FACE™ Contract Guidance in Writing Solicitations and Proposals with FACE Requirements
Channel: The Open Group
Date: 2019-07-02

The Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) Contract Guide serves as a reference for including FACE requirements into a solicitation or proposal. The goal is twofold:
1) To enable a Department of Defense (DoD) Contracting Officer or Program Manager (PM) to include FACE requirements in a solicitation.
2) To assist Offerors, Government Contractors, and Subcontractors in understanding the FACE requirements in a solicitation and appropriately addressing them in a proposal.

Using the FACE Contract Guide should reduce preparation time for developing or responding to a solicitation with FACE requirements. 

Recommended language is included for SECTION C: Statement of Work (SOW), along with SECTION L: Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors and SECTION M: Evaluation Factors for Award. There are also clause recommendations that can be incorporated in SECTION H: Special Contract Requirements, including language regarding rights in Technical Data (TD) and Computer Software (CS) as well as warranty clauses. This Guide places an emphasis on acquiring the appropriate artifacts and rights in TD and CS to support reuse of FACE Units of Conformance (UoCs).

The FACE Contract Guide serves to supplement the DoD Open Systems Architecture (OSA) Contract Guidebook for Program Managers (DoD OSA Guidebook) and, as such, only addresses FACE requirements for an acquisition. PMs are encouraged to reference the DoD OSA Guidebook and include additional OSA language as appropriate.

Conformance to the FACE Technical Standard helps to ensure UoCs are open, modular, and reusable to the maximum extent possible. There are no varying levels of compliance with the FACE Technical Standard; a UoC is either conformant or not. The PM should note that FACE Conformance Certification is only available through the FACE Conformance Program. (See the FACE Conformance Policy.)
Conformance to the FACE Technical Standard is based on the proper use of the defined FACE Interfaces and adherence to the FACE Reference Architecture. FACE conformance and conformance testing are at the UoC level, as opposed to the system level. The FACE Conformance Program utilizes test tools and verification processes to ensure conformance. The program uses the FACE Conformance Verification Matrix (CVM), which assigns verification methods, describes conformance artifacts for each requirement, and provides interpretation of the requirements for UoCs in specific FACE segments. Verification includes a FACE Conformance Test Suite to check UoCs for proper use of the FACE Interfaces.

FACE Conformance Certification occurs at the end of the software development process. Therefore, FACE Conformance Certification does not have to be complete to bid unless otherwise specified in the solicitation. If the PM desires a warranty from the Contractor to correct any conformance-related deficiencies at the Contractor’s cost, the language suggested in the H2 clause in SECTION H (Chapter 5) provides guidance.

FACE Conformance Certification provides formal recognition of certified conformance to the FACE Technical Standard, which allows:

-- Buyers to specify and procure products from vendors providing solutions that are conformant to the FACE Technical Standard
-- The FACE Certification Authority (CA) to issue a Conformance Certificate to the Software Supplier
-- Suppliers and practitioners to make and substantiate clear claims of conformance to the FACE Technical Standard, evidenced by possession of a FACE Conformance Certificate

"The Open Group FACE Contract Guide: Guidance in Writing Solicitations and Proposals with FACE™ Requirements, Version 2.0" -- can be downloaded for free from The Open Group Library  https://publications.opengroup.org

This webinar will cover:
What is the FACE Consortium?
FACE Government Benefits
FACE Industry Benefits
FACE Work Products
FACE Contract Guide Overview
Target Audience for Contract Guide
Specific Guidance Provided
FACE Contract Exclusions
Path Forward
Questions & Answers (starts at 30.18)