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| # VBA IRM Handbook No. 6.01.02.HB1 20M Concept Approval               |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  This handbook contains procedures that the proponent organization, the
  Management and Contract Services Division (20M11), has developed to
  implement *VBA IRM Policy Directive No. 6.01.02 of VBA Manual M20-4,
  Part I*. You may direct any questions or comments concerning these
  procedures to the proponent organization.

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  Office of Information Technology (20M) Services and Staffs seeking to
  use advisory and assistance services from outside sources must first
  obtain concept approval from the Under Secretary for Benefits (20) for
  acquisitions \$25,000 or less and from the Secretary of Veterans
  Affairs for acquisitions over \$25,000. Concept approval is required to
  award a new contract or to place an order against an existing contract,
  if the contract itself was not previously approved in accordance with
  this process. Concept approval is not required for orders placed
  against the Nationwide Office Automation for VA (NOAVA) contract, and
  the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) under the
  Integrated Data Communications Utility (IDCU) contract. Please check
  with 20M11 if you have any question as to whether or not a concept
  approval is needed. The following procedures will be used to obtain
  concept approval.

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+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
|    | # [WHO (            |    | # [ACTION]{.underline}              |
|    | Actor)]{.underline} |    |                                     |
|    |                     |    | #                                   |
|    | #                   |    |                                     |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
| !  | 20M VACO            |    | a\. Prepare a concept approval      |
| [] | Service/Staff       |    | request package.                    |
| (m | Director            |    |                                     |
| ed |                     |    |                                     |
| ia |                     |    |                                     |
| /i |                     |    |                                     |
| ma |                     |    |                                     |
| ge |                     |    |                                     |
| 1. |                     |    |                                     |
| em |                     |    |                                     |
| f) |                     |    |                                     |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
|    |                     |    | > \(1\) Prepare a memorandum        |
|    |                     |    | > requesting concept approval. The  |
|    |                     |    | > memorandum must contain           |
|    |                     |    | > information described in          |
|    |                     |    | > paragraph 3a(1) of the cover      |
|    |                     |    | > memorandum to the 20M Acquisition |
|    |                     |    | > Guidelines and in paragraph 3a(1) |
|    |                     |    | > of *VA Circular 00-92-15,*        |
|    |                     |    | > included in Tab F of the 20M      |
|    |                     |    | > Acquisition Guidelines.           |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
|    | #                   |    | > (A sample concept approval        |
|    |                     |    | > request package is also included  |
|    |                     |    | > in Tab F along with the following |
|    |                     |    | > documents: *VAAR Subpart 837.2,   |
|    |                     |    | > Consulting Services; and FAR      |
|    |                     |    | > Subpart 37.2, Advisory and        |
|    |                     |    | > Assistance Services*.)            |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
|    | # [WHO (            |    | # [ACTION]{.underline}              |
|    | Actor)]{.underline} |    |                                     |
|    |                     |    | #                                   |
|    | #                   |    |                                     |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
| !  | 20M VACO            |    | > \(2\) Prepare a Concurrence and   |
| [] | Service/Staff       |    | > Summary Sheet (VA Form 00-4265).  |
| (m | Director            |    |                                     |
| ed |                     |    |                                     |
| ia | (*continued*)       |    |                                     |
| /i |                     |    |                                     |
| ma |                     |    |                                     |
| ge |                     |    |                                     |
| 2. |                     |    |                                     |
| em |                     |    |                                     |
| f) |                     |    |                                     |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
|    |                     |    | > \(3\) Prepare a certifying        |
|    |                     |    | > statement for the Contracting     |
|    |                     |    | > Officer (CO) on a separate page.  |
|    |                     |    | > The statement must document that  |
|    |                     |    | > the requirement is for advisory   |
|    |                     |    | > and assistance services and       |
|    |                     |    | > include a subject line with the   |
|    |                     |    | > title of the concept approval.    |
|    |                     |    | > (The CO\'s signature will be      |
|    |                     |    | > obtained by 20M11.)               |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+

### Note: Do not include recommendations of source or acquisition strategy (such as sole source, competitive, interagency agreement, etc.) in the concept approval request package.

