[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 198 (Wednesday, October 14, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55040-55053]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27091]
[[Page 55040]]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
48 CFR Parts 212, 215, 217, 225, 227, 230, 237, 242, 247, 252, and
253
[DFARS Case 97-D018]
Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Contracting by
Negotiation; Part 215 Rewrite
AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD).
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The Director of Defense Procurement has issued a final rule
amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS)
to revise procedures pertaining to contracting by negotiation. These
amendments conform with amendments made to the Federal Acquisition
Regulation (FAR) in Federal Acquisition Circular 97-02, which was
published in the Federal Register on September 30, 1997.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 14, 1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Defense Acquisition Regulations Council, Attn: Ms. Melissa Rider,
PDUSD(A&T)DP(DAR), IMD 3D139, 3062 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC
20301-3062. Telephone (703) 602-0131; telefax (703) 602-0350.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
This final rule revises DFARS Part 215 to align it with the
reorganized format of FAR Part 15 that was published as a final rule in
the Federal Register on September 30, 1997 (62 FR 51224). In addition
to changes related to format, this rule makes the following changes to
DFARS Part 215:
Guidance on the four-step source selection process and the
alternate source selection process have been removed, as the new
guidance at FAR 15.101, Best value continuum, clearly allows such
source selection processes.
Requirements for obtaining approvals before requesting
second or subsequent best and final offers have been removed in view of
the new guidance on proposal revisions at FAR 15.307.
Guidance on cost realism analysis has been revised to
reflect the new guidance on cost realism analysis at FAR 15.404-1(d).
Thresholds for requesting field pricing assistance have
been added at 215.404-2. Similar guidance was removed from the FAR, but
is still considered to be appropriate for DoD activities.
Guidance on field pricing support has been revised to
conform with the FAR revisions that eliminated standard content
requirements for field pricing reports.
A proposed rule with request for comments was published in the
Federal Register on November 26, 1997 (62 FR 63050). Thirty-six
comments were received from five sources. All comments were considered
in the development of the final rule.
B. Regulatory Flexibility Act
DoD certifies that this final rule will not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities within the
meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq.,
because the rule primarily consists of conforming DFARS amendments, and
implementing guidance for contracting officers, to reflect existing FAR
policy on contracting by negotiation.
C. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the final rule
does not impose any information collection requirements that require
the approval of the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C.
3501, et seq.
List of Subjects in 48 CFR Parts 212, 215, 217, 225, 227, 230, 237,
242, 247, 252, and 253
Government procurement.
Michele P. Peterson,
Executive Editor, Defense Acquisition Regulations Council.
Therefore, 48 CFR Parts 212, 215, 217, 225, 227, 230, 237, 242,
247, 252, and 253 are amended as follows:
1. The authority citation for 48 CFR Parts 212, 215, 217, 225, 227,
230, 237, 242, 247, 252, and 253 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 41 U.S.C. 421 and 48 CFR Chapter 1.
PART 212--ACQUISITION OF COMMERCIAL ITEMS
212.503 [Amended]
2. Section 212.503 is amended in paragraph (c)(ii) by revising the
parenthetical to read ``(see FAR 15.403-4)''.
3. Part 215 is revised to read as follows:
PART 215--CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION
Sec.
215.000 Scope of part.
Subpart 215.2--Solicitation and Receipt of Proposals and Information
215.204-2 Part I--The Schedule.
Subpart 215.3--Source Selection
215.303 Responsibilities.
215.304 Evaluation factors and significant subfactors.
215.305 Proposal evaluation.
Subpart 215.4--Contract Pricing
215.403 Obtaining cost or pricing data.
215.403-1 Prohibition on obtaining cost or pricing data.
215.403-5 Instructions for submission of cost or pricing data or
information other than cost or pricing data.
215.404 Proposal analysis.
215.404-1 Proposal analysis techniques.
215.404-2 Information to support proposal analysis.
215.404-3 Subcontract pricing considerations.
215.404-4 Profit.
215.404-70 DD Form 1547, Record of Weighted Guidelines Method
Application.
215.404-71 Weighted guidelines method.
215.404-71-1 General.
215.404-71-2 Performance risk.
215.404-71-3 Contract type risk and working capital adjustment.
215.404-71-4 Facilities capital employed.
215.404-72 Modified weighted guidelines method for nonprofit
organizations.
215.404-73 Alternate structure approaches.
215.404-74 Fee requirements for cost-plus-award-fee contracts.
215.404-75 Reporting profit and fee statistics.
215.406-1 Prenegotiation objectives.
215.406-3 Documenting the negotiation.
215.407-2 Make-or-buy programs.
215.407-3 Forward pricing rate agreements.
215.407-4 Should-cost review.
215.407-5 Estimating systems.
215.407-5-70 Disclosure, maintenance, and review requirements.
215.408 Slicitation provisions and contract clauses.
215.470 Estimated data prices.
215.000 Scope of part.
See 225.872 for additional guidance on procedures for purchasing
form qualifying countries.
SUBPART 215.2--SOLICITATION AND RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS AND
INFORMATION
215.204-2 Part I--The Schedule.
(g) When a contract contains both fixed-priced and cost-
reimbursement line items or subline items, the contracting officer
shall provide, in Section B, Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs, an
identification of contract type specified for each contract line item
or subline item to facilitate appropriate payment.
Subpart 215.3--Source Selection
215.303 Responsibilities.
(b)(2) For high-dollar value and other acquisitions, as prescribed
by agency procedures, the source selection authority (SSA) shall
approve a source
[[Page 55041]]
selection plan (SSP) before the solicitation is issued. The SSP--
(A) Shall be prepared and maintained by a person designated by the
SSA or as prescribed by agency procedures;
(B) Shall be coordinated with the contracting officer and senior
advisory group, if any, within the source selection organization; and
(C) Shall include, as a minimum--
(1) The organization, membership, and responsibilities of the
source selection team;
(2) A statement of the proposed evaluation factors and any
significant subfactors and their relative importance;
(3) A description of the evaluation process, including specific
procedures and techniques to be used in evaluating proposals; and
(4) A schedule of significant events in the source selection
process, including documentation of the source selection decision and
announcement of the source selection decision.
215.304 Evaluation factors and significant subfactors.
(c)(i) In acquisitions that require use of the clause at FAR
52.219-9, Small, Small Disadvantaged and Women-Owned Small Business
Subcontracting Plan, the extent of participation of small and small
disadvantaged businesses in performance of the contact shall be
addressed in source selection.
(A) For acquisitions other than those based only on cost or price
competition, the contracting officer shall evaluate the extent to which
offerors identify and commit to small business and to small
disadvantaged business, historically black college and university, or
minority institution performance of the contract, whether as a joint
venture, teaming arrangement, or subcontractor.
(B) Evaluation factors may include--
(1) The extent to which such firms are specifically identified in
proposals;
(2) The extent of commitment to use such firms (for example,
enforceable commitments are to be weighted more heavily than non-
enforceable ones);
(3) The complexity and variety of the work small firms are to
perform;
(4) The realism of the proposal;
(5) When not otherwise required by 215.305(a)(2), past performance
of the offerors in complying with requirements of the clauses at FAR
52.219-8, Utilization of Small, Small Disadvantaged and Women-Owned
Small Business Concerns, and 52.219-9, Small, Small Disadvantaged and
Women-Owed Small Business Subcontracting Plan; and
(6) The extent of participation of such firms in terms of the value
of the total acquisition.
(C) Proposals addressing the extent of small and small
disadvantaged business performance may be separate from subcontracting
plans submitted pursuant to the clause at FAR 52.219-9 and should be
structured to allow for consideration of offers from small businesses.
(D) When an evaluation includes the factor in paragraph
(c)(i)(B)(1) of this section, the small, small disadvantaged, or women-
owned small businesses considered in the evaluation shall be listed in
any subcontracting plan submitted pursuant to FAR 52.219-9 to
facilitate compliance with 252.219-7003(g).
(ii) The costs or savings related to contract administration and
audit may be considered when the offeror's past performance or
performance risk indicates the likelihood of significant costs or
savings.
Sec. 215.305 Proposal evaluation.
(a)(1) Cost or price evaluation. Contracting officers shall ensure
that the use of uncompensated overtime in contracts to acquire services
on the basis of the number of hours provided (see FAR 37.115) will not
degrade the level of technical expertise required to fulfill the
Government's requirements. When acquiring such services, contracting
officers shall conduct a risk assessment, and evaluate for award on
that basis, any proposals received that reflect factors such as--
(A) Unrealistically low labor rates or other costs that may result
in quality or service shortfalls; and
(B) Unbalanced distribution of uncompensated overtime among skill
levels and its use in key technical positions.
