AFARS – PART 5139 Acquisition of Information Technology

(Revised15 January 2021)

Subpart 5139.1 – General

5139.101 Policy.

(1) The head of the contracting activity has the authority to make thedetermination under DFARS 239.101(1). See Appendix GG for furtherdelegation.

(2)All information technology (IT) purchases must be submitted throughthe Information Technology Approval System (ITAS). The ITAS approvalmemo and supporting documentation shall be part of the requirementspackage submitted to the Contracting Officer and shall also be partof the resulting solicitation and contract file documentation. TheITAS Approval website is located athttps://cprobe.army.mil/enterprise-portal/web/itas/home.

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 EnterpriseInformation Systems, is the mandatory source for commercial IThardware and software purchases. CHESS contracts provide IT productsand services that comply with U.S. Army Network Enterprise TechnologyCommand, Army and DoD policy and standards. Purchasers of commercialhardware and software must satisfy their IT requirements by utilizingthe Joint and Enterprise License Agreements (J/ELA), DoD EnterpriseSoftware 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 systemintegrator must ensure solicitations and contract vehicles includethe requirement to purchase through the CHESS and the DoD ESIagreements.

(2) Any IT hardware or software purchase made outside of the CHESScontracts requires an Army Deputy Chief of Staff (DCS), G-6 approvedITAS Approval, unless the purchase meets one of the exceptions in(a)(3) below. The ITAS Approval along with supporting documentationshall be part of the procurement package submitted to the ContractingOfficer and shall also be part of the resulting solicitation andcontract file(s). Supporting documentation must includedocumentation submitted with the ITAS Approval request such as aCHESS Statement of Non-Availability (SONA) for items that are notavailable from CHESS or other rationale for not using CHESS. TheCHESS website located at http://chess.army.mil provides a completelist of CHESS contracts, the DoD ESI as well as informationconcerning ITAS Approvals and CHESS SONAs. The ITAS Approval websiteis located athttps://cprobe.army.mil/enterprise-portal/web/itas/home.

(3) Exceptions.

(i) The Product Lead, Common Hardware Systems (PdL CHS) coordinatesacross the Army’s computing environments and tactical programoffices to modify commercially available off-the-shelf IT to meetspecific program requirements for transport or ruggedization, toensure configuration and end of life management. Organizations thatreceive written authorization from PdL CHS to use a CHS contract areexempt from the requirement to obtain a CHESS SONA. In suchcircumstances, requiring activities will provide PdL CHS’s writtenauthorization to the contracting officer as part of the procurementpackage. Contracting Officers shall place the written authorizationin the contract file.

(ii) Upon receipt of the CHESS SONA from the requiring activity,Contracting Officers may purchase commercial IT hardware or softwareoutside of the CHESS contracts, for procurements in support of

Non-ProgramExecutive Officer (PEO)/Project Manager (PM) managed MilitaryIntelligence Program (MIP) systems (Non-PEO/PMmanaged MIP systems will be requested using the Army G-2 AutomatedSystems Integration Database system).

(b) Information technology services.

(1) The Army’s CHESS program is the mandatory source for the purchaseof commercial IT services. Purchasers of commercial IT services mustsatisfy their requirements by utilizing the CHESS contracts first,regardless of dollar value or financial appropriation. Whenprocuring IT services, contracting personnel must consider settingaside requirements for small businesses and other small businesscategories in accordance with FAR 13.003(b)(1) and FAR subpart 19.5. Contracting Officers shall ensure that the procurement packagecontains sufficient supporting documentation to assist thecontracting officer in determining whether to set aside therequirement for small businesses and other small business categoriesin accordance with FAR 13.003(b)(1) and FAR subpart 19.5. Purchasersof commercial IT services that meet the requirement for smallbusiness set-asides shall use the small business/socioeconomicset-aside functions within the CHESS RFP tool. If no small businesswithin the CHESS contracts can satisfy the requirement, a CHESS SONAshould be requested.

(2)Any purchase of commercial IT services made outside of the CHESScontracts requires an Army DCS, G6 approved ITAS Approval. The ITASApproval along with supporting documentation shall be part of theprocurement package submitted to the Contracting Officer and shallalso be part of the resulting solicitation and contract file(s). Supporting documentation must include documentation submitted withthe ITAS Approval request such as a CHESS SONA for items that are notavailable from CHESS, market research analysis, or other rationalefor not using CHESS. The CHESS website located athttp://chess.army.mil provides a complete list of CHESS contracts aswell as information concerning ITAS Approval and CHESS SONAs. TheITAS Approval website is located athttps://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 contractvehicles include the requirement to purchase through the J/ELA, DoDESI agreements, and/or CHESS contracts. If a services requirementincludes non-CHESS IT hardware or software, personnel must secure anArmy DCS, G-6 approved ITAS Approval for the non-CHESS IT hardwareand software per paragraph (a)(2) in this section. The procurementpackage and contract file documentation requirements of paragraph(a)(2) apply to hardware and software purchased as part of ITservices requirements.

(c) Training. Senior contracting officials must ensure thatcontracting personnel receive appropriate CHESS training, and shouldensure that contracting personnel document the training on theirindividual development plans. Personnel can request CHESS trainingand view the training slides athttps://chess.army.mil/UserTrainingRequest.

(d)Cloud Computing. The Army Enterprise Cloud Management Office(ECMO) is the central point for all efforts and processes related tocloud adoption across the Army. The ECMO will establish astandardized cloud architecture which is intended for use by all Armymission areas.

ECMOwill provide enterprise-level contracts for commercial CSP offerings,common services, and application migration support.  Wherefeasible and cost effective, the ECMO will leverage DoD Enterprisecontracts such as the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure(JEDI) contract; while establishing Army Enterprise CloudContracts based on mission requirements.

Subpart 5139.74 – Telecommunications Services

5139.7402 Policy.

(b)(4) The Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics andTechnology) may authorize actions as described in DFARS239.7402(b)(4). See Appendix GG for further delegation.

Subpart 5139.76 –Cloud Computing

5139.7602 Policy andResponsibilities.

(1) Contracting Officers are responsible to ensure that Purchase RequestPackages for NEW Contracts include a PWS with the approved/standardlanguage in accordance with 5111.106 unless a waiver approved by ECMOis included. The standard language is provided in Appendix HH. Thewaiver must be filed in the official contract file. This includesfollow-on contracts.

(2) Contracting Officers are responsible to ensure Purchase RequestPackages for Exercising an Option on an Existing Contracts arecoordinated with ECMO IAW 5111.106. The coordination document shallbe filed in the contract file.

(3) Contracting Officers are responsible to ensure Purchase RequestPackages for issuing a New Order against an Existing Contract arecoordinated with ECMO IAW 5111.106. The coordination documentationshall be filed in the contract file.

(4) For New contracts to Cloud Service Providers, Contracting Officersare responsible to ensure maximum use of the Common and Data ServiceDescriptions as defined by ECMO in the Army Cloud Plan and issued toContracting by DASA(P). See Appendix HH.

(5)For New contracts for Cloud Migration, Hosting, and Managed Services,Contracting Officers and requiring actitivies will maxmize use of theCLIN/SLIN descriptions. See Appendix HH.