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DLAD PART 11



PART 11

DESCRIBING AGENCY NEEDS

11.002 Policy.

SUBPART 11.1 - SELECTING AND DEVELOPING REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENTS

11.103 Market acceptance.

SUBPART 11.2 - USING AND MAINTAINING REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENTS

11.201 Identification and availability of specifications.

11.290 Bar Coding (Applicable to DSCC, DSCP and DSCR only)

SUBPART 11.3 - ACCEPTABLE MATERIAL

11.301 Definitions.

11.302 Policy.

11.302-90 Use of approved sources.

11.302-91 Management of critical safety items (CSIs).

11.304-90 Solicitation provision and contract clauses for critical safety items (CSIs).

11.304-91 Solicitation provisions and clause for Government surplus material

SUBPART 11.4 - DELIVERY OR PERFORMANCE SCHEDULES

11.401 General.

11.401-90 Extended contracting delays.

SUBPART 11.5 - LIQUIDATED DAMAGES

11.502 Policy.

SUBPART 11.6 - PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS

11.602 General.

11.603-90 Procedures for placement of contracts when normal

solicitations fail.

11.604 Solicitation provision and contract clause.

SUBPART 11.7 - VARIATION IN QUANTITY

11.701 Supply contracts.

11.701-90 Procedure for closing contracts with inconsequential

amounts undelivered.

11.703 Contract clause.

11.002 Policy.

(a)(1)(ii)(90) Agencies are responsible for determining their requirements and the best strategy for meeting those requirements. An agency's requirement is not overly restrictive of competition as long as the agency can show that its decisions are --

(A) Based on actual experience, engineering analysis, or similar rational bases; and

(B) Rationally related to ensuring its legitimate requirements will be met.

(91) To ensure that the Government's needs are met in the most effective manner, agencies must define their requirements in terms that --

(A) Take optimum advantage of distribution and support options, methods for assuring reliability, and other capabilities available in the marketplace that the agency determines appropriate for the type of item or service being acquired; and

(B) Exclude those items or services that cannot meet the agency's legitimate requirements.

SUBPART 11.1 - SELECTING AND DEVELOPING REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENTS

11.103 Market acceptance.

(a) Approval authority for requiring offerors to demonstrate market acceptance pursuant to FAR 11.103(a) is delegated to the contracting officer. When the contracting officer considers it appropriate to obtain documentation to confirm that the market acceptance criteria have been met, in addition to any documentation that may be specified in the requirements document, the contracting office may use the provision at 52.211-9001, Market Acceptance.

(90) A market acceptance requirement is a requirement that an item must have performed in a certain way in a specified environment that approximates or reasonably relates to the agency's intended application. The use of market acceptance criteria is consistent with the definition of full and open competition in FAR Part 6 as it relates to agency needs. A market acceptance requirement may be used to establish either --

(i) A minimum threshold or performance that will be considered a demonstration that the item has been adequately market-tested or field-proven; or

(ii) An evaluation method that awards partial credit for items that meet part of the requirement.

(b)(90) Market research provides the information from which it can be determined whether previously-developed items exist that can meet the agency's needs and what methods are used in that marketplace to assure reliability. Then it must be shown, through a careful analysis of the intended application and the marketplace capabilities available, that the optimum strategy for meeting the Government's needs is to require items that have been field-proven in specified ways.

(b)(91) When an agency requires that an item must have achieved market acceptance, the agency must specify exactly what that means in the context of the particular acquisition. The meaning will vary widely, depending upon what benefit the agency is attempting to gain by using such a strategy.

(b)(92) When an agency's primary goal is to acquire the latest technology, other methods of assuring reliability are more appropriate than market acceptance. Particularly when acquiring items in a rapidly evolving technological field over a long-term contract, an agency will not be able to demonstrate that an item that is currently field-proven would be the best item for meeting the agency's needs several years from now.

(e) The preparing activity will maintain documentation that describes the technical aspects of the item and supports the market acceptance requirement.

(1) Some examples of the type of rationale that could support requiring a market-tested item include:

(90) Minimize design and engineering risk;

(91) Eliminate costly and time-consuming field-testing and debugging of complex items;

(92) Assure an item can be fielded quickly enough to meet an urgent requirement;

(93) Assure an established end item is routinely supported by spare and repair parts;

(94) Preclude untested or experimental units; or

(95) Assure compliance with Federal safety and environmental requirements.

(2) The market acceptance requirement may be whatever can reasonably be demonstrated --based on past experience, engineering analysis, market research and similar rational bases --to be an indicator that the item will meet the intended application. Some examples of market acceptance criteria include requirements that an item must --

(90) Have been announced to the public, indicating the manufacturer's commitment to produce the product;

(91) Be commercially available for delivery within a reasonable time;

(92) Be off-the-shelf, meaning that the products offered do not require substantial modification;

(93) Be in current production, meaning that the item is no longer in the design phase but is started on assembly line production with the expectation that such production will continue;

(94) Be state-of-the-art, meaning that the product is the offeror's latest version of that product;

(95) Have been previously sold to commercial or other customers, sometimes for a specified period of time or with a user base of a specified number;

(96) Have met specified reliability and performance requirements;

(97) Be supported by specified maintenance and logistics arrangements;

(98) Be the successor to a product having a specified history of sales and performance; or

(99) Meet some combinations of the above criteria.