(2) Past performance evaluation. When a past performance evaluation
is required by FAR 15.304, and the solicitation includes the clause at
FAR 52.219-8, Utilization of Small, Small Disadvantaged and Women-Owned
Small Business Concerns, the evaluation factors shall include the past
performance of offerors in complying with requirements of that clause.
When a past performance evaluation is required by FAR 15.304, and the
solicitation includes the clause at FAR 52.219-9, Small, Small
Disadvantaged and Women-Owned Small Business Subcontracting Plan, the
evaluation factors shall include the past performance of offerors in
complying with requirements of that clause.
(b) Any determination to reject a proposal based on a violation or
possible violation of Section 27 of the OFPP Act shall be made as
specified in FAR 3.104.
Subpart 215.4--Contract Pricing
215.403 Obtaining cost or pricing data.
Sec. 215.403-1 Prohibition on obtaining cost or pricing data.
(c) Standards for exceptions from cost or pricing data
requirements--(1) Adequate price competition. For acquisitions under
dual or multiple source programs:
(A) The determination of adequate price competition must be made on
a case-by-case basis. Even when adequate price competition exists, in
certain cases it may be appropriate to obtain additional information to
assist in price analysis.
(B) Adequate price competition normally exists when--
(i) Prices are solicited across a full range of step quantities,
normally including a 0-100 percent split, from at least two offerors
that are individually capable of producing the full quantity; and
(ii) The reasonableness of all prices awarded is clearly
established on the basis of price analysis (see FAR 15.404-1(b)).
(4) Waivers. (A) DoD has waived the requirement for submission of
cost or pricing data for the Canadian Commercial Corporation and its
subcontractors.
(B) DoD has waived cost or pricing data requirements for nonprofit
organizations (including education institutions) on cost-reimbursement-
no-fee contracts. The contracting officer shall require--
(1) Submission of information other than cost or pricing data to
the extent necessary to determine reasonableness and cost realism; and
(2) Cost or pricing data from subcontractors that are not nonprofit
organizations when the subcontractor's proposal exceeds the cost or
pricing data threshold at FAR 15.403-4(a)(1).
215.403-5 Instructions for submission of cost or pricing data or
information other than cost or pricing data.
(b) When the solicitation requires contractor compliance with the
Contractors Cost Data Reporting (CCDR) System (Army--AMCP 715-8, Navy--
NAV PUB P-5241, and Air Force--AFMCP 800-15), require the contractor to
submit DD Form 1921 or 1921-1 with its pricing proposal.
215.404 Proposal analysis.
215.404-1 Proposal analysis techniques.
(a) General. For spare parts or support equipment, perform an
analysis of--
(i) Those line items where the proposed price exceeds by 25 percent
or
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more the lowest price the Government has paid within the most recent
12-month period based on reasonably available information;
(ii) Those line items where a comparison of the item description
and the proposal price indicates a potential for overpricing;
(iii) Significant high-dollar-value items. If there are no obvious
high-dollar-value items, include an analysis of a random sample of
items; and
(iv) A random sample of the remaining low-dollar value items.
Sample size may be determined by subjective judgment, e.g., experience
with the offeror and the reliability of its estimating and accounting
systems.
(d) Cost realism analysis. The contracting officer should determine
what information other than cost or pricing data is necessary for the
cost realism analysis during acquisition planning and development of
the solicitation. Unless such information is available from sources
other than the offerors (see FAR 15.402(a)(2)), the contracting officer
will need to request data from the offerors. The contracting officer--
(i) Shall request only necessary data; and
(ii) May not request submission of cost or pricing data.
215.404-2 Information to support proposal analysis.
(a) Field pricing assistance. (i) The contracting officer should
consider requesting field pricing assistance for--
(A) Fixed-price proposals exceeding the cost or pricing data
threshold;
(B) Cost-type proposals exceeding the cost or pricing data
threshold from offerors with significant estimating system deficiencies
(see 215.407-5-70(a)(4) and (c)(2)(i)); or
(C) Cost-type proposals exceeding $10 million from offerors without
significant estimating system deficiencies.
(ii) The contracting officer should not request field pricing
support for proposed contracts or modifications in an amount less than
that specified in paragraph (a)(i) of this subsection. An exception may
be made when a reasonable pricing result cannot be established because
of--
(A) A lack of knowledge of the particular offeror; or
(B) Sensitive conditions (e.g., a change in, or unusual problems
with, an offeror's internal systems).
(c) Audit assistance for prime contracts or subcontracts. (i) If,
in the opinion of the contracting officer or auditor, the review of a
prime contractor's proposal requires further review of subcontractors'
cost estimates at the subcontractors' plants (after due consideration
of reviews performed by the prime contractor), the contracting officer
should inform the administrative contracting officer (ACO) having
cognizance of the prime contractor before the review is initiated.
(ii) Notify the appropriate contract administration activities when
extensive, special, or expedited field pricing assistance will be
needed to review and evaluate subcontractors' proposals under a major
weapon system acquisition. If audit reports are received on contracting
actions that are subsequently cancelled, notify the cognizant auditor
in writing.
Sec. 215.404-3 Subcontract pricing considerations.
(a)(i) When obtaining field pricing assistance on a prime
contractor's proposal, the contracting officer should request audit or
field pricing assistance to analyze and evaluate the proposal of a
subcontractor at any tier (notwithstanding availability of data or
analyses performed by the prime contractor) if the contracting officer
believes that such assistance is necessary to ensure the reasonableness
of the total proposed price. Such assistance may be appropriate when,
for example--
(A) There is a business relationship between the contractor and the
subcontractor not conducive to independence and objectivity;
(B) The contractor is a sole source supplier and the subcontract
costs represent a substantial part of the contract cost;
(C) The contractor has been denied access to the subcontractor's
records;
(D) The contracting officer determines that, because of factors
such as the size of the proposed subcontract price, audit or field
pricing assistance for a subcontract at any tier is critical to a fully
detailed analysis of the prime contractor's proposal;
(E) The contractor or higher-tier subcontractor has been cited for
having significant estimating system deficiencies in the area of
subcontract pricing, especially the failure to perform adequate cost
analyses of proposed subcontract costs or to perform subcontract
analyses prior to negotiation of the prime contract with the
Government; or
(F) A lower-tier subcontractor has been cited as having significant
estimating system deficiencies.
(ii) It may be appropriate for the contracting officer or the ACO
to provide assistance to a contractor or subcontractor at any tier,
when the contractor or higher-tier subcontractor has been denied access
to a subcontractor's records in carrying out the responsibilities at
FAR 15.404-3 to conduct price or cost analysis to determine the
reasonableness of proposed subcontract prices. Under these
circumstances, the contracting officer or the ACO should consider
whether providing audit or field pricing assistance will serve a valid
Government interest.
(iii) When DoD performs the subcontract analysis, DoD shall furnish
to the prime contractor or higher-tier subcontractor, with the consent
of the subcontractor reviewed, a summary of the analysis performed in
determining any unacceptable costs included in the subcontract
proposal. If the subcontractor withholds consent, DoD shall furnish a
range of unacceptable costs for each element in such a way as to
prevent disclosure of subcontractor proprietary data.
(iv) Price redeterminable or fixed-price incentive contracts may
include subcontracts placed on the same basis. When the contracting
officer wants to reprice the prime contract even though the contractor
has not yet established final prices for the subcontracts, the
contracting officer may negotiate a firm contract price--
(A) If cost or pricing data on the subcontracts show the amounts to
be reasonable and realistic; or
(B) If cost or pricing data on the subcontracts are too indefinite
to determine whether the amounts are reasonable and realistic, but--
(1) Circumstances require prompt negotiation; and
(2) A statement substantially as follows is included in the
repricing modification of the prime contract:
As soon as the Contractor establishes firm prices for each
subcontract listed below, the Contractor shall submit (in the format
and with the level of detail specified by the Contracting Officer)
to the Contracting Officer the subcontractor's cost incurred in
performing the subcontract and the final subcontract price. The
Contractor and Contracting Officer shall negotiate an equitable
adjustment in the total amount paid or to be paid under this
contract to reflect the final subcontract price.
(v) If the selection of the subcontractor is based on a trade-off
among cost or price and other non-cost factors rather than lowest
price, the analysis supporting subcontractor selection should include a
discussion of the factors considered in the selection (also see FAR
15.101 and 15.304 and 215.304). If the contractor's analysis is not
adequate, return it for correction of deficiencies.
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(vi) The contracting officer shall make every effort to ensure that
fees negotiated by contractors for cost-plus-fixed-fee subcontracts do
not exceed the fee limitations in FAR 15.404-4(c)(4).
