# DLAD PART 10 – MARKET RESEARCH

- 10.001-90 Policy.
- 10.002-90 Procedures.

PART 10 – MARKET RESEARCH

(Revised November 7, 2013 through PROCLTR 2014-22)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

10.001-90 Policy.

10.002-90 Procedures.

10.001-90 Policy.

(a) Market research is a joint responsibility of the contracting office and the requiring activity. Requirements personnel and contracting officers must work together as a team to gather market data needed to make decisions.

(b) DLA activities will not delay the instant acquisition to conduct market research when the estimated dollar value is less than the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), unless the contracting officer determines it is cost-effective to do so or a bundling analysis must be performed pursuant to FAR 10.001(a)(2)(iv) and DFARS 210.001.

10.002-90 Procedures.

(a) For procurements over the SAT, prior to solicitation, the acquisition specialist shall validate and document if the item(s) to be solicited is/are considered to be commercial as defined in FAR 2.101. If the item(s) is/are coded other than commercial, the acquisition specialist will contact potential suppliers to validate and document whether the item(s) is/are commercial. Although only a Contracting Officer (KO) can determine the commerciality of an item, supporting validation and documentation can be performed by other personnel. If the KO has determined that the item(s) is/are commercial, the acquisition specialist will provide the appropriate technical specialist with the commerciality documentation so that the technical coding can be updated for future procurements.

(b) The acquisition specialist shall also ensure that an effective strategy for performing an analysis of price is established during market research. Although the analysis of price will not occur until an offer is received, this strategy must be thoroughly developed prior to solicitation in order to ensure successful award.

(c) For a sole source acquisition above the TINA threshold where the item(s) cannot be determined to be commercial and where it has been determined that another exception to Certified Cost or Pricing Data (CCPD) does not apply, prior to solicitation issuance the researcher shall review the DFARS Proposal Adequacy Checklist (DFARS 252.215-7009) with the supplier and ensure the following:

(1) The supplier understands that CCPD is required;

(2) The supplier understands what adequate CCPD entails; and

(3) The supplier is willing to provide said CCPD to the Government for analysis.

(d) Long-term contracts (LTCs).

(1) Long-term contracts are defined at 16.190.

(2) Market research for LTC procurements shall be completed prior to assignment of the purchase request (PR) to an acquisition specialist. Market research for Renewal (successor) LTC projects and LTC projects not worked in a Strategic Material Sourcing Group (SMSG) or other centralized LTC office may be completed by an acquisition specialist.

(3) Personnel completing the market research shall work closely with the contracting office to ensure that the market research requirements are clear and that the market research is conducted properly. The depth of this collaboration is dependent upon the scope and complexity of the LTC project. Contracting offices shall develop standard market survey questionnaires for use by these personnel.

(4) As detailed in paragraphs 10.002-90(a)-(c), market research for LTC procurements shall also include:

(i) Validation and documentation of commerciality;

(ii) Establishment of an effective strategy for performing an analysis of price;

(iii) In sole source situations where CCPD will be required, verification and acceptance by the supplier of the CCPD requirements;

(iv) Results of market research shall be documented in a market research report. This report may be a brief summary of the market survey results if more extensive market research is not appropriate. In those cases where only one market survey is completed, the market survey can serve as the market research report; and

(v) Once the LTC project has been assigned to an acquisition specialist, the acquisition specialist will review the market research for adequacy. If the acquisition specialist is not the contracting officer, the acquisition specialist must work closely with the contracting officer regarding the adequacy of the market research. If the acquisition specialist determines that any part of the market research is deficient (i.e. additional input or documentation is needed in order to accurately determine the acquisition strategy), the acquisition specialist may either correct the deficiency or return the LTC project to the office responsible for the deficient market research. If the acquisition specialist cannot independently correct the deficiency quickly and efficiently, the LTC project will be returned to the office that conducted the initial market research. The acquisition specialist will work closely with the responsible office to ensure that the deficiency and a path forward are clearly understood.