 6.304).

> \(d\) Date of approval.

\(3\) For orders proposing an exception to fair opportunity procedures
required by FAR 16.505(b)(2), state the basis for the exception and
reference the contracting officer\'s justification required by FAR
16.505(b)(4).\
\
\
\
\
David A. Drabkin\
Deputy Associate Administrator\
for Acquisition Policy