215.404-4 Profit.
(b) Policy. (1) Departments and agencies shall use a structured
approach for developing a prenegotiation profit or fee objective on any
negotiated contract action that requires cost analysis, except on cost-
plus-award-fee contracts (see 215.404-74). There are three approaches--
(A) The weighted guidelines method;
(B) The modified weighted guidelines method; and
(C) An alternate structured approach.
(c) Contracting officer responsibilities. (1) Also, do not perform
a profit analysis when assessing cost realism in competitive
acquisitions.
(2) The contracting officer--
(A) Shall use the weighted guidelines method (see 215.404-71),
unless--
(1) The modified weighted guidelines method applies; or
(2) An alternate approach is justified.
(B) Shall use the modified weighted guidelines method (see 215.404-
72) on contract actions with nonprofit organizations.
(C) May use an alternate structured approach (see 215.404-73)
when--
(1) The contract action is--
(i) Under $500,000;
(ii) For architect-engineer or construction work;
(iii) Primarily for delivery of material from subcontractors; or
(iv) A termination settlement; or
(2) The weighted guidelines method does not produce a reasonable
overall profit objective and the head of the contracting activity
approves use of the alternate approach in writing.
(D) Shall use the weighted guidelines method to establish a basic
profit rate under a formula-type pricing agreement, and may then use
the basic rate on all actions under the agreement, provided that
conditions affecting profit do not change.
(E) Shall document the profit analysis in the contract file.
(5) Although specific agreement on the applied weights or values
for individual profit factors shall not be attempted, the contracting
officer may encourage the contractor to--
(A) Present the details of its proposed profit amounts in the
weighted guidelines format or similar structured approached; and
(B) Use the weighted guidelines method in developing profit
objectives for negotiated subcontracts.
(6) The contracting officer must also verify that relevant
variables have not materially changed (e.g., performance risk, interest
rates, progress payment rates, distribution of facilities capital).
(d) Profit-analysis factors.--(1) Common factors. The common
factors are embodied in the DoD structured approaches and need not be
further considered by the contracting officer.
Sec. 215.404-70 DD Form 1547, Record of Weighted Guidelines Method
Application.
(a) The DD Form 1547--
(1) Provides a vehicle for performing the analysis necessary to
develop of profit objectives;
(2) Provides a format for summarizing profit amounts subsequently
negotiated as part of the contract price; and
(3) Serves as the principal source documents for reporting profit
statistics to DoD's management information system.
(b) The military departments are responsible for establishing
policies and procedures for feeding the DoD-wide management information
system on profit and fee statistics (see 215.404-75).
(c) The contracting officer shall--
(1) Use and prepare a DD Form 1547 whenever a structured approach
to profit analysis is required by 215.404-4(b) (see 215.404-71,
215.404-72, and 215.404-73 for guidance on using the structured
approaches). Administrative instructions for completing the form are in
253.215.-70.
(2) Ensure that the DD Form 1547 is accurately completed. The
contracting officer is responsible for the correction any errors
detected by the management system auditing process.
Sec. 215.404-71 Weighted guidelines method.
Sec. 215.404-71-1 General.
(a) The weighted guidelines method focuses on three profit
factors--
(1) Performance risk;
(2) Contract type risk; and
(3) Facilities capital employed.
(b) The contracting officer assigns values to each profit factor;
the value multiplied by the base results in the profit objective for
that factor. Each profit factor has a normal value and a designated
range of values. The normal value is representative of average
conditions on the prospective contract when compared to all goods and
services acquired by DoD. The designated range provides values based on
above normal or below normal conditions. In the negotiation
documentation, the contracting officer need not explain assignment of
the normal value, but should address conditions that justify assignment
of other than the normal value.
Sec. 215.404-71-2 Performance risk.
(a) Description. this profit factor addresses the contractor's
degree of risk in fulfilling the contract requirements. The factor
consists of three parts:
(1) Technical--the technical uncertainties of performance.
(2) Management--the degree of management effort necessary to ensure
that contract requirements are met.
(3) Cost control--the contractor's efforts to reduce and control
costs.
(b) Determination. The following extract from the DD Form 1547 is
annotated to describe the process.
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Assigned
Item Contractor risk factors weighting Assigned value Base (item 18) Profit objective
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21............................. Technical.................................. (1) (2) N/A N/A
22............................. Management................................. (1) (2) N/A N/A
23............................. Cost control............................... (1) (2) N/A N/A
24............................. Performance risk (composite)............... N/A (3) (4) (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Assign a weight (percentage) to each element according to its
input to the total performance risk. The total of the three weights
equals 100 percent.
(2) Select a value for each element from the list in paragraph (c)
of this subsection using the evaluation criteria in paragraphs (d),
(e), and (f) of this subsection.
(3) Compute the composite as shown in the following example:
[[Page 55044]]
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Assigned
weighting Assigned value Weighted value
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Technical....................................................... 30% 5.0% 1.5%
Management...................................................... 30 4.0 1.2
Cost control.................................................... 40 4.5 1.8
Composite value................................................. 100% .............. 4.5%
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(4) Insert the amount from Block 18 of the DD Form 1547. Block 18
is total contract costs, excluding general and administrative expenses,
contractor independent research and development and bid and proposal
expenses, and facilities capital cost of money.
(5) Multiply (3) by (4).
(c) Values: Normal and designated ranges.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Normal Designated
value range
(percent) (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Standard...................................... 4 2 to 6
Alternate..................................... 6 4 to 8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Standard. The standard designated range should apply to most
contracts.
(2) Alternate. Contracting officers may use the alternate
designated range for research and development and service contractors
when these contractors require relatively low capital investment in
buildings and equipment when compared to the defense industry overall.
If the alternate designated range is used, do not give any profit for
facilities capital employed (see 215.404-71-4(c)(3)).
(d) Evaluation criteria for technical. (1) Review the contract
requirements and focus on the critical performance elements in the
statement of work or specifications. Factors to consider include--
(i) Technology being applied or developed by the contractor;
(ii) Technical complexity;
(iii) Program maturity;
(iv) Performance specifications and tolerances;
(v) Delivery schedule; and
(vi) Extent of a warranty or guarantee.
(2) Above normal conditions. (i) The contracting officer may assign
a higher than normal value in those cases where there is a substantial
technical risk. Indicators are--
(A) The contractor is either developing or applying advanced
technologies;
(B) Items are being manufactured using specifications with
stringent tolerance limits;
(C) The efforts require highly skilled personnel or require the use
of state-of-the-art machinery;
(D) The services and analytical efforts are extremely important to
the Government and must be performed to exacting standards;
(E) The contractor's independent development and investment has
reduced the Government's risk or cost;
(F) The contractor has accepted an accelerated delivery schedule to
meet DoD requirements; or
(G) The contractor has assumed additional risk through warranty
provisions.
(ii) Extremely complex, vital efforts to overcome difficult
technical obstacles that require personnel with exceptional abilities,
experience, and professional credentials may justify a value
significantly above normal.
(iii) The following may justify a maximum value--
(A) Development or initial production of a new item, particularly
if performance or quality specifications are tight; or
(B) A high degree of development or production concurrency.
(3) Below normal conditions.
(i) The contracting officer may assign a lower than normal value in
those cases where the technical risk is low. Indicators are--
(A) Acquisition is for off-the-shelf items;
(B) Requirements are relatively simple;
(C) Technology is not complex;
(D) Efforts do not require highly skilled personnel;
(E) Efforts are routine;
(F) Programs are mature; or
(G) Acquisition is a follow-on effort or a repetitive type
acquisition.
(ii) The contracting officer may assign a value significantly below
normal for--
(A) Routine services;
(B) Production of simple items;
(C) Rote entry or routine integration of Government-furnished
information; or
(D) Simple operations with Government-furnished property.
(e) Evaluation criteria for management. (1) The contracting officer
should--
(i) Assess the contractor's management and internal control systems
using contracting office information and reviews made by field contract
administration offices or other DoD field offices;
(ii) Assess the management involvement expected on the prospective
contract action;
(iii) Consider the degree of cost mix as an indication of the types
of resources applied and value added by the contractor; and
(iv) Consider the contractor's support of Federal socioeconomic
programs.
(2) Above normal conditions. (i) The contracting officer may assign
a higher than normal value when the management effort is intense.
Indicators of this are--
(A) The contractor's value added is both considerable and
reasonably difficult;
(B) The effort involves a high degree of integration or
coordination; or
(C) The contractor has a substantial record of active participation
in Federal socioeconomic programs.
