# 3-302 Screening.

(a) Screening procedures include consideration and recording of the relevant facts pertaining to breakout decisions. The objective of screening is to improve the acquisition status by determining the potential for competition, or purchase from an actual manufacturer. Consideration of any reasonable approach to establishing competition should be an integral part of the breakout process.

(b) Screening procedures may vary depending on circumstances related to the parts. No set rules will provide complete guidance for making acquisition method decisions under all conditions encountered in actual practice. An informed coding decision can be made without following the procedures step-by-step in every case.

(c) Activities involved in screening are encouraged to develop supplemental procedures that prove effective in meeting this program's objectives. These procedures should be tailored to the particular activity's operating environment and the characteristics of the parts for which it is responsible. Nevertheless, care should be taken in all cases to assure that—

(1) Responsible judgment is applied to all elements involved in the review of a part;

(2) The necessary supporting facts are produced, considered, and recorded in the breakout screening file. The breakout screening file contains technical data and other documents concerning screening of the part;

(3) All cost-effective alternatives are considered for establishing competition, or purchase from an actual manufacturer (see 1-105(d)(6)); and

(4) When possible, the sequence of the review allows for accomplishing several screening steps concurrently.

(d) Contractor participation in the decision making process extends only to providing technical information. This technical information is provided by supporting documentation (DD Forms 1418, Contractor Technical Information Record, and DD Form 1418-1, Technical Data Identification Checklist) which includes the CTIC assignment. Government personnel shall substantiate the breakout decision by reference to the CTIC and by careful review of the supporting documentation. However, the CTIC provides guidance only, and it should be used as one of the inputs to arrive at an acceptable AMC and AMSC coding.

(e) Contractor's technical information furnished in accordance with MIL-STD-789 may indicate areas requiring additional research by the Government before screening can be completed. Seldom will industry's contribution to the screening process enable the Government to assign an AMC or AMSC without additional review.

(f) During the screening process, it may be appropriate to communicate with industry, particularly potential manufacturers of a part, to determine the feasibility of establishing a competitive source and to estimate the costs and technical risks involved.

(g) Coding conferences with industry shall be documented.

(h) Screening may disclose that a part is not suitable for competitive acquisition, but it may be possible to break out the part for direct purchase from the actual manufacturer or to establish a second source. Parts particularly suited to direct purchase are those where neither the design control activity nor the prime contractor contribute additional value or whose data belong to the actual manufacturer and will not be acquired by the Government, and where that manufacturer exercises total responsibility for the part (design and quality control, testing, etc.), and where additional operations performed by the prime contractor can be performed by the actual manufacturer or by the Government.

(i) For each part that is screened, a file shall be established to document and justify the decisions and results of all screening effort (see 1-105(d)(6)).

(j) Full and limited screening procedures are two elements of breakout programs. Other spare parts initiatives to enhance breakout are reverse engineering, bailment, data rights challenges, and publication of intended buy lists. Integration of other initiatives within the screening processes developed at each activity is encouraged.