Title 48—Federal Acquisition Regulations System--Volume 1
PART 901—FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM
901.101   Purpose.
The Department of Energy Acquisition Regulation (DEAR) in this chapter establishes uniform acquisition policies which implement and supplement the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) (Chapter 1 of title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)).
901.103   Authority.
The DEAR and amendments thereto are issued by the Senior Procurement Executives (SPEs) of the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The SPEs may also approve deviations from the DEAR, together and individually. The DOE SPE delegation is pursuant to a delegation from the Secretary of Energy in accordance with the authority of section 644 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7254), section 205(c) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended (40 U.S.C. 121(c)(2)), and other applicable laws. The NNSA SPE delegation is pursuant to a delegation from the Administrator of the NNSA, in accordance with section 3212 of the National Nuclear Security Administration Act (50 U.S.C. 2402), section 205(c) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended (40 U.S.C. 121(c)(2)), and other applicable laws. Except for the authorities designated as non-delegable, the SPEs are delegated the authorities assigned to the Agency Head in the FAR. A reference to the SPE refers to the DOE SPE and the NNSA SPE, unless otherwise indicated.
901.104   Applicability.
The FAR and DEAR apply to all DOE and NNSA acquisitions of supplies and services which obligate appropriated funds unless otherwise specified in this chapter.
901.105   Issuance.
901.105-1   Publication and code arrangement.
(a) The DEAR and its subsequent changes are published in the Federal Register, cumulative form in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and Government Printing Office's Electronic CFR at http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov.
(b) The DEAR is issued as chapter 9 of title 48 of the CFR.
901.105-2   Arrangement of regulations.
(a) General. The DEAR is divided into the same parts, subparts, sections, subsections and paragraphs as is the FAR.
(b) Numbering. The numbering illustrations at 48 CFR 1.105-2(b) apply to the DEAR, but the DEAR numbering will be preceded with a 9 or a 90. Material which supplements the FAR will be assigned the numbers 70 and up.
901.105-3   Copies.
Copies of the DEAR published in the Federal Register or Code of Federal Regulations may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 or viewed on line at http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov or at http://management.energy.gov/DEAR.
901.106   OMB approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number for the collection of information under 48 CFR chapter 9 is 1910-4100.
901.301-70   Other issuances related to acquisition.
In addition to the FAR and DEAR, there are other issuances which deal with acquisition. Among these are the Federal Property Management Regulation (41 CFR chapter 101), the Federal Management Regulation (41 CFR chapter 102), the DOE Property Management Regulation (41 CFR chapter 109), and DOE Directives. The Department also maintains the DOE Acquisition Guide (“the Guide”), which has procedural guidance for the acquisition community. The DOE Acquisition Guide serves this purpose by identifying relevant internal standard operating procedures to be followed by both procurement and program personnel who are involved in various aspects of the acquisition process. The Guide also is intended to be a repository of best practices found throughout the agency that reflect specific illustrations of techniques which might be helpful to all readers. The Guide is at https://www.energy.gov/management/articles/department-energy-acquisition-guide .
901.401   Definition.
A deviation from the DEAR is defined as the issuance or use of a policy, procedure, solicitation provision, contract clause, method, or practice of conducting acquisition actions of any kind at any stage of the acquisition process that is inconsistent with the DEAR.
901.403   Individual deviations.
Requests for individual deviations from the FAR or the DEAR shall be submitted to the cognizant Senior Procurement Executive (SPE), that is DOE or NNSA, (or designee) for approval. Requests shall cite the specific part of the FAR or DEAR from which it is desired to deviate, shall set forth the nature of the proposed deviation(s), and shall give the reasons for the action requested.
901.404   Class deviations.
Requests for class deviations from the FAR or the DEAR shall be submitted to the cognizant SPE, that is DOE or NNSA, (or designee) for processing in accordance with FAR 1.404 and this section. Requests shall include the same information prescribed in 901.403 for individual deviations.
901.601   General.
(a) Contracting authority for DOE vests in the Secretary of Energy, and for NNSA in the Administrator.
(1) The Secretary has delegated this authority to the DOE Senior Procurement Executive. The DOE Senior Procurement Executive has redelegated this authority to the DOE Heads of Contracting Activities (HCA). These delegations are formal written delegations containing specific dollar limitations and conditions. Each DOE HCA, in turn, makes formal contracting officer appointments for its contracting activity.
(2) Contracting authority for NNSA vests in the Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, also known as the NNSA Administrator. The NNSA Administrator has delegated this authority, with specific dollar limitations and conditions to the NNSA Senior Procurement Executive. The NNSA Senior Procurement Executive has redelegated this authority to the NNSA Head of the Contracting Activities (HCA). Each NNSA HCA in turn makes formal contracting officer appointments for its contracting activity.
(b) The Senior Procurement Executives have been authorized, without power of redelegation, to perform the functions set forth at 48 CFR 1.601(b) regarding the assignment of contracting functions and responsibilities to another agency, and the creation of joint or combined offices with another agency to exercise acquisition functions and responsibilities.
901.602-3   Ratification of unauthorized commitments.
(b)(2) The Senior Procurement Executives are authorized to ratify unauthorized commitments.
(3) The ratification authority of the DOE and NNSA Senior Procurement Executives in paragraph (b)(2) of this section is delegated to the Head of the Contracting Activity (HCA) for individual unauthorized commitments of $250,000 or under. The ratification authority of the HCA is nondelegable.
901.603   Selection, appointment, and termination of appointment.
901.603-1   General.
The DOE Order 361.1, Acquisition Career Management Program, or its successor order, sets forth the requirements and responsibilities for the DOE and NNSA Acquisition Career Development Program.
901.603-70   Appointment of contracting officers and contracting officer's representatives.
See the DOE Order 541.1, Appointment of Contracting Officers and Contracting Officer Representatives, or its successor order, for procedures on the appointment of contracting officers and contracting officer's representatives.