Mandatory Procedure

Tableof Contents

MP5306.502 -  AirForce Competition and Commercial Advocacy Program

ThisMandatory Procedure (MP) implements, in part, AFPD 64-1, TheContracting System, and 41 USC 1705. This MP provides guidanceand procedures for personnel implementing the Air Force Competitionand Commercial Advocacy Program.

1. Objectives.

Theobjective of the Air Force (AF) Competition and Commercial AdvocacyProgram is to promote and support full and open competition andcommercial practices to the maximum extent possible. In additionto the requirements at FAR 6.501, Competition and CommercialAdvocate(s) must:

1.1.Have extensive qualifications and knowledge of the types ofacquisitions of the activity.

1.2.Be in a contracting position, commensurate in grade or rank with thesenior level program, product, or laboratory personnel with whom theAdvocate interacts.

1.3. Havedirect access to the MAJCOM/DRU/AFRCO/SMC/SpRCO orCenter/Installation commander, as applicable, on matters relating tocompetition, the acquisition of commercial items and services, andmust not have duties or responsibilities inconsistent withCompetition and Commercial Advocate duties and responsibilities.

2. Duties and Responsibilities.

Inaddition to the duties and responsibilities identified at FAR 6.502,AF Competition and Commercial Advocates are responsible for thefollowing:

2.1.Support the AF Competition Advocate General in formulating, managing,and providing oversight of the AF Competition and Commercial AdvocacyProgram.

2.2.Promote commercial practices and competition in acquisition programsmanaged by their Procuring/Contracting activity. Identify, track,and follow-up on actions to remove impediments to commercialpractices and competition. Seek to improve the overall competitiveperformance, including effective competition*, and increase the useof commercial practices.

* See definition provided inOUSD/AT&LDPAP Memo, dated 16 Dec 2010.

2.3.Ensure the organization s policies and procedures encourage fulland open competition whenever possible including effectivecompetition, and promote the use of commercial practices. Reviewacquisition planning documents, and ensure market researchdemonstrates that competitive and commercial opportunities wereconsidered.

2.4.Participate in acquisition strategy planning through forums such asthe Acquisition Strategy Panel process.

2.5.The Competition Advocate General will establish and assign fiscalyear Procuring/Contracting activity and PEO competition goals basedon annual projections submitted via the CompetitionProjection site. Projections are due no later than 16 October ofeach year.

2.8.Encourage contracting professionals to complete the DefenseAcquisition University (DAU) Continuous Learning Module (CLM) CLC055, Competition Requirements.

2.9.Convey to program managers, contracting personnel, and senior leadersthe advantages of full and open and effective competition, sharesuccess stories, and assist contracting officers in doing the same. Competition advocates should provide training to the variousfunctionals involved in acquisition. Competition advocates areencouraged to use the CompetitionTrainingtemplatedeveloped by OUSD(A&S) DPC.

2.10.Identify the potential for full and open competition and effectivecompetition and commercial opportunities through the Justificationand Approval (J&A) and acquisition planning document reviewprocess. Review and approve J&A documents and fair opportunityjustifications in accordance with AFFARS5306.304(a) and AFFARS5308.405-6(d).

2.11.Work with Government and industry to eliminate barriers tocompetition and the acquisition of commercial items.

2.12.The Procuring/Contracting activity Competition and CommercialAdvocate must ensure operational contracting Squadrons/Flights haveaccess to an Installation/Center Competition and Commercial Advocate.

2.13.Establish a competition and commercial advocacy program foractivities within the Procuring/Contracting activity. Theactivities Competition and Commercial Advocacy Program must meetthe oversight and management and reporting requirements identifiedthroughout this MP.

2.14.Ensure that requirements are stated in the least restrictive mannerto maximize competition and the use of commercial practices.

2.15.Review and provide appropriate comments on determinations made inaccordance with FAR 9.202(b) that it would be unreasonable to specifythe standards for qualification that a prospective offeror (or itsproduct) must satisfy in order to meet established qualificationrequirements.

2.16.Prepare and submit an annual competition and commercial report inaccordance with FAR 6.502(b)(2) and Paragraph 4 of this MP.

3. Appointment of the Competition and CommercialAdvocate.

3.1.Procuring/Contracting activity Competition and Commercial AdvocateAppointments.

3.1.1. The AF CompetitionAdvocate General appoints procuring/contracting activity Competitionand Commercial Advocates. MAJCOM/DRU/AFRCO/SpRCO/SMCSCOs mustnominate a primary and alternate Competition and Commercial Advocatefor each of the procuring/contracting activities identified at AFFARS5306.502 to the AF Competition Advocate General. The AFICC SCO orcivilian deputy) must be the primary Competition and CommercialAdvocate for the MAJCOM they support. SCOs must submit theCompetitionand Commercial Advocate Nomination package to SAF/AQCPand include the following information:

3.1.1.1. Procuring/ContractingActivity

3.1.1.2. Office symbol

3.1.1.3. Primary and/or alternatenomination

3.1.1.4. E-mail address of thenominated Competition and Commercial Advocate and/or alternate

3.1.1.5. Name of the nominatedCompetition and Commercial Advocate or alternate

3.1.1.6. Telephone number of thenominated Competition and Commercial Advocate or alternate

3.1.1.7. Candidate resume

3.1.1.8. Competition actionofficer contact information, if applicable

3.1.2. The AF CompetitionAdvocate General appoints the primary and alternateprocuring/contracting activity Competition and Commercial Advocatesvia certificate.

3.1.3. Once appointed, theprimary or alternate Competition and Commercial Advocate (or thecompetition action officer) must update the Competitionand Commercial Advocateslist with the required information.

3.2.Subordinate Contracting Activity Competition and Commercial AdvocateAppointments.

3.2.1. The procuring/contractingactivity Competition and Commercial Advocate must nominate andappoint subordinate primary and alternate Competition and CommercialAdvocates via the Competitionand Commercial Advocate Appointment memo.

3.2.2. The names and telephonenumbers of the subordinate contracting activity Competition andCommercial Advocate, the procuring/contracting activity Competitionand Commercial Advocate, and the Air Force Competition AdvocateGeneral must be displayed on a posterin a prominent location in each unit.

3.2.3. Once appointed, thesubordinate contracting activity primary or alternate Competition andCommercial Advocate (or competition action officer) must update theCompetitionAdvocate list with the required information

4. Annual Competition and Commercial ReportingRequirements.

4.1.The Procuring/Contracting activity Competition and CommercialAdvocates must prepare a consolidated annual Competition andCommercial Report by providing the data elements required in theCompetition Reporting Tool by 6 January of each year, unless directedotherwise. Subordinate competition advocates and PEOs, submit therequired data elements for their respective organizations via theCompetition Reporting Tool at least 45 days prior to the 6 Januarydue date, unless directed otherwise.

4.2.The report must be based on the data obtained from the FederalProcurement Data System-Next Generation (FPDS-NG) database. Instructions for pulling required reports from FPDS-NG are located inthe AFFARSLibrary, Part 5306, under Useful Links.