# Presentation: 398081

## ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND TIMELINES FOR CONTRACTINGADMINISTRATIVE GUIDELINE NUMBER 3 

**Harpers Ferry Center**
**Office of Acquisition Management **
**February 2006 **

## A person with the delegated AUTHORITY to enter into, administer, and/or terminate contracts and make related determinations and findings (FAR 1.602-1)
In order to be a Contracting Officer, you must meet certain qualifications and be issued a warrant that identifies the scope and limits of your authority.

- In order to be a Contracting Officer, you must meet certain qualifications and be issued a warrant that identifies the scope and limits of your authority.

- CONTRACTING OFFICER

## RESPONSIBILITIES

- -	**Sign contracts  **
**Obligate Government Funds **
**Commit Government Property**
**Authorize Contract Deviations**
**Direct Changes**
**Suspend or Terminate Performance**
**Recoup Funds from Contractor**
**Suspend Payment to Contractor**
**Ensure that Contractors receive impartial, fair and equitable treatment.**
**Comply with:**
**Code of Federal Regulation (CFR);**
**Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR);**
**Executive Orders (E.O.) ;**
**Department of the Interior (DOI) Regulations; **
**National Park Service (NPS) Regulations and Instructions; and**
**Other applicable governmental laws and regulations.**

## CONTRACT SPECIALIST

- An authorized representative of the Contracting Officer responsible for the management and monitoring of the contract.

## RESPONSIBILITIES

**Manages, performs, and administers contracting functions for supplies, services, and construction.**
**Uses automated contracting systems to prepare, process, and analyze transactions and products. **
**Acts as business advisor, buyer, negotiator, administrator, and Contracting Officer.**

## PURCHASING AGENT

- A Purchasing Agent is a Contracting Officer, with delegated authority to make small purchases for supplies and non-personal services.
- A small purchase is generally $100,000 or less on the open market and can be larger on a GSA schedule contract.

## RESPONSIBILITIES

**Sign contracts  **
**Obligate Government Funds **
**Commit Government Property**
**Authorize Contract Deviations**
**Direct Changes**
**Suspend or Terminate Performance**
**Recoup Funds from Contractor**
**Suspend Payment to Contractor**
**Ensure that Contractors receive impartial, fair and equitable treatment.**
**Comply with:**
**Code of Federal Regulation (CFR);**
**Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR);**
**Executive Orders (E.O.) ;**
**Department of the Interior (DOI) Regulations; **
**National Park Service (NPS) Regulations and Instructions; and**
**Other applicable governmental laws and regulations.**

## CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE (COR)

- A person who is delegated SPECIFIC AUTHORITY, in writing, from the Contracting Officer to oversee a particular contract.

## Ensure that requirements are clearly specified and defined
Ensure that quality standards are provided and met
Provide for a detailed Independent Government Estimate (IGE)
Monitor the Contractor’s technical progress
Interpret the Scope of Work
Perform technical evaluations
Perform technical inspection and acceptance
Assist the Contracting Officer in the resolution of technical problems

**Ensure that quality standards are provided and met**
**Provide for a detailed Independent Government Estimate (IGE)**
**Monitor the Contractor’s technical progress**
**Interpret the Scope of Work**
**Perform technical evaluations**
**Perform technical inspection and acceptance**
**Assist the Contracting Officer in the resolution of technical problems**

- RESPONSIBILITIES

## STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

- The business ethics of all who are charged with administration and expenditure of public funds must be above reproach at all times.
- It is important that everyone who is engaged in NPS procurements and related duties adhere to and be guided by the DOI  policies and instructions on personnel conduct.

## WHAT IS THE FAR?Federal Acquisition Regulation

- The primary document that establishes policies and procedures for acquisition by all Executive Agencies.

- FAR

## WHAT IS A CONTRACT?

- A contract is a means of communication
- It includes _five elements_
- 	- offer, acceptance, consideration,
- 		legal substance and competent parties
- May be oral or written
- Must have a “Meeting of the Minds”

## WHAT IS PALT?	

**P**ROCUREMENT **A**DMINISTRATIVE **L**EAD **T**IME
- Used to determine approximate amount of time to award a requirement after it is received.
- Many factors affect the amount of PALT required for any particular procurement.
- A PALT should be established by the Contracting Officer or Contract Specialist upon receipt and discussed with the COR.
- PALT begins only after _acceptance_ of a properly completed purchase request with a Scope of Work and Independent Government Estimate.

