Subpart 5139.1 - General

See AFARS PGI 5139.1-1 for guidance on Internal Use Software in contract documentation.

See AFARS PGI 5139.1-2 for information on reform of information technology desktop and notebook

purchase and configuration.

See AFARS PGI 5139.1-3 for instruction on development, security, and operations (DevSecOps).

Parent topic: Part 5139 - Acquisition of Information Technology

5139.101 Policy.

(1) The head of the contracting activity has the authority to make the determination under DFARS

239.101(1). See Appendix GG for further delegation.

(2) Information technology (IT) purchases must be submitted through the Information Technology

Approval System (ITAS). The ITAS approval memo and supporting documentation shall be part of the

requirements package submitted to the Contracting Officer and shall also be part of the resulting

solicitation and contract file documentation. The ITAS Approval website is located at

https://cprobe.army.mil/enterprise-portal/web/itas/home.

(3) The United States Space Force (USSF) Commercial Satellite Communications Office (CSCO), on

behalf of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration (SAF/SQ), is

the sole authority for procurement of Commercial Satellite Communication services and capabilities

for the DoD. All procurement for commercial satellite communication (COMSATCOM) services or

products shall be procured through the USSF CSCO.

5139.101-90 Policy.

(a) Commercial information technology hardware and software.

(1) The Army’s Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) program, under

the Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems, is the mandatory source for

commercial IT hardware and software purchases. CHESS contracts provide IT products and services

that comply with U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command, Army and DoD policy and

standards. Purchasers of commercial hardware and software must satisfy their IT requirements by

utilizing the Joint and Enterprise License Agreements (J/ELA), DoD Enterprise Software Initiative

(ESI) agreements, and/or CHESS contracts first, regardless of dollar value or financial appropiation.

Additionally, purchasers of IT requirements through a third party such as a system integrator must

ensure solicitations and contract vehicles include the requirement to purchase through the CHESS

and the DoD ESI agreements.

(2) Any IT hardware or software purchase made outside of the CHESS contracts requires an Army

Deputy Chief of Staff (DCS), G-6 approved ITAS Approval, unless the purchase meets one of the

exceptions in paragraph (a)(3). The ITAS Approval along with supporting documentation shall be

part of the procurement package submitted to the Contracting Officer and shall also be part of the

resulting solicitation and contract file(s). Supporting documentation must include documentation
submitted with the ITAS Approval request such as a CHESS Statement of Non-Availability (SONA)

for items that are not available from CHESS or other rationale for not using CHESS. The CHESS

website located at http://chess.army.mil provides a complete list of CHESS contracts, the DoD ESI as

well as information concerning ITAS Approvals and CHESS SONAs. The ITAS Approval website is

located at https://cprobe.army.mil/enterprise-portal/web/itas/home .

(3) Exceptions

(i) IT embedded in weapons systems.

(ii) Purchases of peripheral electronic supplies for IT equipment (for example, keyboards, mice,

webcams, compact disks, cables or cords, and so forth) up to $500 per purchase of supplies (not per

item). GPC rules regarding split purchases still apply.

(iii) Contracting Officers may purchase commercial IT hardware or software outside of the CHESS

contracts, for procurements in support of Non-Program Executive Officer (PEO)/Project Manager

(PM) managed National Intelligence Program (NIP) or Military Intelligence Program (MIP) systems

(Non-PEO/PM managed NIP or MIP will be requested using the Army G-2 Army Request for

Information Technology–Military Intelligence (ARFIT-MI)).

(iv) The Product Lead, Common Hardware Systems (PdL CHS) coordinates across the Army’s

computing environments and tactical program offices to modify commercially available off-the-shelf

IT to meet specific program requirements for transport or ruggedization, to ensure configuration

and end of life management. Organizations that receive written authorization from PdL CHS to use a

CHS contract are exempt from the requirement to obtain a CHESS SoNA. In such circumstances,

requiring activities will provide PdL CHS’s written authorization to the contracting officer as part of

the procurement package. Contracting Officers shall place the written authorization in the contract

file.

(v) CHESS exemptions. The following are exempt from both the mandatory use of CHESS and the

requirement to submit a statement of non-availability (SoNA) for obtaining ITAS approval to procure

IT outside of CHESS—

(A) Commercially developed IT offered to the Army’s accredited institutions of higher education at a

price discount more favorable for the Army than prices available through CHESS.

(B) Procurements of government off-the-shelf information technology (GOTS IT) as defined by the

Committee on National Security Systems: software and hardware developed by the technical staff of

a U.S. Government organization for use by the Government. GOTS IT sales and distribution are

controlled by the Government. GOTS IT is both commercially unavailable to the public and

unavailable via CHESS.