(ii) The contracting officer may justify a maximum value when the
effort--
(A) Requires large scale integration of the most complex nature;
(B) Involves major international activities with significant
management coordination (e.g., offsets with foreign vendors); or
(C) Has critically important milestones.
(3) Below normal conditions. (i) The contracting officer may assign
a lower than normal value when the management effort is minimal
Indicators of this are--
(A) The program is mature and many end item deliveries have been
made;
(B) The contractor adds minimum value to an item;
(C) The efforts are routine and require minimal supervision;
(D) The contractor provides poor quality, untimely proposals;
(E) The contractor fails to provide an adequate analysis of
subcontractor costs; or
(F) The contractor does not cooperate in the evaluation and
negotiation of the proposal.
(ii) The following may justify a value significantly below normal--
(A) Reviews performed by the field contract administration offices
disclose unsatisfactory management and internal control systems (e.g.,
quality assurance, property control, safety, security); or
(B) The effort requires an unusually low degree of management
involvement.
(f) Evaluation criteria for cost control. (1) The contracting
officer should evaluate--
[[Page 55045]]
(i) The expected reliability of the contractor's cost estimates
(including the contractor's cost estimating system);
(ii) The contractor's cost reduction initiatives (e.g., competition
advocacy programs, dual sourcing, spare parts pricing reform, value
engineering);
(iii) The adequacy of the contractor's management approach to
controlling cost and schedule; and
(IV) Any other factors that affect the contractor's ability to meet
the cost targets (e.g., foreign currency exchange rates and inflation
rates).
(2) Above normal conditions. The contracting officer may assign a
higher than normal value if the contractor can demonstrate a highly
effective cost control program. Indicator of this are--
(i) The contractor provides fully documented and reliable cost
estimates;
(ii) The contractor has an aggressive cost reduction program that
has demonstrable benefits;
(iii) The contractor uses a high degree of subcontract competition
(e.g., aggressive dual sourcing); or
(iv) The contractor has a proven record of cost tracking and
control.
(3) Below normal conditions. The contracting officer may assign a
lower normal value if the contractor demonstrates minimal concern for
cost control. Indicators are--
(i) The contractor's cost estimating system is marginal;
(ii) The contractor has made minimal effort to initiate cost
reduction programs;
(iii) The contractor's cost proposal is inadequate; or
(iv) The contractor has a record of cost overruns or other
indication of unreliable cost estimates and lack of cost control.
Sec. 215.404-71-3 Contract type risk and working capital adjustment.
(a) Description. The contract type risk factor focuses on the
degree of cost risk accepted by the contractor under varying contract
types. The working capital adjustment is an adjustment added to the
profit objective for contract type risk. It only applies to fixed-price
contracts that provide for progress payments. Though it uses a formula
approach, it is not intended to be an exact calculation of the cost of
working capital. Its purpose is to give general recognition to the
contractor's cost of working capital under varying contract
circumstances, financing policies, and the economic environment.
(b) Determination. The following extract from the DD 1547 is
annotated to explain the process.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item Contractor risk factors Assigned value Base (item 18) Profit objective
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25............................ CONTRACT type risk........................ (1) (2) (3)
Cost financed Length factor Interest rate
26............................ WORKING capital (4)....................... (5) (6) (7) (8)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Select a value from the list of contract types in paragraph (c)
of this subsection using the evaluation criteria in paragraph (d) of
this subsection.
(2) Insert the amount from Block 18, i.e., the total allowable
costs excluding general and administrative expenses, independent
research and development and bid and proposal expenses, and facilities
capital cost of money.
(3) Multiply (1) by (2).
(4) Only complete this block when the prospective contract is a
fixed-price contract containing provisions for progress payments.
(5) Insert the amount computed per paragraph (e) of this
subsection.
(6) Insert the appropriate figure from paragraph (f) of this
subsection.
(7) Use the interest rate established by the Secretary of the
Treasury (see 230.7101-1(a)). Do not use any other interest rate.
(8) Multiply (5) by (6) by (7). This is the working capital
adjustment. It shall not exceed 4 percent of the contract costs in
Block 20.
(c) Values: Normal and designated ranges.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Normal Designated
Contract type Notes value range
(percent) (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Firm-fixed-price, no financing (1) 5 4 to 6
Firm-fixed-price, with
financing.................... (2) 3 2 to 4
Fixed-priced-incentive, no
financing.................... (1) 3 2 to 4
Fixed-priced with
predeterminable provision.... (3) ........... ..............
Fixed-price-incentive, with
financing.................... (2) 1 0 to 2
Cost-plus-incentive-fee....... (4) 1 0 to 2
Cost-plus-fixed-fee........... (4) .5 0 to 1
Time-and-materials contracts
(including overhaul contracts
priced on time-and-materials
basis)....................... (5) .5 0 to 1
Labor-hour contracts.......... (5) .5 0 to 1
Firm-fixed-price-level-of-
effort-term.................. (5) .5 0 to 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) ``No financing'' means that the contractor either does not
provide progress payments, or provides them only on a limited basis,
such as financing of first articles. Do not compute a working capital
adjustment.
(2) ``With financing'' means progress payments. When progress
payments are present, compute a working capital adjustment (Block 26).
(3) For the purposes of assigning profit values, treat a fixed-
price contract with redeterminable provisions as if it were a fixed-
price-incentive contract with below normal conditions.
(4) Cost-plus contracts shall not receive the working capital
adjustment.
(5) These types of contracts are considered cost-plus-fixed-fee
contracts for the purposes of assigning profit values. They shall not
receive the working capital adjustment in Block 26. However, they may
receive higher than normal values within the designated range to the
extent that portions of cost are fixed.
(d) Evaluation criteria--(1) General. The contracting officer
should consider elements that affect contract type risk such as--
(i) Length of contract;
[[Page 55046]]
(ii) Adequacy of cost data for projections;
(iii) Economic environment;
(iv) Nature and extent of subcontracted activity;
(v) Protection provided to the contractor under contract provisions
(e.g., economic price adjustment clauses);
(vi) The ceilings and share lines contained in incentive
provisions; and
(vii) Risk associated with contracts for foreign military sales
(FMS) that are not funded by U.S. appropriations.
(2) Mandatory. The contracting officer shall assess the extent to
which costs have been incurred prior to definitization of the contract
action (also see 217.7404-6(a)). The assessment shall include any
reduced contractor risk on both the contract before definitization and
the remaining portion of the contract. When costs have been incurred
prior to definitization, generally regard the contract type risk to be
in the low end of the designated range. If a substantial portion of the
costs have been incurred prior to definitization, the contracting
officer may assign a value as low as 0 percent, regardless of contract
type.
(3) Above normal conditions. The contracting officer may assign a
higher than normal value when there is substantial contract type risk.
Indicators of this are--
(i) Efforts where there is minimal cost history;
(ii) Long-term contracts without provisions protecting the
contractor, particularly when there is considerable economic
uncertainty;
(iii) Incentive provisions (e.g., cost and performance incentives)
that place a high degree of risk on the contractor; or
(iv) FMS sales (other than those under DoD cooperative logistics
support arrangements or those made from U.S. Government inventories or
stocks) where the contractor can demonstrate that there are substantial
risk above those normally present in DoD contracts for similar items.
(4) Below normal conditions. The contracting officer may assign a
lower than normal value when the contract type risk is low. Indicators
of this are--
(i) Very mature product line with extensive cost history;
(ii) Relatively short-term contracts;
(iii) Contractual provisions that substantially reduce the
contractor's risk; or
(iv) Incentive provisions that place a low degree of risk on the
contractor.
(e) Costs financed. (1) Costs financial equal total costs
multiplied by the portion (percent) of costs financed by the
contractor.
(2) Total costs equal Block 20 (i.e., all allowable costs,
including general and administrative and independent research and
development/bid and proposal, but excluding facilities capital cost of
money), reduced as appropriate when--
(i) The contractor has little cash investment (e.g., subcontractor
progress payments liquidated late in period of performance);
(ii) some costs are covered by special financing provisions, such
as advance payments; or
(iii) The contract is multiyear and there are special funding
arrangements.
(3) The portion financed by the contractor is generally the portion
not covered by progress payments, i.e., 100 percent minus the customary
progress payment rate (see FAR 32.501). For example, if a contractor
receives progress payments at 75 percent, the portion financed by the
contractor is 25 percent. On contracts that provide flexible progress
payments (see 252.232-7003) or progress payments to small businesses,
use the customary progress payment rate for large businesses.
