SUBPART 1.1 –– PURPOSE, AUTHORITY,

ISSUANCE

Parent topic: PART 1 –– FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM

1.101 Purpose.

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DARS)

establishes uniform DISA policies implementing and supplementing the Federal Acquisition

Regulation (FAR), the Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS), Title 10 of the United States Code and

other statutory authority, and applicable Department of Defense (DoD) directives and instructions.

The DARS is not a “stand alone” document and must be read in conjunction with the preceding

guidance.

201.104 Applicability.

The DARS applies to all acquisitions processed or managed by DISA, except where expressly

excluded. Policies/procedures of non-DISA mission partners are acceptable as long as they comply

with applicable laws and regulations. For example: Requirements office generated documents (e.g.,

acquisition plans, justifications and approvals) need not be in the DISA format, contain DISA

supplemental information, etc.

DARS acquisition and procurement process oversight policies are not applicable to external mission

partners.

201.105-3 Copies.

Copies of the DARS and associated acquisition policies and procedures are available electronically

via the DISA Acquisition Policy and Guidance web site: http://www.ditco.disa.mil/hq/aqinfo.asp.

201.170 Peer reviews.

(a) DoD peer reviews.

(1)(i) Preaward peer reviews for competitive procurements. Per Class Deviation 2021-O00107 ,

Defense Pricing and Contracting (DPC) will conduct preaward peer reviews for competitive

procurements with an estimated value of $1 billion or more for all procurements under major

defense acquisition programs for which the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and

Sustainment (USD(A&S)) is the milestone decision authority. Additionally, preaward peer reviews of

competitive procurements will be conducted for procurements designated by USD(A&S) as requiring

a peer review, regardless of value. DPC-led peer reviews may be requested for acquisitions valued

below the $1 billion threshold and will be conducted upon approval by the Director, Contract Policy.
DoD policy for peer reviews was established by the memorandum “Peer Reviews of Contracts for

Supplies and Services,” dated September 29, 2008, available at

https://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/policy/policyvault/USA000820-08-DPAP.pdf .

(ii) Preaward peer reviews for noncompetitive procurements. Per Class Deviation 2021-O0007,

Preaward Peer Reviews will be conducted for DISA noncompetitive procurements valued at $1

billion or more or for any other contract action designated by the USD(A&S) as requiring a peer

review, regardless of value. DPC-led peer reviews may be requested for contract actions valued

below the $1 billion threshold and will be conducted upon approval by the Director, Price, Cost and

Finance.

(iii) Postaward peer reviews for acquisition of services valued at $1 billion or more. Per Class

Deviation 2021-O0007, DPC will not conduct postaward peer reviews for acquisitions of services

with a total estimated value greater than $1 billion as required by DFARS 201.170(a)(1)(iii).

(b) Component (DISA) peer reviews (if a DPC Peer Review is not conducted).

(1) Preaward peer reviews for competitive procurements valued at $500 million or more and

noncompetitive procurements valued at $500 million or more but less than $1 billion. The DISA

Contracting Peer Review/Independent Management Review Program establishes policy and

procedures for conducting peer reviews of all solicitations with a total estimated contract value

(including options) of $500 million or more.

(2) Preaward peer reviews for procurements valued below $500 million. CoCOs are encouraged to

request inter-DITCO and intra-DITCO pre-solicitation peer reviews below $500M. Inter-DITCO peer

reviews will be managed by PL22. Intra-DITCO peer reviews will be managed by the respective

CoCO and results will be provided to PL22 (for tracking the conduct of the review and trends).

(3) Postaward peer reviews of all contracts for services valued at less than $1 billion.

(S-90) Independent management reviews for contracts for services valued at $500 million or more.

The DISA Contracting Peer Review/Independent Management Review Program establishes policy

and procedures for conducting independent management reviews of all contracts for services with a

total estimated contract value (including options) of $500 million or more in accordance with section

808 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Pub. L. 110-181).

(1) Objective. The objective of the DISA Contracting Peer Review/Independent Management Review

Program is to (1) ensure that contracting officer across the Procurement Services Directorate (PSD)

are implementing law, policy and regulations in a consistent and accurate manner; (2) improve the

quality of acquisition and contracting processes across DISA; and (3) share best practices and

lessons learned. The findings and recommendations of the peer reviews/independent management

reviews are advisory in nature, providing supplemental information to the contracting officer

regarding acquisition strategy, contract structure, format, content, and compliance. The procedures

are established in accordance with Class Deviation 2021-O0007 - Peer Reviews of Acquisitions for

Supplies and Services dated June 25, 2021.

(i) Pre-award Peer Reviews of solicitations shall be conducted for procurements ($500M or above,

but less than $1B) prior to issuance of the solicitation (pre-solicitation).

(ii) Independent Management Reviewsof contracts for services shall be conducted at the following

decision points:

(A) Mid-point of the initial (base) performance period if in excess of three years; and
(B) Prior to exercising the first option period of performance and every other option period

thereafter (e.g., OP1, OP3, OP5).

All peer review/independent management review documentation shall be marked as “Source

Selection Information – see FAR 2.101 and 3.104”.

Table 1-1 Peer Review/Independent Management Review Thresholds

Procurement Type Dollar Threshold * Reviewer

Preaward Competitive ≥$500M DISA

Preaward Competitive under major defense acquisition

programs when USD(A&S) is MDA ≥$1B DPC

Preaward Noncompetitive ≥$1B DPC

Preaward Noncompetitive ≥$500M to $1B DISA

Independent management reviews for contracts for

services ≥$500M DISA

*Note: See DARS 201.170 for additional reviews that may be accomplished under these dollar

thresholds.

(S-91) Peer Review Timelines/Procurement Action Lead Times (PALT). See DARS PGI.

(S-92) Waivers. If critical mission performance circumstances necessitate the request of a waiver, a

“Request for Peer Review/Independent Management Review Waiver” can be found at

https://www.ditco.disa.mil/hq/peerreview.asp .

(S-93) Procedures. See DARS PGI.