(100) When the contracting officer considers it appropriate to obtain documentation to confirm that the market acceptance criteria have been met, in addition to any documentation that may be specified in the requirements document, the contracting office may use the provision at 52.211-9001, Market Acceptance.

SUBPART 11.2 - USING AND MAINTAINING REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENTS

11.201 Identification and availability of specifications.

(90) Contracting personnel are not authorized to make any change in the unit of issue on stock buys without approval from either technical or supply personnel in accordance with local procedures.

SUBPART 11.290 – Bar Coding (Applicable to DSCC, DSCP and DSCR only)

Insert the clause at 52.211-9008 in solicitations and contracts for material being shipped directly to a military customer rather than a DLA Distribution Depot. The clause may also be used for shipments to DLA Distribution Depots when the depot requires barcoding.

SUBPART 11.3 - POLICY

11.301 Definitions.

"Actual manufacturer," "approved source," "critical safety item (CSI)," "design control activity," "prime contractor," and "rebranding" are defined in the clause at 52.211-9005, Conditions for Evaluation and Acceptance of Offers for Critical Safety Items.

"Alternate product" and "exact product" are defined in the provision at 52.217-9002, Conditions for Evaluation and Acceptance of Offers for Part Numbered Items

“Critical application item” (CAI), as used in this subpart, means an item that is essential to weapons performance, operation, the preservation of life, or safety of operating personnel, as determined by the Military Services.

“Surplus material,” as used in this subpart, means new, unused material that was purchased and accepted by the U.S. Government and subsequently sold by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS), by contractors authorized by DRMS, or through another Federal Government surplus program. The terms “surplus” and “Government surplus” are used interchangeably in this subpart.

11.302 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.

(b)(90) DLA policy is to consider offers of surplus material in accordance with solicitation requirements and to make optimum use of surplus material when acceptance of such offers is in the best interest of the Government. This policy is intended to ensure that offers of surplus material receive consistent, timely and reasonable treatment. It is also intended to clarify DLA procedures and maximize streamlining. In all cases, surplus material accepted by the Government must conform to technical requirements in the solicitation. Proper consideration of surplus offers can significantly reduce material cost and delivery time, which benefits our customers and makes DLA a more attractive source of supply. Surplus material is usually readily available, which can make it particularly valuable for satisfying urgent requirements. The nature of our business situation demands that we prudently use the services of surplus dealers, who provide a warehousing capability that helps meet our unprogrammed demands for material. (Guidance for technical/quality specialists to complement this policy is provided in the DLA Technical Support Policy and Procedures Deskbook, Appendix L. The Deskbook can be accessed electronically at https://today.dla.mil/j-3/j-334/techsuppdeskbook.htm .)

(b)(91) Business Unit responsibilities and procedures. (Business Units include organizations such as Application Groups, Commodity Business Units, and Product Centers.)

(i) Determine whether an offer of surplus material will be evaluated, in accordance with the criteria below (see 52.211-9003). (This does not apply unless offers of surplus material are being considered; see 11.302(b)(91)(ii).)

(A) Offers of surplus material must be evaluated when the contracting officer determines the offeror is otherwise in line for award, after adding the cost of evaluation ($200 for internal evaluation and, if applicable, an additional $500 for each Engineering Support Activity (ESA) evaluation, plus any additional fees required for special testing and/or inspection).

(B) When an offer is for a quantity less than the solicited quantity, the contracting officer must consider the $500 cost of issuing and administering more than one award (see FAR 52.214-22), unless the item manager advises the remaining quantity can be cancelled. The contracting officer must also consider the anticipated impact on the unit price of the remaining quantity, to determine the total cost to the Government; unless the unit price is not known and not reasonably obtainable by the contracting officer.

(ii) Do not evaluate offers of surplus material when the technical/quality specialist has included a statement in the Technical Guidance Information (TGI) field on the purchase request (PR) trailer advising that offers of surplus material will not be considered for the item being acquired. (See 11.302(b)(92)(iii).) The ESA must provide written notice that offers of surplus material will not be considered for specified items or categories of items, with supporting documentation in sufficient detail to demonstrate that the restriction is necessary to satisfy the needs of the Government.

(iii) Establish internal audit procedures to ensure that offers of surplus material are processed in accordance with the policy in this Subpart 11.3 and in Appendix L.

(A) Ensure that actions related to referrals, evaluations, notification of offerors, and award decisions are made in a consistent, timely and reasonable manner, in order to provide offerors with an opportunity to compete in accordance with the Competition in Contracting Act.

(B) Ensure that the following conditions, in and of themselves, are not treated as an acceptable basis for excluding an offer of surplus material from consideration:

(1) Dollar value of the acquisition;

(2) Age of the offered material;

(3) When the buy is for stock;

(4) When the offer is for less than the solicited quantity;

(5) When material is not in the original package; or

(6) Past or average Engineering Support Activity (ESA) response times, unless substantiated by data specific to evaluations of surplus offers by the cognizant ESA.

(C) For automated offers, ensure that supporting documentation provided by an offeror of surplus material is promptly distributed to the contracting officer for timely consideration.

(D) Ensure that technical acceptability of an offer of surplus material is applied only to the current procurement.

