Final Key Cards Flashcards
Build up of final details
What is the FAR?
2,000-page section of U.S. Code of Federal Regulations that lays out all
federal rules and regulations related to contracting
How is the FAR issued?
as Chapter 1 of Title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations and is
published in two volumes. Volume 1 contains Subchapters A through G, and Volume 2
contains Subchapter H. Each of the eight subchapters deals with a different element of
the acquisition process:
Subchapter A: General (Parts 1–4)
Subchapter B: Acquisition Planning (Parts 5–12)
Subchapter C: Contracting Methods and Types (Parts 13–18)
Subchapter D: Socioeconomic Programs (Parts 19–26)
Subchapter E: General Contracting Requirements (Parts 27–33)
Subchapter F: Special Categories of Contracting (Parts 34–41)
Subchapter G: Contract Management (Parts 42–51)
Subchapter H: Clauses and Forms (Parts 52–53)
Part 38
Federal Supply Schedule Contracting:
Prescribes policies and procedures for contracting for supplies and services under the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) program (also called the GSA Schedules Program or the Multiple Award Schedule Program), a GSA program which provides federal agencies with a simplified process for obtaining commercial supplies and services at prices associated with volume buying.
applying the FAR to the acquisition of goods and services is how government funds are?
used effectively to reduce waste and get the best value for federal dollars spent. It also
helps protect federal tax dollars from unethical people and businesses. Think of federal
contracting like driving a vehicle and the FAR as a set of traffic laws. The FAR, like traffic
laws, helps us get where we are going, on time, in the safest and best way possible.
The FAR System is issued pursuant to
the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Act, which established the Office of Federal Procurement Policy within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
FAR 1.103 Authority
- The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is issued under the joint authority of the Administrator of General Services, the Secretary of Defense, and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, under their several statutory authorities.
- The FAR System is established for the codification and publication of uniform policies and procedures for acquisition by all executive agencies.
- The FAR is prepared ,issued, and maintained ,and the FAR System is coordinated, by the two agencies acting jointly.
FAR 1.105-1 Publication and Code Arrangement
(a) The FAR is published
in the daily issue of the Federal Register and, in
cumulative form, in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
FAR 1.105-1 Publication and Code Arrangement
(b) The FAR is codified
in Chapter 1 of Title 48 of the CFR.
What Are the Guiding Principles?
The FAR system wil:
Satisfy the customer in terms of cost, quality, and timeliness of the delivered product or service by.
* Maximizing the use of commercial products and services,
* Using contractors who have a track record of successful past
performance or who demonstrate a proven ability to perform, and
* Promoting competition
Minimize administrative operating costs
Conduct business with integrity, fairness, and openness
Fulfil public policy objectives
The FAR’s Establishment and Authority
Aug 30 1974 Executive Office of the President
OFPP
To create an office of Federal Procurement Policy designed to promote economy, efficiency and effectiveness in procurement of goods, services and facilities by and for the executive branch of the Federal Government
How is the FAR maintained
The FAR is published in:
Federal Register: In the daily issue
Code of Federal Regulations: In cumulated form
Loose leaf: As a separate edition
Responsible for establishing and operating the FAR
GSA
Secretariat to print, publish, and distribute
the FAR through the Code of Federal Regulations system, including aloose-leaf edition with periodic updates
On-going maintenance of FAR
DAR Council: Defense Acquisition Regulations Council
CAA Civilian Agency Acquistion Council
On-going maintenance of FAR.
Each council shall be responsible for (DAR Council, CAA Council)
Agreeing on all revisions with the other council,
- Submitting to the FAR Secretariat the information required for publication
in the Federal Register of a notice soliciting comments on a proposed
revision to the FAR, - Considering all comments received in response to notice of proposed
revisions, - Arranging for public meetings,
- Preparing any final revision in the appropriate FAR format and language, and
- Submitting any final revision to the FAR Secretariat for publication in the Federal Register and printing for distribution.
GSA Authorizes the FAR Secretariat to print,
publish, and distribute the FAR
Shall provide the two councils with centralized services for:
- Keeping a synopsis of current FAR cases and their status,
- Maintaining official files,
- Assisting parties interested in reviewing the
files on completed cases, and - Performing administrative tasks pertaining to FAR maintenance.
How Is the FAR Arranged?
The FAR is divided into subchapters, parts (each of which covers
a separate aspect of acquisition), subparts, sections, and subsections.
9.106-4(d)
9=Part
1=Subpart
06=Section
4=Subsection
(d) paragraph
More FAR Conventions
When an imperative sentence directs action,
the contracting officer is responsible for the action, unless another party is expressly cited.
“Must” “Should” “Shall” “Will”
What Are Threshold Adjustments?
The FAR Council periodically adjusts all statutory acquisition-
related dollar thresholds in the FAR for inflation, except thresholds
- established by the Wage Rates Requirements
(formerly Davis-Bacon Act),
- the Service Contract Labor
Standards (formerly Service Contract Act of 1965),
- or the United States Trade Representative pursuant to the authority of the
Trade Agreements Act of 1979.
This adjustment is calculated every 5 years, starting in October 2005, using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all-urban consumers.
Ref.: FAR 1.109
Determination and Findings
A special form of written approval by an authorized official that is required by statute or regulation as a prerequisite to taking certain contract actions.
- The determination is a conclusion or decision supported by the findings.
- The findings are statements of fact or rationale essential to support the
determination and must cover each requirement of the statute or regulation
IMPERATIVE SENTENCES: When an imperative sentence (containing verbs such as shall, must, or will) directs action,
the contracting officer is responsible for the action, unless another party is expressly cited.
- Recommended revisions to the FAR shall be transmitted to
the FAR Secretariat by agency heads, or their designees, for authorizing class deviations.
Determination and Findings (D&F) means
a special form of written approval by an authorized official
that is required by statute or regulation as a prerequisite to taking certain contract actions.
The “determination” is a conclusion or decision supported by the
“findings.”
The findings are statements of fact or rationale essential to support the determination and must cover each requirement of the statute or regulation.
At a minimum, a D&E shall include, in the prescribed agency format, the following information:
identification of the agency and of the contracting activity and specific identification of the document as a D&F;
nature and/or description of the action being approved;
citation of the appropriate statute and/or regulation upon which the D&F is based;
findings that detail the particular circumstances, facts, or reasoning essential to support the determination;
a determination, based on the findings, that the proposed action is justified under the applicable statute or regulation;
an expiration date of the D&F, if required;
the signature of the official authorized to sign the D&F; and the date signed.
Micro-Purchase Threshold
Micro-Purchase Threshold means $10,000, except it means
(1) For acquisitions of construction subject to the Wage Rate Requirements (Construction), $2,000;
(2) For acquisitions of services subject to the Service Contract Labor Standards, $2,500; and
(3) For acquisitions of supplies or services that, as determined by the head of the agency, are to be used to support a contingency operation or to facilitate defense against or recovery from nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack, as described in paragraph (1) of the definition of micro-purchase threshold at 2.101, except for construction subject to the Wage Rate Requirements (Construction) (41 U.S.C. 1903)—
(i) $20,000 for any contract to be awarded and performed, or purchase to be made, inside the United States; and
(ii) $35,000 for any contract to be awarded and performed, or purchase to be made, outside the United States.