Acquisition Planning | The Contracting Education Academy

April 22, 2019 By AMK

FBI’s long-awaited $5 billion IT services recompete goes back to draft

The FBI is once again delaying release of the final solicitation for its central $5 billion IT services contract, prompted by more significant changes to the acquisition strategy and the historic government shutdown.

Not only that, but the contract is getting a new name and a new draft request for quotes, too.

The Information Technology Supplies and Support Services contract, also known as ITSSS or IT Triple-S, the FBI’s main IT contract, was set to expire in April. After extensive market research and debate, the bureau decided last year to go with a $5 billion, multitrack replacement contract to support needs across the agency.

In October, contracting officers shifted gears, opting to focus on pre-vetted contractors on the General Services Administration’s IT Schedule 70 rather than solicit through an open competition. The move was first in a trend last year, with the Air Force, Pentagon and Homeland Security Department all following suit.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.nextgov.com/it-modernization/2019/03/fbis-long-awaited-5-billion-it-services-recompete-goes-back-draft/155936/

April 3, 2019 By AMK

ATF rushed sole-source contracts without market research, watchdog finds

In its efforts to meet small business contracting goals, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives neglected proper market research and record-keeping before awarding sole-source contracts, a watchdog found.

“Proper documentation is necessary to show that ATF safeguarded federal funds, furthered the purpose of small business programs, and complied with sole-source contracting authorities,” wrote the Justice Department inspector general in a report released on March 14th.

“ATF did not maintain complete contract files and could not demonstrate that it had conducted required market research before awarding several sole-source contracts,” auditors found in a review of 16 sole-source contracts totaling $56 million to nine small businesses in 2016-2017.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.govexec.com/contracting/2019/03/atf-rushed-sole-source-contracts-without-market-research-watchdog-finds/155640/

April 2, 2019 By AMK

Why federal IT projects fail (and how to ensure success)

In any business, it’s not uncommon to have several projects taking place at the same time, forcing organizations and their employees to play a delicate balancing act. For federal agencies and contractors, it is even more critical to appropriately juggle their projects due to the missions they are supporting.

These numerous tasks, large and small, are essential to the federal government’s efforts in aligning with and working towards their missions. Federal agencies prioritize specific initiatives, allocating resources and talent to ensure their projects are successful and their goals are met. Much blood, sweat, tears and taxpayer money is put into these projects, and yet, one in three IT projects is canceled before it’s completed.

That seems like a stunning figure. How can this be true? What goes wrong along the way for a third of every project started to be cut back?

As it turns out, projects are often derailed from the beginning. In fact, the most common problem is the lack of immediate action to get these projects back on track, allowing problems to grow until they become too large and too far gone for project managers and their teams to resolve.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.nextgov.com/ideas/2019/03/why-federal-it-projects-fail-and-how-ensure-success/155435/

March 27, 2019 By AMK

DoD seeking comment on how ‘undefinitized contract actions’ are definitized

In the National Defense Authorization Acts for 2017 and 2018, Congress required the Department of Defense (DoD) to implement certain reforms for issuing and definitizing Undefinitized Contract Actions (UCAs).

After a long delay, DoD has issued a proposed rule and requested comments from industry.

UCAs are meant to be used when the Government has urgent needs that do not leave enough time for the parties to agree on all the terms, conditions, and pricing of a formal contract. In those circumstances, the parties can agree to a general framework that allows work to begin and payments to be made on a modified cost-reimbursement basis under a UCA, and the parties agree to definitize the contract in the near future – aspirationally, no later than 180 days after the UCA award date, or before 50 percent of the work is complete, whichever is earlier. (See: DFARS 217.7404-3)

The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) currently allows the contracting officer to extend that date to 180 days after the date on which the contractor submits a “qualifying proposal” for definitization. In practice, as the GAO repeatedly has highlighted and as Congress has noted, poor acquisition planning has led to the unnecessary use of UCAs, and UCAs often are not definitized within the 180-day time set by regulation.

One particularly inequitable result of the delayed definitization of UCAs is its effect on profit. Because UCAs are cost-type agreements with the contractor bearing minimal cost risk, the DFARS provides guidance for acceptable profit rates when “a substantial portion of the required performance” is completed before definitization. If a contractor completes a large proportion of the work before the contract is belatedly definitized, an agency often will insist on a profit rate that is materially lower than it would have been if the agency had promptly definitized the contract.

Keep reading this article at: http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=787536

December 31, 2018 By AMK

Contracting Officer Representative course coming-up week of March 18th

Contracting officer’s representatives, program/project managers, contracting officers, and industry contracting personnel — all should attend the Contracting Education Academy’s popular 5-day course offering entitled the Contracting Officer Representative and the Contingency Contracting Environment.

**Students attending Georgia Tech’s classes work in teams to tackle real-life contracting problem**s.

Course Description

The Contracting Officer’s Representative course (COR 222), coupled with the Contingency Contracting Environment class (COR 206), provides a comprehensive review and detailed instruction on the role, responsibilities, authority, and limitations of authority of the federal government’s Contracting Officer Representative (COR). Students learn the fundamentals of contracting regulations, types, phases, and other elements of contract administration. Students are also coached on the ethical and legal factors that impact COR responsibilities in the normal course of business and in the Contingency Contracting Environment.

Upcoming Dates

The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech is offering the COR course (COR 222/206) on March 18-22, 2019. This course is taught at Georgia Tech’s world-class Global Learning Center in midtown Atlanta.

Who Should Attend

Contracting officer’s representatives, program/project managers, contracting officers, and industry contracting personnel who interface with contracting officers and contracting officer’s representatives.

Registration

For details on how to register, please visit: https://pe.gatech.edu/courses/cor-206222-contracting-officer-representative-course-and-contingency-contracting-environment

How You Will Benefit

You will learn:

How to review contract terms and conditions.
Each party’s role and responsibility in contract administration.
Proper documentation and approvals for contract changes and modifications.
How to monitor contract expenditures.
Contract close-out methodology.
How to manage ethical and legal issues in the contingency contracting environment.

Content

Recognizing the COR’s responsibilities in acquisition mission support planning.
Understanding the contract award process.
Tracking contract expenditures.
Monitoring contract schedule compliance.
Analyzing proposed contract changes.
Identifying the unique characteristics and monitoring protocols for construction contracts, major systems and R & D acquisitions.
Evaluating a contractor’s compliance with performance terms and conditions.
Handling cultural taboos in a contingency environment.
The process for reporting bribery, kickbacks and other illegal acts.

Materials

Provided to each student are a printed guide book with supplemental learning material, exercises, case studies, and handouts, and exclusive web-based materials.

What Students Say About This Course

Here’s a small sampling of feedback from students who have attended Georgia Tech’s COR 206/222 course:

“I got detailed knowledge and understanding of COR and CO duties and responsibilities. I now have the knowledge I need to perform as a COR.”
“A very well-taught course.”
“The instructors are very knowledgeable.”
“Professional training providing insights and practical examples.”
“I valued the exercises — they helped a lot! A wonderful course!”
“Great course — great instructors!”
“Excellent instruction.”
“I valued the format, facilities, and the instructor’s expertise.”
“Invaluable information — a mix of academic and real-world views. Outstanding job.”
“Great job. The knowledge of the instructors was remarkable.”

Additional Information

The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech (The Academy) is an approved equivalency training provider to the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) and provides continuing education training to Acquisition and Government Contracting professionals as well as to business professionals working for government contractors or pursuing opportunities in federal contracting. This course is DAU-equivalent training satisfying both FAC-C and DAWIA certification programs.