(iv) Ensure that the technical/quality specialist has considered all information provided by the offeror concerning technical acceptability of the offered surplus material. If the offer of surplus material is found to be technically unacceptable, ensure the technical/quality specialist has documented the specific technical reasons why the surplus material is technically unacceptable.

(v) Ensure that when acquiring critical safety items, offerors meet the additional requirements in 52.211-9005 (see 11.302-91).

(b)(92) Contracting officer responsibilities and procedures.

(i) Unless 11.302(b)(92)(iii) applies, insert the clause at 52.211-9000, Government Surplus Material, and the provision at 52.211-9003, Conditions for Evaluation of Offers of Government Surplus Material, as prescribed at 11.304-91(a); except that in automated solicitations these can be replaced by a statement referring offerors of surplus material to a source of information where complete conditions for evaluation are detailed (e.g., “Offerors of Surplus Material – See EBB Sign-On Instructions”). When acquiring critical safety items, also follow 11.302-91.

(ii) When use of a warranty provision is desired and offers of surplus property will be considered, incorporate a warranty clause as prescribed in FAR Subpart 46.7 or DFARS 46.7, to ensure that warranty provisions are applied to all contractors, whether manufacturers or dealers and whether or not surplus material is offered.

(iii) Insert the provision at 52.211-9009, Non-Acceptability of Government Surplus Material, as prescribed at 11.304-91(b), when the TGI field on the purchase request (PR) trailer sheet indicates that offers of surplus material will not be considered for the item being acquired (see 11.302(b)(91)(ii)).

(iv) When it is determined in accordance with 52.211-9003 that an offer of surplus material is in line for award, promptly refer the offer to the technical/quality specialist for a determination of technical acceptability. Do not hold up the technical referral while waiting for another offer or another offeror’s supporting documentation. Include in the technical referral the completed 52.211-9000 and all supporting documentation provided by the offeror. While it is preferred that an offeror fill out the clause completely, failure to provide all information is not a basis for automatic rejection of the surplus offer. (For critical safety items, also include a copy of 52.211-9005 and supporting documentation provided by the offeror. See 11.302-91.) Provide all relevant information that will help the technical/quality specialist prioritize the evaluation. Such information includes, but is not limited to, the following: the priority or urgency of the requirement, whether backorders exist, anticipated savings in unit price and/or delivery time if the surplus offer is approved, whether there are other sources, if the surplus offer is the only offer received, etc.

(v) If the technical/quality specialist advises the material is technically acceptable, award can be made to the offeror of surplus material; except that award must not be made to a surplus offeror who is no longer in line for award (e.g., due to costs for special testing or inspection requirements that would have to be included in the contract).

(vi) If the technical/quality specialist has forwarded special inspection or testing requirements, ensure that these are incorporated into the award. Contract requirements must also ensure that the Government has the right to access contractor premises and to select the surplus material to be inspected or tested.

(vii) If an offer of surplus material is determined technically unacceptable, the technical/quality specialist must provide supporting documentation that cites specific reasons why the material is technically unacceptable. Promptly notify the offeror that the offer was rejected (see 11.302(b)(92)(xi)(C)).

(viii) If the data provided by an offeror of surplus material are determined to be inadequate, the technical/quality specialist must provide supporting documentation that cites specific reasons why the data are inadequate. Promptly notify the offeror that the offer of surplus material will not be evaluated (see 11.302(b)(92)(xi)(B)(1)); or, if the contracting officer determines it is in the best interest of the Government, the offeror may be given an opportunity to provide the additional data (11.302(b)(92)(xi)(A)). The request for additional data may be made by the contracting officer or technical/quality specialist, orally or in writing. If the technical/quality specialist is to contact the offeror, the contracting officer’s coordination must be obtained.

(ix) If the item being acquired is otherwise procurable and the item manager does not concur in forwarding the surplus offer for ESA review or re-evaluation, the technical/quality specialist must advise the contracting officer and forward the item manager’s rationale why the surplus offer will not be forwarded to the ESA. (However, if the time to effect delivery from the offeror next in line for award will exceed the time to evaluate and effect delivery of the surplus material, the item manager must concur in an ESA referral.) Promptly notify the surplus offeror that the offer of surplus material will not be evaluated (11.302(b)(92)(xi)(B)(3)). Award may be made to the offeror next in line for award; however, award must not be made for a quantity that exceeds the immediate need (e.g., the backordered quantities).

(x) If the cognizant ESA does not respond to a DLA Form 339, Request for Engineering Support, within the estimated timeframe established by the technical/quality specialist in accordance with Appendix L, the technical/quality specialist must contact the ESA to determine the status of the evaluation. If the item being acquired is otherwise procurable, and the item manager confirms that the anticipated ESA response date is unacceptable, the technical/quality specialist must advise the contracting officer and forward the item manager’s rationale why additional time cannot be allowed for the ESA to evaluate the surplus offer. Promptly notify the surplus offeror that the offer of surplus material will not be evaluated (11.302(b)(92)(xi) (B)(3)). Award may be made to the offeror next in line for award; however, award must not be made for a quantity that exceeds the immediate need (e.g., the backordered quantities).

(xi) When the following conditions apply, promptly notify an offeror of surplus material and provide the information as described below. Notification must be made electronically if possible and not later than upon release of award.