(f) Contract length factor. (1) This is the period of time that the
contractor has a working capital investment in the contract. It--
(i) Is based on the time necessary for the contractor to complete
the substantive portion of the work;
(ii) Is not necessarily the period of time between contract award
and final delivery (or final payment), as periods of minimal effort
should be excluded;
(iii) Should not include periods of performance contained in option
provisions; and
(iv) Should not, for multiyear contracts, include periods of
performance beyond that required to complete the initial program year's
requirements.
(2) The contracting officer--
(i) Should use the following table to select the contract length
factor;
(ii) Should develop a weighted average contract length when the
contract has multiple deliveries; and
(iii) May use sampling techniques provided they produce a
representative result.
TABLE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contract
Period to perform substantive portion (in months) length factor
------------------------------------------------------------------------
21 or less.............................................. .40
22 to 27................................................ .65
28 to 33................................................ .90
34 to 39................................................ 1.15
40 to 45................................................ 1.40
46 to 51................................................ 1.65
52 to 57................................................ 1.90
58 to 63................................................ 2.15
64 to 69................................................ 2.40
70 to 75................................................ 2.65
76 or more.............................................. 2.90
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) Example: A prospective contract has a performance period of 40
months with end items being delivered in the 34th, 36th, 38th, and 40th
months of the contract. The average period is 37 months and the
contract length factor is 1.15.
215.404-71-4 Facilities capital employed.
(a) Description. This factor focuses on encouraging and rewarding
aggressive capital investment in facilities that benefit DoD. It
recognizes both the facilities capital that the contractor will employ
in contract performance and the contractor's commitment to improving
productivity.
(b) Determination. The following extract from the DD Form 1547 has
been annotated to explain the process.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item Contractor facilities capital employed Assigned value Amount employed Profit objective
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27................................ LAND.......................................... N/A (2) N/A
28................................ BUILDINGS..................................... (1) (2) (3)
29................................ EQUIPMENT..................................... (1) (2) (3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Select a value from the list in paragraph (c) of this
subsection using the evaluation criteria in paragraph (d) of this
subsection.
(2) Use the allocated facilities capital attributable to land,
buildings, and equipment, as derived in DD Form 1861,
[[Page 55047]]
Contract Facilities Capital Cost of Money (see 230,7001).
(i) In addition to the net book value of facilities capital
employed, consider facilities capital that is part of a formal
investment plan if the contractor submits reasonable evidence that--
(A) Achievable benefits to DoD will result from the investment; and
(B) The benefits of the investment are included in the forward
pricing structure.
(ii) If the value of intracompany transfers has been included in
Block 18 at cost (i.e., excluding general and administrative (G&A)
expenses and profit), add to the contractor's allocated facilities
capital, the allocated facilities capital attributable to the buildings
and equipment of those corporate divisions supplying the intracompany
transfers. Do not make this addition if the value of intracompany
transfers has been included in Block 18 at price (i.e., including G&A
expenses and profit).
(3) Multiply (1) by (2).
(c) Values: Normal and designated ranges.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Designated
Notes Asset type Normal value range
(percent) (percent)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1).......................................... Land............................. 0 N/A
(1).......................................... Buildings........................ 15 10 to 20
(1).......................................... Equipment........................ 35 20 to 50
(2).......................................... Land............................. 0 N/A
(2).......................................... Buildings........................ 5 0 to 10
(2).......................................... Equipment........................ 20 15 to 25
(3).......................................... Land............................. 0 N/A
(3).......................................... Buildings........................ 0 0
(3).......................................... Equipment........................ 0 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) These are the normal values and ranges. They apply to all
situations except those noted in (2) and (3).
(2) These alternate values and ranges apply to situations where a
highly facilitized manufacturing firm will be performing a research and
development or services contract. They balance the method used to
allocate facilities capital cost of money, which may produce
disproportionate allocation of assets to these types of efforts.
(3) When using a value from the alternate designated range for the
performance risk factor (see 215.404-71-2(c)(2)), do not allow profit
on facilities capital employed.
(d) Evaluation criteria. (1) In evaluating facilities capital
employed, the contracting officer--
(i) Should relate the usefulness of the facilities capital to the
goods or services being acquired under the prospective contract;
(ii) Should analyze the productivity improvements and other
anticipated industrial base enhancing benefits resulting from the
facilities capital investment, including--
(A) The economic value of the facilities capital, such as physical
age, undepreciated value, idleness, and expected contribution to future
defense needs; and
(B) The contractor's level of investment in defense related
facilities as compared with the portion of the contractor's total
business that is derived from DoD;
(iii) Should consider any contractual provisions that reduce the
contractor's risk of investment recovery, such as termination
protection clauses and capital investment indemnification; and
(iv) Shall ensure that increases in facilities capital investments
are not merely asset revaluations attributable to mergers, stock
transfers, take-overs, sales of corporate entities, or similar actions.
(2) Above normal conditions. (i) The contracting officer may assign
a higher than normal value if the facilities capital investment has
direct, identifiable, and exceptional benefits. Indicators are--
(A) New investments in state-of-the-art technology that reduce
acquisition cost of yield other tangible benefits such as improved
product quality or accelerated deliveries;
(B) Investments in new equipment for research and development
applications; or
(C) Contractor demonstration that the investments are over and
above the normal capital investments necessary to support anticipated
requirements of DoD programs.
(ii) The contracting officer may assign a value significantly above
normal when there are direct and measurable benefits in efficiency and
significantly reduced acquisition cost on the effort being priced.
Maximum values apply only to those cases where the benefits of the
facilities capital investment are substantially above normal.
(3) Below normal conditions. (i) The contracting officer may assign
a lower than normal value if the facilities capital investment has
little benefit to DoD. Indicators are--
(A) Allocations of capital apply predominantly to commercial item
lines;
(B) Investments are for such things as furniture and fixtures, home
or group level administrative offices, corporate aircraft and hangars,
gymnasiums; or
(C) Facilities are old or extensively idle.
(ii) The contracting officer may assign a value significantly below
normal when a significant portion of defense manufacturing is done in
an environment characterized by outdated, inefficient, and labor-
intensive capital equipment.
215.404-72 Modified weighted guidelines method for nonprofit
organizations.
(a) Definitions As used in this subpart, a nonprofit organization
is a business entity--
(1) That operates exclusively for charitable, scientific, or
educational purposes;
(2) Whose earnings do not benefit any private shareholder or
individual;
(3) Whose activities do not involve influencing legislation or
political campaigning for any candidate for public office; and
(4) That is exempted from Federal income taxation under section 501
of the Internal Revenue Code.
(b) For nonprofit organizations that are Federally Funded Research
and Development Centers (FFRDCs), the contracting officer--
(1) Should consider whether any fee is appropriate. Considerations
shall include the FFRDC's--
(i) Proportion of retained earnings (as established under generally
accepted accounting methods) that relates to DoD contracted effort;
(ii) Facilities capital acquisition plans;
(iii) Working capital funding as assessed on operating cycle cash
needs;
(iv) Contingency funding; and
[[Page 55048]]
(v) Provision for funding unreimbursed costs deemed ordinary and
necessary to the FFRDC.
(2) Shall, when a fee is considered appropriate, compute the fee
objective using the weighted guidelines method in 215.404-71, with the
following modifications:
(i) Modifications to performance risk (Blocks 21-243 of the DD Form
1547). (A) If the contracting officer assigns a value from the standard
designated range (see 215.404-71-2(c)), reduce the fee objective by an
amount equal to 1 percent of the costs in Block 18 of the DD Form 1547.
Show the net (reduced) amount on the DD Form 1547.
(B) If the contracting officer assigns a value from the alternate
designated range, reduce the fee objective by an amount equal to 2
percent of the costs in Block 18 of the DD Form 1547. Show the net
(reduced) amount of the DD Form 1547.
(ii) Modifications to contract type risk (Block 25 of the DD Form
1547). Use a designated range of -1 percent to 0 percent in lieu of the
values in 215.404-71-3. There is no normal value.
(c) For nonprofit organizations that are entities that have been
identified by the Secretary of Defense or a Secretary of a Department
as receiving sustaining support on a cost-plus-fixed-fee basis from a
particular DoD department or agency, compute a fee objective for
covered actions using the weighted guidelines method in 215.404-71,
modified as described in paragraph (b)(2) of this subsection.
(d) For all other nonprofit organizations, compute a fee objective
for covered actions using the weighted guidelines method in 215.404-71,
modified as described in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this subsection.
215.404-73 Alternate structured approaches.
(a) The contracting officer may use an alternate structured
approach under 215.404-4(c).
(b) The contracting officer may design the structure of the
alternate, but it shall include--
(1) Consideration of the three basic components of profit--
performance risk, contract type risk (including working capital), and
facilities capital employed. However, the contracting officer is not
required to complete Blocks 21 through 30 of the DD Form 1547.