(b) Information technology services.

(1) The Army’s CHESS program is the mandatory source for the purchase of commercial IT services.

Purchasers of commercial IT services must satisfy their requirements by utilizing the CHESS

contracts first, regardless of dollar value or financial appropriation. When procuring IT services,

contracting personnel must consider setting aside requirements for small businesses and other small

business categories in accordance with FAR 13.003(b)(1) and FAR subpart 19.5. Contracting

Officers shall ensure that the procurement package contains sufficient supporting documentation to

assist the contracting officer in determining whether to set aside the requirement for small

businesses and other small business categories in accordance with FAR 13.003(b)(1) and FAR

subpart 19.5. Purchasers of commercial IT services that meet the requirement for small business
set-asides shall use the small business/socioeconomic set-aside functions within the CHESS RFP

tool. If no small business within the CHESS contracts can satisfy the requirement, a CHESS SONA

should be requested.

(2) Any purchase of commercial IT services made outside of the CHESS contracts requires an Army

DCS, G6 approved ITAS Approval. The ITAS Approval along with supporting documentation shall be

part of the procurement package submitted to the Contracting Officer and shall also be part of the

resulting solicitation and contract file(s). Supporting documentation must include documentation

submitted with the ITAS Approval request such as a CHESS SONA for items that are not available

from CHESS, market research analysis, or other rationale for not using CHESS. The CHESS website

located at http://chess.army.mil provides a complete list of CHESS contracts as well as information

concerning ITAS Approval and CHESS SONAs. The ITAS Approval website is located at

https://cprobe.army.mil/enterprise-portal/web/itas/home .

(3) If a services requirement includes any IT hardware and/or software, the Contracting Officer must

ensure solicitations and contract vehicles include the requirement to purchase through the J/ELA,

DoD ESI agreements, and/or CHESS contracts. If a services requirement includes non-CHESS IT

hardware or software, personnel must secure an Army DCS, G-6 approved ITAS Approval for the

non-CHESS IT hardware and software per paragraph (a)(2) in this section. The procurement

package and contract file documentation requirements of paragraph (a)(2) apply to hardware and

software purchased as part of IT services requirements.

(4) Exceptions

(i) IT embedded in weapons systems.

(ii) Purchases of peripheral electronic supplies for IT equipment (for example, keyboards, mice,

webcams, compact disks, cables or cords, and so forth) up to $500 per purchase of supplies (not per

item). GPC rules regarding split purchases still apply.

(iii) Contracting Officers may purchase commercial IT services outside of the CHESS contracts, for

procurements in support of Non-Program Executive Officer (PEO)/Project Manager (PM) managed

National Intelligence Program (NIP) or Military Intelligence Program (MIP) systems (Non-PEO/PM

managed NIP or MIP will be requested using the Army G-2 Army Request for Information

Technology–Military Intelligence (ARFIT-MI)).

(iv) The Product Lead, Common Hardware Systems (PdL CHS) coordinates across the Army’s

computing environments and tactical program offices to modify commercially available off-the-shelf

IT to meet specific program requirements for transport or ruggedization, to ensure configuration

and end of life management. Organizations that receive written authorization from PdL CHS to use a

CHS contract are exempt from the requirement to obtain a CHESS SoNA. In such circumstances,

requiring activities will provide PdL CHS’s written authorization to the contracting officer as part of

the procurement package. Contracting Officers shall place the written authorization in the contract

file.

(v) CHESS exemptions. The following are exempt from both the mandatory use of CHESS and the

requirement to submit a statement of non-availability (SoNA) for obtaining ITAS approval to procure

IT outside of CHESS—

(A) Commercially developed IT offered to the Army’s accredited institutions of higher education at a

price discount more favorable for the Army than prices available through CHESS.

(B) Procurements of government off-the-shelf information technology (GOTS IT) as defined by the
Committee on National Security Systems: software and hardware developed by the technical staff of

a U.S. Government organization for use by the Government. GOTS IT sales and distribution are

controlled by the Government. GOTS IT is both commercially unavailable to the public and

unavailable via CHESS.

(c) Training. Senior contracting officials must ensure that contracting personnel receive appropriate

CHESS training, and should ensure that contracting personnel document the training on their

individual development plans. Personnel can request CHESS training and view the training slides at

https://chess.army.mil/UserTrainingRequest .

(d) Cloud Computing. The Army Enterprise Cloud Management Office (ECMA) is the central point

for all efforts and processes related to cloud adoption across the Army. The ECMO will establish a

standardized cloud architecture which is intended for use by all Army mission areas.

ECMA will provide enterprise-level contracts for commercial CSP offerings, common services, and

application migration support.