(A) When the contracting officer determines it is in the best interest of the Government to give the offeror an opportunity to submit additional data (11.302(b)(92)(viii)), provide specific data requirements to the offeror, provide a specific timeframe for the response to be submitted (generally 3-5 days), and advise that the offer may not be considered if the timeframe is not met.

(B) When the offer of surplus material will not be evaluated because --

(1) Data provided was inadequate for evaluation, and the offer has been deemed incomplete. Cite specific reasons why the data are inadequate. (See 11.302(b)(92)(viii).

(2) The offeror was given an opportunity to provide additional data to support its offer and failed to respond with adequate and timely information. Provide specific details to the offeror to support the contracting officer’s statement(s). (See 11.302(b)(92)(viii).)

(3) The item manager does not concur in forwarding the surplus offer for review or re-evaluation, or to accommodate an extension of the ESA response time. Use the rationale provided by the item manager and provide specific reasons to the offeror why the surplus offer will not be evaluated. (See 11.302(b)(92)(ix) and (x).)

(C) When the offer of surplus material was evaluated and rejected, either locally or by the cognizant ESA, provide the specific technical reasons for the rejection.

(xii) When award is made to an offeror of surplus material, determine whether quality assurance will take place at source or destination.

(A) When the items being acquired have a critical application and award is made to an offeror of surplus material, quality assurance actions must be performed at source without exception (see 46.402(h)).

(B) If inspection will be at source, notify the quality assurance specialist (QAS), who must prepare a Quality Assurance Letter of Instruction (QALI). Advise the QAS what should be included in the QALI. All QALIs must include at a minimum:

(1) A copy of the completed clause at 52.211-9000, with instructions to verify the representations and documentation provided by the offeror. Inspection criteria must be consistent with the basis for determining the surplus material acceptable. (For example, if previous Government ownership was demonstrated by documentation other than a Government contract number, the current contract must not require the surplus material to be identified to a previous Government contract.) Inspection criteria must include special inspection or testing requirements forwarded by the technical/quality specialist, if any. (Criteria may also include dimensional inspection, if appropriate; or destructive testing, depending on the age of the material. Obtain the recommendation of the QAS to determine the need for additional criteria.)

(2) A requirement for the QAR to notify the contracting officer if, at the time of Government source inspection, the QAR is denied access to the contractor’s plant or not permitted to select the material to be inspected.

(xiii) Take appropriate action, which may include cancelling the purchase order or terminating the contract for default, and assessing appropriate damages when –

(A) Surplus material tendered for acceptance does not conform to contract requirements; or

(B) The QAR advises that the contractor has refused to provide access to its plant or to permit the QAR to select the surplus material to be inspected at the time of Government source inspection.

(

11.302-90 Use of approved sources.

(a) Roles of contracting officer and technical/quality specialist. The requiring Military Service provides the data to procure the correct item. The technical/quality specialist is responsible for maintaining the accuracy and currency of the technical/quality requirements and for ensuring that only approved sources are identified in the acquisition identification description (AID). (Detailed policy guidance for technical/quality specialists is provided in the DLA Technical Support Policy and Procedures Deskbook, which is maintained by the Technical and Quality Policy Division, J-334, and can be accessed electronically at https://today.dla.mil/J-3/J-334/techsuppdeskbook.htm.) Contracting officers are responsible for performing all necessary actions for effective contracting. They must ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and procedures; safeguard Government interests; request and consider advice of appropriate specialists (audit, law, engineering, etc.); and exercise business judgment (see FAR 1.602-2). Contracting officers have a responsibility to ensure that the selected source has the intent and capability to provide the item in compliance with the terms of the contract, including the item description; and they have broad latitude to carry out their duties. However, the contracting officer is not authorized to determine what sources should be approved and cited in the AID. Contracting officers must follow the guidance at 11.302-90(c) to determine when pre-award referral to the technical/quality specialist is required to ensure that a prospective contractor is technically acceptable.

(b) Prior procurement history not an indication of current source approval. When a previous manufacturing source is listed in the prior procurement history, this does not mean that the source is currently an approved source. A manufacturing source is not an approved source unless it is currently identified in the acquisition identification description (AID). If an offer is received from a manufacturing source that received one or more awards in the past but is not currently cited in the AID, the contracting officer must refer that offer to the technical/quality specialist for approval prior to making an award. Procurement history cannot be relied on to indicate that a manufacturing source is currently approved. For example, the previous award to the prior manufacturing source may have been made in error; the prior manufacturing source may have been approved for an earlier revision of the item but may no longer be approved for the latest revision; or parts made by the previous manufacturing source may have been defective, and the approved source cited in the AID or the Military Service Engineering Support Activity (ESA) may have revoked its approved status.

(c) Pre-award approval/referral requirements. (i) Contracting officers must acquire the item cited in the AID (i.e., an exact product) from the source(s) cited in the AID (i.e., an approved source); unless an exception is authorized in agency policy, or pre-award approval has been obtained from the technical/quality specialist. DLA policy is outlined in the table below. The table specifies when the contracting officer may proceed with the current award; or when the contracting officer is required, prior to award, to refer the offer to the technical/quality specialist and the ESA, and/or obtain approval of the award at one level above the contracting officer. Even when not required, contracting officers are responsible for obtaining technical, legal, or other advice whenever needed; therefore, contracting officers always have the discretion to go to the technical/quality specialist, the Office of Counsel, or other appropriate experts. (See 11.302-91 for additional procedures that apply to NSNs identified as CSIs.)