(2) Offset for facilities capital cost of money.
(i) The contracting officer shall reduce the overall prenegotiation
profit objective by the lesser of 1 percent of total cost or the amount
of facilities capital cost of money. The profit amount in the
negotiation summary of the DD Form 1547 must be net of the offset.
(ii) This adjustment is needed for the following reason: The values
of the profit factors used in the weighted guidelines method were
adjusted to recognize the shift in facilities capital cost of money
from an element of profit to an element of contract cost (see FAR
31.205-10) and reductions were made directly to the profit factors for
performance risk. In order to ensure that this policy is applied to all
DoD contracts that allow facilities capital cost of money, similar
adjustments shall be made to contracts that use alternate structured
approaches.
215.404-74 Fee requirements for cost-plus-award-fee contracts.
In developing a fee objective for cost-plus-award-fee contracts,
the contracting officer shall--
(a) Follow the guidance in FAR 16.405-2 and 216.405-2;
(b) Not use the weighted guidelines method or alternate structured
approach;
(c) Apply the offset policy in 215.404-73(b)(2) for facilities
capital cost of money, i.e., reduce the base fee by the lesser of 1
percent of total costs or the amount of facilities capital cost of
money; and
(d) Not complete a DD Form 1547.
215.404-75 Reporting profit and fee statistics.
(a) Contracting officers in contracting offices that participate in
the management information system for profit and fee statistics send
completed DD Forms 1547 on actions of $500,000 or more , where the
contracting officer used either the weighted guidelines method, an
alternate structured approach, or the modified weighted guidelines
method, to their designated office within 30 days after contract award.
(b) Participating contracting offices and their designated offices
are--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contracting office Designated officer
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARMY
------------------------------------------------------------------------
All.................................... U.S. Army, Contracting Support
Agency, ATTN: SARD--RS, 5109
Leesburg Pike, Suite 916,
Falls Church, VA 22041-3201
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAVY
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Naval Air Systems Command............. Commander, Fleet and Industrial
Supply Center, Norfolk
Washington Detachment, Code
402, Washington Navy Yard,
Washington, DC 20374-5000
*Naval Sea Systems Command
*Space and Naval Warfare Systems
Command
*Naval Facilities Engineering Command
*Naval Supply Systems Command
*Office of Naval Research
*Headquarters, United States Marine
Corps
*Strategic Systems Programs Office
*Military Sealift Command
*Automatic Data Processing Selection
Office
*Navy Regional Data Automation Center
*Naval Research Laboratory
*Navy Commercial Communications Center
*Naval Aviation Depot Operations Center
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 55049]]
AIR FORCE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air Force Materiel Command (all field Air Force Materiel Command, 645
offices). CCSG/SCOS, ATTN: J010 Clerk,
2721 Sacramento Street, Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base, OH
45433-5006
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Includes all subordinate field offices
(c) When negotiation of a contract action over $500,000 has been
delegated to another contracting agency (e.g., to an ACO), that agency
shall ensure that a copy of the DD Form 1547 is provided to the
delegating office for reporting purposes within 30 days from
negotiation of the contract action.
(d) Contracting offices outside the United States, its possessions,
and Puerto Rico are exempt from reporting.
(e) Designated offices send a quarterly (non-cumulative) report of
DD Form 1547 data to--
Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information
Operations and Reports, (WHS/DIOR), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway,
Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302
(f) In preparing and sending the quarterly report, designated
offices--
(1) Perform the necessary audits to ensure information accuracy;
(2) Do not enter classified information;
(3) Transmit the report via computer magnetic tape using the
procedures, format, and editing process issued by the Director of
Defense Procurement; and
(4) Send the reports not later than the 30th day after the close of
the quarterly reporting periods.
(g) These reporting requirements have been assigned report control
symbol: A&T (Q) 1751.
215.406-1 Prenegotiation objectives.
(a) Also consider--
(i) Data resulting from application of work measurement systems in
developing prenegotiation objectives; and
(ii) Field pricing assistance personnel participation in planned
prenegotiation and negotiation activities.
(b) Prenegotiation objectives, including objectives related to
disposition of findings and recommendations contained in preaward and
postward contract audit and other advisory reports, shall be documented
an reviewed in accordance with Departmental procedures.
215.406-3 Documenting the negotiation.
(a)(7) Include the principal factors related to the disposition of
findings and recommendation contained in preaward and postaward
contract audit and other advisory reports.
(10) The documentation--
(A) Must address significant deviations from the prenegotiation
profit objective;
(B) Should include the DD Form 1547, Record of Weighted Guidelines
Application (see 215.404-70), if used, with supporting rationale; and
(C) Must address the rationale for not using the weighted
guidelines method when its use would otherwise be required by 215.404-
70.
215.407-2 Make-or-buy programs.
(e) Program requirements--(1) Items and work included. The minimum
dollar amount is $1 million.
215.407-3 Forward pricing rate agreements.
(b)(i) Use forward pricing rate agreement (FPRA) rates when such
rates are available, unless waived on a case-by-case basis by the head
of the contracting activity.
(ii) Advise the ACO of each case waived.
(iii) Contact the ACO for questions on FPRAs or recommended rates.
215.407-4 Should-cost review.
(b) Program should-cost review. (2) DoD contracting activities
should consider performing a program should-cost review before award of
a definitive contract for a major system as defined by DoDI 5000.2R.
See DoDI 5000.2R regarding industry participation.
(c) Overhead should-cost review. (1) Contact the DCMC/DLA Overhead
Center, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6621, at (703) 767-3387, for questions
on overhead should-cost analysis.
(2)(A) The Defense Contract Management Command/Defense Logistics
Agency (DCMC/DLA), or the military department responsible for
performing contract administration functions (e.g., Navy SUPSHIP),
should consider, based on risk assessment, performing an overhead
should-cost review of a contractor business unit (as defined in FAR
31.001) when all of the following conditions exist--
(1) Projected annual sales to DoD exceed $1 billion;
(2) Projected DoD versus total business exceeds 30 percent;
(3) Level of sole source DoD contracts is high;
(4) Significant volume of proposal activity is anticipated;
(5) Production or development of a major weapon system or program
is anticipated; and
(6) Contractor cost control/reduction initiatives appear
inadequate.
(B) The head of the contracting activity may request an overhead
should-cost review for a business unit that does not meet the criteria
in paragraph (c)(2)(A) of this subsection.
(C) Overhead should-cost reviews are labor intensive. These reviews
generally involve participation by the contracting, contract
administration, and contract audit elements. The extent of availability
of military department, contract administration, and contract audit
resources to support DCMC/DLA led teams should be considered when
determining whether a review will be conducted. Overhead should-cost
reviews generally shall not be conducted at a contractor business
segment more frequently than every 3 years.
215.407-5 Estimating systems.
215.407-5-70 Disclosure, maintenance, and review requirements.
(a) Definitions.
(1) Acceptable estimating system means an estimating system that--
(i) Is established, maintained, reliable, and consistently applied;
and
(ii) Produces verifiable, supportable, and documented cost
estimates.
(2) Contractor means a business unit as defined in FAR 31.001.
(3) Estimating system is as defined in the clause at 252.215-7002,
Cost Estimating System Requirements.
(4) Significant estimating system deficiency means a shortcoming in
the estimating system that is likely to consistently result in proposal
estimates for total cost or a major cost element(s) that do not provide
an acceptable basis for negotiation of fair and reasonable prices.
(b) Applicability. (1) DoD policy is that all contractors have
estimating systems that--
(i) Are acceptable;
(ii) Consistently produce well-supported proposals that are
acceptable
[[Page 55050]]
as a basis for negotiation of fair and reasonable prices;
(iii) Are consistent with and integrated with the contractor's
related management systems; and
(iv) Are subject to applicable financial control systems.
(2) A large business contractor is subject to estimating system
disclosure, maintenance, and review requirements if--
(i) In its preceding fiscal year, the contractor received DoD prime
contracts or subcontracts totaling $50 million or more for which cost
or pricing data were required; or
(ii) In its preceding fiscal year, the contractor received DoD
prime contracts or subcontracts totaling $10 million or more (but less
than $50 million) for which cost or pricing data were required and the
contracting officer, with concurrence or at the request of the ACO,
determines it to be in the best interest of the Government (e.g.,
significant estimating problems are believed to exist or the
contractor's sales are predominantly Government).