+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
|    |                     |    | b\. Forward the concept approval    |
|    |                     |    | request package to 20M11.           |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
| !  | Administrative      |    | a\. Review the concept approval     |
| [] | Officer for the     |    | request package for completeness.   |
| (m | Office of           |    |                                     |
| ed | Information         |    | b\. Obtain IRM Planning,            |
| ia | Technology, 20M11   |    | Coordination & Evaluation Staff     |
| /i |                     |    | (20M5) concurrence to confirm the   |
| ma |                     |    | IRM Program number.                 |
| ge |                     |    |                                     |
| 3. |                     |    |                                     |
| em |                     |    |                                     |
| f) |                     |    |                                     |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
|    |                     |    | c\. Obtain the CO\'s signature on   |
|    |                     |    | the certifying statement.           |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
|    |                     |    | d\. If the CO determines that       |
|    |                     |    | concept approval is not required,   |
|    |                     |    | go to step ![](media/image4.emf).   |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
|    | #                   |    | e\. Forward the concept approval    |
|    |                     |    | request package to 20M.             |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
| !  | Director, Office of |    | Review the concept approval request |
| [] | Information         |    | package for concurrence (initial on |
| (m | Technology, 20M     |    | the yellow tissue copy of the       |
| ed |                     |    | memorandum) and then return the     |
| ia |                     |    | concept approval request package to |
| /i |                     |    | 20M11.                              |
| ma |                     |    |                                     |
| ge |                     |    |                                     |
| 5. |                     |    |                                     |
| em |                     |    |                                     |
| f) |                     |    |                                     |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
|    | #                   |    | #                                   |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
|    | # [WHO (            |    | # [ACTION]{.underline}              |
|    | Actor)]{.underline} |    |                                     |
|    |                     |    |                                     |
|    | #                   |    |                                     |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+
| !  | Administrative      |    | Handcarry the concept approval      |
| [] | Officer for the     |    | request package to the Budget and   |
| (m | Office of           |    | Finance Staff (20A3).               |
| ed | Information         |    |                                     |
| ia | Technology, 20M11   |    |                                     |
| /i |                     |    |                                     |
| ma |                     |    |                                     |
| ge |                     |    |                                     |
| 6. |                     |    |                                     |
| em |                     |    |                                     |
| f) |                     |    |                                     |
+----+---------------------+----+-------------------------------------+

### Note: The Budget and Finance Staff (20A3) reviews for concurrence and forwards the concept approval request package to the Under Secretary for Benefits (20), who reviews, concurs, and forwards it to the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition and Facilities (005). After concurrence by the Assistant Secretary (005) and approval by the VA Secretary (00), the package is returned to the Director (20M) through the Under Secretary (20).

  ----------------------- --------------------- ----- --------------------------------------
  ![](media/image7.emf)   Director, Office of         Return the concept approval request
                          Information                 package to 20M11.
                          Technology, 20M             

  ![](media/image8.emf)   Administrative              a\. Send a copy of the concept
                          Officer for the             approval request package along with
                          Office of Information       the tissue copies to the 20M
                          Technology, 20M11           Service/Staff Director.

                                                      b\. File the original concept approval
                                                      request package.

  ![](media/image9.emf)   20M VACO                    Prepare the acquisition request
                          Service/Staff               package according to the 20M
                          Director                    Acquisition Guidelines.
  ----------------------- --------------------- ----- --------------------------------------

![](media/image10.emf)

![](media/image11.emf)

This handbook is approved. It will be used to implement *VBA IRM Policy
Directive No. 6.01.02 of VBA Manual M20-4, Part I*. Place it in *Part II
of M20-4* behind *Tab 6.0, Acquisition Management*.

> By Direction of the Under Secretary for Benefits
>
> ORIGINAL SIGNED
>
> Rhoda R. Mancher
>
> Director
>
> Office of Information Technology