TYPE OF

OFFER

CRITICALITY

OF ITEM

CONTRACTING

OFFICER (CO)

CAN AWARD?

REQUIRES

REFERRAL TO

TECH/QUAL.?

REQUIRES

APPROVAL

FROM ESA?

AWARD REQUIRES

APPROVAL ONE

LEVEL ABOVE CO?

Approved Source

Cited in AID

Offering

"Exact Product"

Cited in AID

Noncritical

or CIC Blank

Yes

No

No

No

CAI

Yes

No

No

No

CSI

Yes

No

No

Yes

(Note 1)

Dealer/Distrib.

(Nonmanufacturer)

Offering

"Exact Product"

Noncritical

or CIC Blank

Yes

(Note 2)

No

No

No

CAI

Yes

(Note 2)

No

No

No

CSI

Yes

(Note 3)

No

(Note 4)

No

Yes

Unapproved

Manufacturing

Source

Offering

"Exact Product"

Noncritical

or CIC Blank

No

(Note 5)

Yes

(Note 6)

No

CAI

No

(Note 5)

Yes

Yes

No

CSI

No

(Note 5)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Any Source

Offering

"Alternate Product"

Noncritical

or CIC Blank

No

Yes

(Note 6)

No

CAI

No

Yes

Yes

No

CSI

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Note 1 Does not apply to fully automated awards, if system only permits a fully automated award when an approved source cited in the AID is offering an exact product cited in the AID.

Note 2 Contracting officers may obtain traceability documentation prior to award; or may require suppliers to retain documentation and provide it for review at time of Government source inspection, if applicable (see 11.302-91(a)(11)) or during random or directed post-award audits.

Note 3 Contracting officers must obtain traceability documentation prior to award.

Note 4 Referral to quality assurance specialist is mandatory after award to initiate quality assurance letter of instruction (QALI). (See 11.302-91(a)(11).)

Note 5 Contracting officers must obtain traceability documentation and refer offer to technical/quality specialist prior to award.

Note 6 Technical/quality specialists must follow J-334 Deskbook and local procedures to determine if ESA referral is required.

(ii) The table at 11.302(90)(c)(i) only applies to the items and types of offers shown. It does not apply to items being acquired under a fully competitive technical data package (Acquisition Method Suffix Code (AMSC) G); to offers of Government surplus material, which are addressed separately in the procedures at 11.302(b)(90)); or to other types of referrals to the technical/quality specialist, which are addressed in the J-334 Deskbook and local procedures (such as, for example, waiver/deviation requests or engineering change proposals).

11.302-91 Management of critical safety items (CSIs).

CSIs are a subset of a larger category of parts known as Critical Application Items (CAIs); CAIs are items whose failure could affect mission, performance, readiness, or safety. CSIs are parts whose failure potentially can cause loss of life, serious injury, loss of an aircraft, or significant damage to an aircraft or associated equipment. Due to the catastrophic consequences that can result if a CSI fails to conform to design data or quality requirements, DLA personnel must follow strict policy guidelines for managing and procuring these items. When the AID includes the statement, "This is a Critical Safety Item (CSI)," contracting officers must follow the guidance in the "Acquisition Requirement" which appears under the heading, "The Following Requirements Apply to Critical Safety Items" on the purchase request (PR) trailer. Technical/quality specialists must follow the "Technical Requirement" and "Quality Assurance Requirement" under the same heading and related guidance in the J-334 Deskbook.

(a) Guidance for acquisition personnel. Contracting officers must refer to the "Acquisition Requirement" on the PR trailer, which will be continuously maintained to reflect the most current requirements for CSIs. The following DLAD guidance is not intended to be all-inclusive; it highlights the most important elements of the "Acquisition Requirement" and clarifies some procedures unique to contracting. If there is a discrepancy between the DLAD guidance and the "Acquisition Requirement" on the PR trailer, the "Acquisition Requirement" will take precedence.

(1) Acquire CSIs only from source(s) cited in the AID; or from a dealer/distributor who is offering the exact product (CAGE and part number) cited in the AID and who has furnished acceptable traceability documentation prior to award (see 11.302-90(c)(i), Note 3). Any variation from this requirement must be referred to the technical/quality specialist for evaluation. (See additional guidance at 11.302-90(c) and 11.304-90. For offers of surplus material, also see 11.302(b)) Referral to the technical/quality specialist is required whenever a source not currently cited in the AID offers to manufacture an item for the Government; and for all offers of "alternate product."

(2) Review the Technical Guidance Information (TGI) field in the CTDF, where sources will be identified that have been removed from the AID pending revalidation by the ESA. Solicit these sources for the current buy. If, after evaluation of offers, one of these sources is in line for award but has not been added back into the AID, the contracting officer must refer the offer to the technical/quality specialist for review as an unapproved source.

(3) Origin inspection is required. Certificate of Conformance (COC) is not authorized, unless approved by the ESA.

(4) Refer all requests for waivers or deviations to the technical/quality specialist.

(5) Specifically withhold Materiel Review Board (MRB) authority (also see 11.304-90(c)).