(c) Responsibilities. (1) The contracting officer shall--
(i) Through use of the clause at 252.215-7002, Cost Estimating
System Requirements, apply the disclosure, maintenance, and review
requirements to large business contractors meeting the criteria in
paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this subsection;
(ii) Consider whether to apply the disclosure, maintenance, and
review requirements to large business contractors under paragraph
(b)(2)(ii) of this subsection; and
(iii) Not apply the disclosure, maintenance, and review
requirements to other than large business contractors.
(2) The cognizant ACO, for contractors subject to paragraph (b)(2)
of this subsection, shall--
(i) Determine the acceptability of the disclosure and system; and
(ii) Pursue correction of any deficiencies.
(3) The cognizant auditor, on behalf of the ACO, serves as team
leader in conducting estimating system reviews.
(4) A contractor subject to estimating system disclosure,
maintenance, and review requirements shall--
(i) Maintain an acceptable system;
(ii) Describe its system to the ACO:
(iii) Provide timely notice of changes in the system; and
(iv) Correct system deficiencies identified by the ACO.
(d) Characteristics of an acceptable estimating system--(1)
General. An acceptable system should provide for the use of appropriate
source data, utilize sound estimating techniques and good judgment,
maintain a consistent approach, and adhere to established policies and
procedures.
(2) Evaluation. In evaluating the acceptability of a contractor's
estimating system, the ACO should consider whether the contractor's
estimating system, for example--
(i) Establishes clear responsibility for preparation, review, and
approval of cost estimates;
(ii) Provides a written description of the organization and duties
of the personnel responsible for preparing, reviewing, and approving
cost estimates;
(iii) Assures that relevant personnel have sufficient training,
experience, and guidance to perform estimating tasks in accordance with
the contractor's established procedures;
(iv) Identifies the sources of data and the estimating methods and
rationale used in developing cost estimates;
(v) Provides for appropriate supervision throughout the estimating
process;
(vi) Provides for consistent application of estimating techniques;
(vii) Provides for detection and timely correction of errors;
(viii) Protects against cost duplication and omissions;
(ix) Provides for the use of historical experience, including
historical vendor pricing information, where appropriate;
(x) Requires use of appropriate analytical methods;
(xi) Integrates information available from other management
systems, where appropriate;
(xii) Requires management review including verification that the
company's estimating policies, procedures, and practices comply with
this regulation;
(xiii) Provides for internal review of and accountability for the
acceptability of the estimating system, including the comparison of
projected results to actual results and an analysis of any differences;
(xiv) Provides procedures to update cost estimates in a timely
manner throughout the negotiation process; and
(xv) Addresses responsibility for review and analysis of the
reasonableness of subcontract prices.
(3) Indicators of potentially significant estimating deficiencies.
The following examples indicate conditions that may produce or lead to
significant estimating deficiencies--
(i) Failure to ensure that historical experience is available to
and utilized by cost estimators, where appropriate;
(ii) Continuing failure to analyze material costs or failure to
perform subcontractor cost reviews as required;
(iii) Consistent absence of analytical support for significant
proposed cost amounts;
(iv) Excessive reliance on individual personal judgments where
historical experience or commonly utilized standards are available;
(v) Recurring significant defective pricing findings within the
same cost element(s);
(vi) Failure to integrate relevant parts of other management
systems (e.g., production control or cost accounting) with the
estimating system so that the ability to generate reliable cost
estimates is impaired; and
(vii) Failure to provide established policies, procedures, and
practices to persons responsible for preparing and supporting
estimates.
(e) Review procedures. Cognizant audit and contract administration
activities shall--
(1) Establish and manage regular programs for reviewing selected
contractors' estimating systems.
(2) Conduct reviews as a team effort.
(i) The contract auditor will be the team leader.
(ii) The team leader will--
(A) Coordinate with the ACO to ensure that team membership includes
qualified contract administration technical specialists.
(B) Advise the ACO and the contractor of significant findings
during the conduct of the review and during the exit conference.
(C) Prepare a team report.
(1) The ACO or a representative should--
(i) Coordinate the contract administration activity's review;
(ii) Consolidate findings and recommendations; and
(iii) When appropriate, prepare a comprehensive written report for
submission to the auditor.
(2) The contract auditor will attach the ACO's report to the team
report.
(3) Tailor reviews to take full advantage of the day-to-day work
done by both organizations.
(4) Conduct a review, every 3 years, of contractors subject to the
disclosure requirements. The ACO and the auditor may lengthen or
shorten the 3-year period based on their joint risk assessment of the
contractor's past experience and current vulnerability.
(f) Disposition of survey team findings--(1) Reporting of survey
team findings. The auditor will document the findings and
recommendations of the survey team in a report to the ACO. If there are
significant estimating deficiencies, the auditor will recommend
disapproval of all or portions of the estimating system.
[[Page 55051]]
(2) Initial notification to the contractor. The ACO will provide a
copy of the team report to the contractor and, unless there are no
deficiencies mentioned in the report, will ask the contractor to submit
a written response in 30 days, or a reasonable extension.
(i) If the contractor agrees with the report, the contractor has 60
days from the date of initial notification to correct any identified
deficiencies or submit a corrective action plan showing milestones and
actions to eliminate the deficiencies.
(ii) If the contractor disagrees, the contractor should provide
rationale in its written response.
(3) Evaluation of contractor's response. The ACO, in consultation
with the auditor, will evaluate the contractor's response to determine
whether--
(i) The estimating system contains deficiencies that need
correction;
(ii) The deficiencies are significant estimating deficiencies that
would result in disapproval of all or a portion of the contractor's
estimating system; or
(iii) The contractor's proposed corrective actions are adequate to
eliminate the deficiency.
(4) Notification of ACO determination. The ACO will notify the
contractor and the auditor of the determination and, if appropriate, of
the Government's intent to disapprove all or selected portions of the
system. The notice shall--
(i) List the cost elements covered;
(ii) Identify any deficiencies requiring correction; and
(iii) Require the contractor to correct the deficiencies within 45
days or submit an action plan showing milestones and actions to
eliminate the deficiencies.
(5) Notice of disapproval. If the contractor has neither submitted
an acceptable corrective action plan nor corrected significant
deficiencies within 45 days, the ACO shall disapprove all or selected
portions of the contractor's estimating system. The notice of
disapproval must--
(i) Identify the cost elements covered;
(ii) List the deficiencies that prompted the disapproval; and
(iii) Be sent to the cognizant auditor, and each contracting and
contract administration officer having substantial business with the
contractor.
(6) Monitoring contractor's corrective action. The auditor and the
ACO will monitor the contractor's progress in correcting deficiencies.
If the contractor fails to make adequate progress, the ACO shall take
whatever action is necessary to ensure that the contractor corrects the
deficiencies. Examples of actions the ACO can take are: bringing the
issue to the attention of higher level management, reducing or
suspending progress payments (see FAR 32.503-6), and recommending
nonaward of potential contracts.
(7) Withdrawal of estimating system disapproval. The ACO will
withdraw the disapproval when the ACO determines that the contractor
has corrected the significant system deficiencies. The ACO will notify
the contractor, the auditor, and affected contracting and contract
administration activities of the withdrawal.
(g) Impact of estimating system deficiencies on specific proposals.
(1) Field pricing teams will discuss identified estimating system
deficiencies and their impact in all reports on contractor proposals
until the deficiencies are resolved.
(2) The contracting officer responsible for negotiation of a
proposal generated by an estimating system with an identified
deficiency shall evaluate whether the deficiency impacts the
negotiations. If it does not, the contracting officer should proceed
with negotiations. If it does, the contracting officer should consider
other alternatives, e.g.--
(i) Allowing the contractor additional time to correct the
estimating system deficiency and submit a corrected proposal;
(ii) Considering another type of contract, e.g., FPIF instead of
FFP;
(iii) Using additional cost analysis techniques to determine the
reasonableness of the cost elements affected by the system's
deficiency;
(iv) Segregating the questionable areas as a cost reimbursable line
item;
(v) Reducing the negotiation objective for profit or fee; or
(vi) Including a contract (reopener) clause that provides for
adjustment of the contract amount after award.
(3) The contracting officer who incorporates a reopener clause into
the contract is responsible for negotiating price adjustments required
by the clause. Any reopener clause necessitated by an estimating
deficiency should--
(i) Clearly identify the amounts and items that are in question at
the time of negotiation;
(ii) Indicate a specific time or subsequent event by which the
contractor will submit a supplemental proposal, including cost or
pricing data, identifying the cost impact adjustment necessitated by
the deficient estimating system;
(iii) Provide for the contracting officer to unilaterally adjust
the contract price if the contractor fails to submit the supplemental
proposal; and
(iv) Provide that failure of the Government and the contractor to
agree to the price adjustment shall be a dispute under the Disputes
clause.
