§ 542.200-70 - Policy.

(a) Contracting directors shall establish procedures that will ensure that contract administration activities are performed by qualified personnel and in an effective manner.

(b) Contract administration may be performed by the contracting officer who awarded the contract or by an administrative contracting officer (ACO) within the contracting office. As an alternative, management may establish a separate contract administration office (CAO) consistent with the nature and complexities of the contracts, the need to perform contract administration at or near the contractor's facility or the place of performance, and the availability of resources.

(c) The contracting officer may designate one or more representatives to perform specified functions such as quality assurance, production, price analysis, finance and various engineering and technical specialities. These representatives may not enter into or modify a contract or otherwise perform functions reserved for a contracting officer except to the limited extent permitted for construction contracts. (See 542.201.2(d).) Designations of ACOs and contracting officers representatives must be in writing and communicated to the contractor.