(6) Refer all offers of Government surplus material that are under consideration to the technical/quality specialist for evaluation (see 11.302(b)(90)).

(7) Automated solicitations may be used to solicit CSIs, and automated evaluation may be used to select a potential awardee; however, a fully automated award cannot be made, unless the system is programmed to only permit a fully automated award to an approved source cited in the AID who is offering an exact product cited in the AID. Automated awards can only be made to sources that do not currently appear in the AID if the system is programmed to allow for manual evaluation of the documentation required in accordance with 52.211-9005 prior to award.

(8) For urgent requirements (IPG 1), generally allow 5 business days for a prospective awardee to provide documentation in accordance with 52.211-9005; generally allow 15 days for less urgent requirements (IPG 2 or 3; or buys for delivery into stock).

(9) Contract arrangements that authorize the contractor to select item sources, including, but not limited to, Prime Vendor (PV), Industrial Prime Vendor (IPV), and Virtual Prime Vendor (VPV), are not authorized for CSI items; unless contract terms will ensure that the contractor complies with agency policy requirements for CSIs, and prior approval is obtained from the DSC CSI focal point.

(10) Incorporate all quality requirements into the contract when specified (e.g., First Article Test, Production Lot Testing). Do not waive any quality requirement without referring the purchase request to the technical/quality specialist.

(11) When award is made, notify the quality assurance specialist (QAS), who will determine if a quality assurance letter of instruction (QALI) is required. If award was made to a dealer/distributor, a QALI is mandatory. Advise the QAS what the QALI for a dealer/distributor should include, as follows:

(i) All QALIs must include the requirement to examine inventory control records, to establish that items offeror proposes to furnish under current award are in offeror's stock.

(ii) Specifically identify any documentation that offeror stated was unobtainable prior to award; or where a "copy" of documentation was provided prior to award, and an "original" should be examined at time of source inspection (such as, for example, documentation of quotation from approved source; or documents on approved source's letterhead (e.g., invoice, packing slip, etc.)).

(12) When multiple approved sources are identified in the AID and a long-term contract is contemplated, consider using acquisition strategies that will help maintain more than one source, if otherwise appropriate; such as, for example, split awards or multiple awards. This will also minimize the need for referrals to the ESA for revalidation, which is required for CSIs whenever an alternate source has not received an award for over 3 years.

(13) Obtain approval at one level above the contracting officer prior to making award; except that fully automated awards do not require this approval if the system is programmed to only permit a fully automated award to be made to an approved source cited in the AID who is offering an exact product cited in the AID.

(14) After award to any source other than an approved source cited in the AID, document in the Contracting Guidance Information (CGI) field in the Contracting Technical Data File (CTDF) the contract/purchase order number and the basis for approval of award (e.g., letter from approved source identifying awardee as authorized distributor).

(15) Carefully evaluate any post-award requests received from contractors for modifications to change a part number or anything pertaining to the representation of "exact product" in the contractor's original quote. Use the appropriate DCRL Category Code when contractors misrepresent their status as it pertains to offers of "exact product;" and provide an explanation in the "Remarks" field, so buyers on future procurements will request additional information from the vendor upon receipt of a quote or offer. Include adequate information in the DCRL "Remarks" field about how the contractor has misrepresented itself, so the buyer will know to pursue the documentation requirement. Ensure that when vendors have mispresented themselves with regard to an offer of "exact product," they are excluded from receiving any fully automated awards without a prior manual review, consistent with the policy in 11.302(91)(a)(7). In most cases, such buys must be referred to the manual buyer.

(16) If a contractor identifies changes in its business arrangement with an approved source, in the item acquired, or in a manufacturing process/facility pursuant to 52.211-9006, notify the technical/quality specialist. Refer documentation to technical/quality specialist, if provided by the contractor. Request that the technical/quality specialist determine if acquisition is still authorized from the contractor; if the correct item is being acquired under the contract; or if the manufacturing source is still approved, as applicable. Take corrective action as needed (issue modification, terminate contract, cancel purchase order).

(b) Requirements for business unit/management personnel.

(1) Implement internal controls to ensure compliance with this policy.

(2) Participate in periodic reviews and audits.

11.304-90 Solicitation provision and contract clauses for critical safety items (CSIs).

(a) (a) Insert the clause at 52.211-9005, Conditions for Evaluation and Acceptance of Offers for Critical Safety Items, in all solicitations and awards for critical safety items.

(b) Insert the clause at 52.211-9006, Changes in Contractor Status, Item Acquired, And/Or Manufacturing Process/Facility -- Critical Safety Items, in all solicitations and awards for critical safety items.

(c) Insert the clause at 52.211-9007, Withholding of Materiel Review Board (MRB) Authority -- Critical Safety Items, in all solicitations and awards for critical safety items; except when soliciting or awarding in accordance with a blanket ordering agreement (BOA) that was awarded by a Service/Agency other than DLA.

11.304-91 Solicitation provisions and clause for Government surplus material.

(a) When the clause at FAR 52.211-5 is used, insert the provision at 52.211-9003, Conditions for Evaluation of Offers of Government Surplus Material, in solicitations; and the clause at 52.211-9000, Government Surplus Material, in solicitations and contracts; unless –

(1) Offers of surplus material will not be considered (see 11.304-91(b)); or

(2) A long-term contract is contemplated, in which case, insert 52.211-9000 in the solicitation only. If offers of surplus material are received, those NSNs should be removed from the long-term contract and processed separately. Government surplus material may be used in contract performance when the contracting officer has authorized its use (see FAR 52.211-5). If the contractor proposes use of surplus material, the contracting officer should provide 52.211-9000 for completion by the contractor at that time.