215.408 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.
(1) Use the clause at 252.215-7000, Pricing Adjustments, in
solicitations and contracts that contain the clause at--
(i) FAR 52.215-11, Price Reduction for Defective Cost or Pricing
Data--Modifications;
(ii) FAR 52.215-12, Subcontractor Cost or Pricing Data; or
(iii) FAR 52.215-13, Subcontractor Cost or Pricing Data--
Modifications.
(2) Use the clause at 252.215-7002, Cost Estimating System
requirements, in all solicitations and contracts to be award on the
basis of cost or pricing data.
215.470 Estimated data prices.
(a) DoD requires estimates of the prices of data in order to
evaluate the cost to the Government of data items in terms of their
management, product, or engineering value.
(b) When data are required to be delivered under a contract, the
solicitation will include DD Form 1423, Contract Data Requirements
List. The form and the provision included in the solicitation request
the offeror to state what portion of the total price is estimated to be
attributable to the production or development of the listed data for
the Government (not to the sale of rights in the data). However,
offerors' estimated prices may not reflect all such costs; and
different offerors may reflect these costs in a different manner, for
the following reasons--
(1) Differences in business practices in competitive situations;
(2) Differences in accounting systems among offerors;
(3) Use of factors or rates on some portions of the data;
(4) Application of common effort to two or more data items; and
(5) differences in data preparation methods among offerors.
(c) Data price estimates should not be used for contract pricing
purposes without further analysis.
(d) The contracting officer shall ensure that the contract does not
include a requirement for data that the contractor has delivered or is
obligated to deliver to the government under another contract or
subcontract, and that the successful offeror identifies any such data
required by the solicitation. However, where duplicate data are
[[Page 55052]]
desired, the contract price shall include the costs of duplication, but
not of preparation, of such data.
PART 217--SPECIAL CONTRACTING METHODS
4. Section 217.7103-3 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read
as follows:
217.7103-3 Solicitation for job orders.
* * * * *
5. Section 217.7103-4 is revised to read as follows:
217.7103-4 Award of a job order.
Award job orders in accordance with FAR Subpart 14.4 or 15.5.
217.7406 [Amended]
6. Section 217.7406 is amended in paragraph (b) in the last
sentence by removing ``15.804-1'' and inserting in its place ``15.403-
1, 15.403-2, or 15.403-3''.
PART 225--FOREIGN ACQUISITION
225.872-3 [Amended]
7. Section 225.872-3 is amended in paragraph (g) in the first
sentence by revising the parenthetical to read ``(see FAR 14.207 and
15.201(c)''
225.872-6 [Amended]
8. Section 225.872-6 is amended in paragraph (c) introductory text
by removing ``215.805-5(c)(1)'' and inserting in its place ``215.404-
2(c)''.
PART 227--PATENTS, DATA, AND COPYRIGHTS
227.7203-10 [Amended]
9. Section 227.7203-10 is amended in paragraph (a)(1) at the end of
the first sentence by revising the phrase ``release or disclosure'' to
read ``release, or disclosure''; and at the end of the fifth sentence
by removing ``15.607'' and inserting in its place ``15.306(a)''.
PART 230--COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
230.7002 [Amended]
10. Section 230.7002 is amended in paragraph (b) by removing
``215.970-1(c)'' and inserting in its place ``215.404-71-4''.
Sec. 230.7004-1 [Amended]
11. Section 230.7004-1 is amended by inserting a period after the
section heading; and in paragraph (a) by revising the parenthetical to
read ``(see FAR Subpart 42.17)''.
Sec. 230.7103 [Amended]
12. Section 230.7103 is amended by removing ``Subpart 15.9'' and
inserting in its place ``15.404-4''.
PART 237--SERVICE CONTRACTING
13. Section 237.7204 is amended under the heading ``GENERAL
PROVISIONS'' by revising paragraph 7. to read as follows:
Sec. 237.7204 Format and clauses for educational service agreements.
* * * * *
GENERAL PROVISIONS
* * * * *
7. FAR 52.215-8, Order of Precedence--Uniform Contract Format.
* * * * *
PART 242--CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION
Sec. 242.7205 [Amended]
14. Section 242.7205 is amended in paragraph (b)(4)(iv) by revising
the parenthetical to read ``(see 215.407-5)''.
PART 247--TRANSPORTATION
15. Section 247.572-2 is amended by revising the first sentence of
paragraph (f)(3)(i) and by revising paragraph (f)(3)(ii) to read as
follows:
Sec. 247.572-2 Direct purchase of ocean transportation services.
* * * * *
(f) * * *
(3) * * *
(i) An analysis of the carrier's cost in accordance with FAR
Subpart 15.4, or profit in accordance with 215.404-4. * * *
(ii) A description of efforts taken pursuant to FAR 15.405, to
negotiate a reasonable price. For the purpose of FAR 15.405(d), this
report is the referral to a level above the contracting officer; and
* * * * *
PART 252--SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES
Sec. 252.215-7000 [Amended]
16. Section 252.215-7000 is amended in the introductory text by
removing ``215.804-8'' and inserting in its place ``215.408(1)''.
17. Section 252.215-7002 is amended by revising the introductory
text, the clause date, paragraph (c) introductory text, paragraph
(d)(2) introductory text, paragraph (d)(2)(ii), and paragraph (e)(1)
introductory text to read as follows:
252.215-7002 Cost estimating system requirements.
As prescribed in 215.408(2), use the following clause:
Cost Estimating System Requirements (Oct 1998)
* * * * *
(c) Applicability.
Paragraphs (d) and (e) of this clause apply if the Contractor is
a large business and either--
* * * * *
(d) * * *
(2) An estimating system disclosure is acceptable when the
Contractor has provided the ACO with documentation that--
* * * * *
(ii) Provides sufficient detail for the Government to reasonably
make an informed judgment regarding the acceptability of the
Contractor's estimating practices.
* * * * *
(e) * * *
(1) The Contractor shall respond to a written report from the
Government that identifies deficiencies in the Contractor's
estimating system as follows:
* * * * *
252.217-7027 [Amended]
18. Section 252.217-7027 is amended by revising the clause date to
read ``OCT 1998)''; and in paragraph (c) in the first sentence by
removing ``15.8'' and inserting its place ``15.4''.
252.219-7005 [Amended]
19. Section 252.219-7005 is amended by revising the clause date to
read ``(OCT 1998)''; and in paragraph (c) by removing ``Subpart 15.9''
and inserting in its place ``15.404-4''.
20. Section 252.243-7000 is amended by revising the clause date and
paragraph (c)(1) to read as follows:
252.243-7000 Engineering change proposals.
* * * * *
Engineering Change Proposals (Oct 1998)
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(1) A contract pricing proposal using the format in Table 15-2,
Section 15.408, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation; and
* * * * *
PART 253--FORMS
253.204-70 [Amended]
21. Section 253.204-70 is amended in paragraph (b)(6)(1)
introductory text in the first sentence by removing ``52.215-20'' and
inserting in its place ``52.215-6''.
22. Section 253.215-70 is amended by revising paragraphs (a) and
(b)(4); by removing paragraph (b)(7) and redesignating paragraphs
(b)(8) and (b)(9) as paragraphs (b)(7) and (b)(8), respectively; by
revising paragraphs (c)(12) and (c)(14); and by revising the last
sentence of paragraph (c)(15) and the last sentence of paragraph
(c)(16) to read as follows:
[[Page 55053]]
253.215-70 DD Form 1547, Record of Weighted Guidelines Application.
(a) Use the DD Form 1547 as prescribed in 215.404-70.
(b) * * *
(4) If the contracting office is exempt from reporting to the DoD
management information system on profit and fee statistics (see
215.404-75), do not complete Block 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(12) Block 12--use code. Enter the appropriate code for use of the
weighted guidelines method--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Description Code
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Standard weighted guidelines method (215.404-71)................. 2
Alternate performance risk, no facilities employed (215.404-71-
2(c)(2))...................................................... 1
Alternate facilities capital employed (215.404-71-4(c)(2))..... 3
Alternate structure approach (215.404-73)........................ 4
Modified weighted guidelines approach, (215.404-72).............. 5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * *
(14) Blocks 21 through 29--weighted guidelines profit factors.
Enter the amounts determined in 215.404-71 or 215.404-72. This section
is not required to be completed when using an alternate structured
approach (215.404-73).
(15) * * * This section is not required to be completed when using
an alternate structured approach (215.404-73).
(16) * * * When using an alternate structured approach, see
215.404-73(b)(2) for offsets.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 98-27091 Filed 10-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-04-M