## GENERAL PALT GUIDELINES          (Working Days) 

- 1-7 days		$2,500 and Under
- 30-45 days	$25,000 to $100,000
- 				Full and Open, Justification
- 				for Other Than Full and Open
- 				Competition, or Sole Source
- 4 to 12 months   	Over $ 100,000
- 				Full and Open or Sole Source

## PALT GUIDELINES FOR IDIQ		 CONTRACTS

**Best Value Orders placed against Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contracts**
**Requires evaluation of proposals**
**14-20 days****	****	****< $ 25,000**
**30-60 days****	****	****> $ 25,000**
**Orders in excess of $500,000 require legal review**
**Actual time may vary based on the availability of **
**evaluation panels**
**Best Price Orders may take less time**

## GENERAL PALT GUIDELINES

**2-7 days****	****	****Orders for equipment**
**	****	****placed against GSA Schedule**
**10-45 days****	****Orders requiring a Scope**
**	****	****of Work placed against GSA**
**	****	****Schedule**
****Again, actual time may vary based on availability of**
**    ****the Evaluation Panel.    **

## TEN REASONS WHY PROCUREMENT ACTIONS ARE DELAYED...

**10.  Type of Procurement**
**9.****	****Requirement for Pre-Proposal Conference**
**8.****	****Requirement for a Pre-Proposal Site Visit**
**7.****	****Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition and/or Sole Source Challenge**
**6.****	****Complexity of Procurement**
**5.****	****Poor Scope of Work or Specifications**
**4.****	****Change to Requirement**
**3.****	****Protests**
**2.****	****Lack of adequate funding**
**1.****	****Incomplete Purchase Request Package!!!**

## ADVERTISING THE REQUIREMENT

**All requirements greater than $25,000****	**
**	****must be available electronically and posted to Federal Business Opportunities (FEDBIZOPPS)**
**Issuance of the Solicitation**
**Minimum 30 calendar days (over $100,000)**
**Reasonable Time (under $100,000)**
**Commercial Item Acquisition**
**Minimum 15 calendar days**

## SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION

- Acquisition of supplies or non-personal services from commercial sources of $100,000 or less.

## SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONMethods of SolicitationSimplified Acquisition Procedure = < $100,000

- Micropurchases (Less than $2,500)
- 	- Procured with Government Purchase Card as permitted by
-        regulation.  Sources must be rotated.
- 	- Exempt from Small Business and Buy American Acts
- Competitive ($2,500 to $100,000)
- 	- Oral or written solicitation
- 	- Competition required
- 	- Written Request for Quotation (RFQ) when detailed
-        Purchase Description or large number of items
- 	- 100% Set-aside for Small Business (including 8(a))
- 	- Posted in FedBizOpps ($25,000-$100,000)

## CONTRACT TYPES

- FIRM-FIXED-PRICE (99%)
- COST REIMBURSEMENT (0%)
- TIME AND MATERIAL (1%)

## FIRM-FIXED-PRICE

- The most common form of contract used in the Government.
- The most preferred by the Government.
- 	All risk is assumed by the Contractor.
- Price is set in advance and not altered.
- Used for acquiring both goods and services.

## ANTI-DEFICIENCY ACT

- Provides that _no_ Government Officer or employee shall authorize or create any obligation, or _make any expenditure_, in excess of the funds available, or in advance of being _appropriated_.

## Components of the Acquisition Cycle

- Acquisition Plan
- Scope of Work
- Data requirements
- Source Selection Plan
- Acquisition package preparation (including market surveys and obtaining applicable approvals and waivers)
- Purchase Request (submission and acceptance)
- Justification and approval for Other than Full and Open Competition
- Advertising the requirement
- Legal review and approval (as required)
- Issuance of the solicitation

## Components of the Acquisition Cycle(continued) 

- Evaluation of proposals
- Obtaining audits (as required)
- Pre-award Surveys
- Development of pre-negotiation plan
- Completion of negotiations (Revised Proposal)
- Contract preparation
- Contract review and approval (as required)
- Legal review and approval (as required)
- Contract award
- Notification to unsuccessful offerors
- Debriefings

## Purchase Request

- Special handling/delivery instructions as appropriate.
- Attached documentation (Scope of Work, Specifications, Drawings, Justifications).
- Manufacturer and Part Number (when required).
- Ordering information (type of electrical hook-up, color, size, etc. where appropriate).
- Appropriate funding citation with funds.

## Purchase Description

- The supplies/services must be described in a manner that will encourage maximum competition and eliminate any restrictive features that limit acceptable quotes to one Contractor’s product.

## GSA Schedules

- GSA Schedules are contracts that are awarded by GSA and are available for use by Government agencies.
- Each schedule has multiple awards with Contractors that meet the minimum requirements.
- Regulations require competition (three or more quotes) when placing orders against a GSA schedule.
- Award using best value or best price.

## QUESTIONS

- If you have any questions, please contact
- the Office of Acquisition Management at
- (304) 535-6236.