(b) Insert the provision at 52.211-9009, Non-Acceptability of Government Surplus Material, in solicitations when offers of surplus material will not be considered (see 11.302(b)(92)(iii)).

SUBPART 11.4 - DELIVERY OR PERFORMANCE SCHEDULES

11.401 General.

Absent locally coordinated operating procedures, contracting personnel will not change production leadtimes or customer required delivery dates without prior coordination with the inventory manager and industrial specialist.

11.401-90 Extended contracting delays.

The contracting office shall immediately notify the item manager when extended delays in contract award are anticipated and, when possible, also advise of the length of delay in the proposed delivery schedule.

SUBPART 11.5 - LIQUIDATED DAMAGES

11.502 Policy.

(d) Recommendations concerning the remission of liquidated damages shall be transmitted to the General Counsel.

SUBPART 11.6 - PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS

11.602 General.

(a)(90) Executive Order (E.O.) 12742 implements Section 468 of the Selective Service Act (SSA). It allows for placing orders for the prompt delivery of articles or materials in support of the Armed Forces. The This E.O. provides that all regulations and delegations made under the Defense Production Act (DPA), which includes the Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) regulation, remain in effect. Therefore, whenever the DPA lapses, the DPAS will continue in effect under authority of the E.O. and the SSA as the basis for rating DoD contracts to insure preferential scheduling and priority treatment by contractors.

(c)(90) The rating authority continued in effect under E.O. 12742 also extends to food resources (operational rations) in support of troops in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the Departments of Agriculture and Commerce and the determination made by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology.

11.603(f)

(1) Department of Commerce (DoC) Delegation 1 to 15 CFR 700 specifies that this rating authority may not be used to support procurement of end items that are commonly available in commercial markets for general consumption, do not require major modification when purchased for approved program use, and are readily available in sufficient quantity so as to cause no delay in meeting approved program requirements. This restriction applies only to end items and is not applicable to repair parts, spares and components which by their nature do not stand alone in their intended use but are incorporated into end items. On this basis, the DLA ICPs cannot rate peacetime buys of commercial end items, unless they are not available in a timely manner which might cause an adverse impact in meeting approved program requirements. The ICPs must ensure that the DPAS officer reviews contracts for end items to verify proper ratings are applied. End items with surge and sustainment requirements for may qualify for rating eligibility even though peacetime requirements don’t because of timely delivery requirements for emergencies or contingencies. When contracts have a combination of commercial and non-commercial end items on the contract, they need to specify which items are rated. A commercial item is defined in FAR 2.101.

(2) Under the DPAS regulation a person is not required to place a priority rating on an order for less than $50,000 or one half the FAR Simplified Acquisition Threshold, whichever is larger, provided that delivery can be obtained in a timely fashion without the use of the priority rating (15 CFR 700.17(f)). This does not preclude a person from rating an order under $50,000 if he chooses to do so to insure timely delivery. This threshold would also apply to the mandatory priority rating extension requirements for contractors in FAR 11.603(d)(2).

(3) Orders for eligible items placed against the various long term contracting vehicles and new business practice prime vendors/virtual prime vendors should be rated and contain a required delivery date. As a result, these orders will be considered a rated order as of the date received by the supplier, in accordance with 15 CFR 700.12(b). The basic contracting vehicle may have a rating on it, but because it does not have a specified delivery date, it is not technically considered a rated contract. It should contain a statement that orders placed against this contract will be considered rated orders. See the clause in 11.604.

11.603-90 Procedures for placement of contracts when normal solicitations fail.

(a) The following procedures, in consonance with the DPAS regulation (15 CFR 700), shall apply when industry fails to adequately respond to solicitations for supplies needed to support the Military Services as prescribed in FAR 11.603.

(1) Reserved.

(2) To be reasonably certain that the companies upon which rated orders are placed unilaterally may not legally reject the orders (see DPAS 15 CFR 700.13(b) and (c)) and to assure that the placement of a rated order is practicable, rated orders issued unilaterally shall comply with the following:

A rated order shall not be issued unilaterally to a company when a reasonable doubt exists as to its capability to produce an item. A plant survey should be made by a Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) field office to determine that the company has the production capability, the financial capability, and the facilities to produce the item. The refusal of a company to permit such a survey, however, shall not alone be the basis for issuing a rated order. The contracting office’s decision in such cases will be based on the best information obtainable.

(3) The rated order that is issued unilaterally results in a "forced" action which may generate complaints or objections from suppliers. Therefore, extreme caution is required to assure equitable distribution of the orders to selected individual firms. Within the limits prescribed in subparagraph (2) above, the quantity to be included in each rated order and the number of companies to be selected shall be determined in accordance with the following criteria:

(i) When a production line must be established to produce the specific item, the rated order quantity shall not be less than a minimum economical production run.

(ii) When the total contract requirement represents a minimum economical production run for only one (or a few) of the capable producers, the rated order(s) shall be issued to the company(ies) considered the most capable and on which the impact on production will be least adverse minimal.

(iii) When there are a large number of companies capable of producing the total required quantity, the most qualified companies shall be selected. The quantity placed with each company shall not exceed 20 percent of each company's total capability to produce a like or similar item during the production period, until the total quantity is covered. The 20 percent restriction may be exceeded when a company so desires. (Note: The 20 percent is applied against the company's total capability to produce the like or similar item, irrespective of whether the company has multiplant or single plant production facilities.)

(iv) When there are relatively few companies capable of producing the items, the total quantity shall be allocated among all qualified producers, regardless of the percentage of capacity utilized.

(v) Every effort shall be made in each case to spread the requirement in such a way as to minimize the overall impact on the affected industry.

(4) The price data for these rated orders issued unilaterally shall be developed using the latest published industry pricing data or the last award price, adjusted as necessary to reflect current market pricing conditions. Further adjustment of these prices may be necessary to meet a quality producer’s standard, or to provide for a differential for a job shop's cost as compared with mass production costs. It should be noted that when pricing rated orders, the applicable requirements of FAR and the DFARS pertaining to cost or pricing data shall be followed.

(5) Reserved.

(6) Requirements for contract review and approval by the Executive Directorate, Logistics Policy and Acquisition Management .

(i) The requirements of 1.690-6 for review and approval prior to award of certain type contracts are waived for contracts resulting from rated orders that are issued unilaterally. However, such contracts for which preaward review has been waived shall be submitted to HQ DLA for a postaward review when called for by J-337.

(ii) Letter contracts still require authorization by HQ DLA in accordance with 1.690-6(g).

(7) A copy of all unilateral rated orders issued unilaterally will be forwarded to HQ DLA, ATTN: J-338, at time of issue.

(8) There may be instances when suppliers refuse to accept unilateral rated orders issued unilaterally. In such situations, negotiations shall be conducted at the level of the chief of the contracting office to determine whether some accommodation can be reached. If the contracting office agrees that a contract requirement is inconsistent with the contractor's regularly established terms of sale but there is no authority to waive the requirement, the matter will be referred to HQ DLA, ATTN: J-338, for resolution. If, in the judgment of the contracting office, the DLA requirement is valid and no agreement was reached, consistent with the contractor's regularly established terms of sale, but the parties disagree on the terms and conditions of the unilateral rated order (including failure to agree on a reasonable price), the contractor's written refusal, citing reasons, together with a completed DoC Form BXA ITA-999, Request for Special Priorities Assistance, shall be forwarded through established priorities assistance channels to HQ DLA, ATTN: J-338, for action. It is emphasized that DoC will may not direct any company to accept a rated order when the company has proper grounds for refusing the order. Each DLA contracting office will assure that the actions and determinations described, including a physical plant survey (for exception see subparagraph (2) above) by a DCMA field office, have been accomplished prior to requesting HQ DLA sponsorship of a request for DoC special priorities assistance to the DoC.

11.604 Solicitation provision and contract clauses.

(90) Notice to Offerors. The clauses at 52.211-9002, Priority Rating, and 52-211-9004, Priority Rating for Various Long-term Contracts, shall be included as appropriate in all solicitations distributed to industry for contracting action and contracts, except for items excluded under 15 CFR 700.18(b) and by Delegation 1 to 15 CFR 700 for commercial end items.

SUBPART 11.7 - VARIATION IN QUANTITY

11.701 Supply contracts.

(a) DESC is authorized to deviate from the requirements at FAR 11.701(a) and (b) and the clause at FAR 52.211-16. They may express the permissible variation in quantity of supplies as a rail car, not a percentage.

11.701-90 Procedure for closing contracts with inconsequential amounts undelivered.

The contracting officer is authorized on a case-by-case basis to consider a contract completed when an inconsequential amount not falling within the variation in quantity clause remains undelivered or, in the case of brand name subsistence or less than carload lots (LCL) of perishable subsistence items, the undelivered amount is no longer required by the using activity, provided all of the following conditions exist:

(a) Provision for payment is on a unit price basis, and the contractor advises that no further deliveries will be made;

(b) Payment is made for the units actually received;

(c) The undelivered portion is inconsequential, or in the case of brand name subsistence or LCL perishable subsistence items, the undelivered amount is no longer required by the using activity, and the cost of executing a supplemental agreement (including, but not limited to, taking termination action) is excessive in relation to the benefits to the Government from such action; and

(d) The contracting officer includes in the file a memorandum stating that no rights of the Government are being waived by this procedure, and a termination for default is not warranted. The contracting officer shall execute and distribute an SF 30, Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract, as an administrative change to the contract to deobligate funds. The change shall indicate that the above criteria have been met and the contract is considered complete, and shall reference the contractor's communication which advised that no further deliveries will be made.

11.703 Contract clause.

(a) Defense Energy Support Center (DESC) is authorized to use DESC clause 52.211-9F16, Variation in Quantity (DEC 1995) (DEVIATION), in lieu of FAR clause 52.211-16. Variation in Quantity, in fixed-price, indefinite-delivery type solicitations and contracts for coal. See 11.701(a).

(b) Delivery of Excess Quantities of $250 or Less. Unless there is a valid reason to the contrary, the clause set forth in FAR 52.211-17 shall be included in all contracts, purchase orders, and Blanket Purchase Agreements.

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